Professional Services — No Sale No Fee
Sell My Recruitment Agency
Sell your recruitment agency — permanent, contract or temporary staffing — with no upfront fees. We reach qualified buyers and only charge a success fee when your business successfully completes.
How to Value Your Recruitment Agency
Recruitment agencies are valued at 2x–4x EBITDA for permanent placement businesses and up to 6x EBITDA for high-margin contract and temporary staffing businesses with a strong active contractor base. Recurring contract revenue is significantly more valuable than placement fees.
Listed Across All 5 Major UK Platforms
Your recruitment agency listing is advertised simultaneously on BusinessesForSale.com, Rightbiz, Daltons Business, Business Sale Report and Bizsale.co.uk — the UK's five biggest business-for-sale marketplaces, collectively reaching hundreds of thousands of registered buyers.
Professional Information Memorandum
Every listing includes a professionally written Information Memorandum — a detailed document presenting your recruitment agency to prospective buyers. It covers your trading history, financials, operations and growth potential.
NDA Protection on Every Enquiry
Every buyer must sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement before receiving any details about your recruitment agency. Your identity, location and financial information remain completely confidential until you choose to reveal them.
No Upfront Fees — Ever
Listing your recruitment agency is completely free. There are no upfront fees, no listing fees, no marketing fees and no monthly charges. You only pay our success fee when your business successfully completes.
Experienced UK Business Brokers
Our team are experienced business brokers who have sold businesses across every sector and every region of the UK. We guide you through every stage — from valuation and listing, to buyer qualification, negotiation and completion.
Key Value Drivers
- Large, active contractor base generating weekly margin
- Long-standing client relationships with multiple vacancy sources
- Specialist sector focus — healthcare, engineering, finance, IT, legal
- Experienced consultants able to operate without the owner
- Profitable net margin — ideally 15%+ on permanent, 10%+ on temporary
- CRM database with extensive candidate and client history
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overvaluing permanent placement businesses based on a single strong year
- Not documenting umbrella company or payroll arrangements for contractors
- Presenting contractor numbers without showing active vs dormant splits
- Failing to disclose any issues with employment agency conduct regulations
- Not having GDPR-compliant candidate and client data management in place
Who Buys This Type of Business?
Recruitment agency buyers include larger agencies expanding their sector coverage, private equity-backed staffing platforms, and experienced recruitment directors acquiring their own business. Contract and temporary staffing agencies with proven active contractor bases attract the most competitive bidding.
UK Market Demand
UK recruitment M&A is consistently active. Staffing businesses with specialist sector expertise and active contractor bases are in high demand from consolidators. Healthcare staffing, IT contract and construction temp businesses have been particularly sought-after sectors in recent years.
Common Questions
How is a recruitment agency valued?
Permanent placement agencies are valued at 2x–4x EBITDA. Contract and temporary staffing agencies with a large active contractor base generating weekly margin are valued at 3x–6x EBITDA. The higher and more recurring the revenue, the higher the multiple.
Can I sell my recruitment agency candidate database?
Your candidate database is a valuable asset but must be GDPR compliant. Candidates must have given consent for their data to be used and transferred. A data audit before the sale is strongly recommended. Non-compliant databases reduce buyer confidence and can cause the deal to fall through.
Do employment agency regulations affect the sale of my agency?
The Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 govern how agencies operate. Any previous enforcement action or complaints should be disclosed. Buyers will want to confirm compliance as a condition of the sale.
How do I retain my best consultants when selling my recruitment agency?
Key consultant retention is critical for recruitment agency sales. Buyers often require employment contracts with non-compete clauses for senior consultants as a condition of the deal. Consider retention bonus arrangements funded from the sale proceeds to secure key staff.
How long does it take to sell a recruitment agency?
Typically 6–12 months. Contract staffing businesses with large, active contractor bases can attract offers quickly. Permanent placement businesses require more evidence of sustainable revenue before buyers commit. Clear financial records and a strong pipeline presentation accelerate the process.
What is the success fee?
Our success fee is only payable when contracts exchange and your sale successfully completes. There are no upfront fees, no listing fees and no monthly charges. Contact us for our current fee structure.
Ready to Sell Your Business?
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