Late payment is the biggest concern facing self-employed property professionals, according to new research from The Accountancy Partnership.
The survey found that 28.7% of respondents said delayed or unpaid invoices posed the greatest threat to their business. Rising energy bills (16%), securing a consistent pipeline of work (14.9%) and increasing software costs (7.4%) were also among the main concerns.
Administrative burdens also continue to weigh heavily on the sector. Almost 45% of respondents identified HMRC and tax administration as the biggest external factor affecting their work in 2025, while 41.5% pointed to inflation and rising household bills.
Pricing pressures were another recurring theme, with 44.7% saying businesses most commonly lose clients because of fees, while 26.6% cited poor communication or customer service.
The survey also highlighted the personal impact of these challenges. More than six in 10 respondents (61.7%) said industry pressures had increased their stress or anxiety, while 16% reported working longer hours than usual.
Among those who answered the question, 53.2% said the challenges of the past year had made them consider leaving self-employment for an employed role.
Unpaid work also appears to be commonplace, with 73.4% saying it is either expected within the sector or becoming more common.
Despite the pressures, respondents remained broadly positive about the future. Almost three-quarters (74.5%) said they were confident they would match or exceed last year’s profit, while 77.6% said they felt financially secure over the next 12 months.
When asked about the biggest benefits of self-employment, respondents most commonly cited a better work-life balance (31.9%), greater flexibility around family commitments (25.5%) and not having a manager (21.3%).
Lee Murphy, managing director at The Accountancy Partnership, said: “Late and unpaid invoices in the property world is something that happens far too much, and can be incredibly damaging for those in the sector. They affect cash-flow, tax planning and also generic confidence and the ability to make decisions for the future.
“For landlords, developers and other property professionals, payments often need to line up with wider commitments. This can be anything from supplier costs, your own mortgage payments, and tax bills.
“What is particularly concerning is that late payment is not the only issue. Respondents are also dealing with rising costs, HMRC admin, pricing pressure and unpaid hours, which means many are being squeezed from several directions at once.
“Self-employment still offers clear benefits, especially flexibility and control, but those benefits can be undermined if professionals are constantly chasing payments, absorbing unpaid work or only reviewing their finances once tax deadlines arrive.”
