Business Transfer Agents (and Business Brokers) assist in the sale of businesses. Many have unfair or exploitative contracts.
We campaign for more ethical contracts in the industry.
We also provide this website as a resource for business owners. We maintain:
- Advice for businesses on what to look out for in contracts with Business Agents and Business Brokers;
- Signposts to help vendors find the right type of agent / broker to sell their business;
- Copies of legal cases that business owners have won against agents;
- Advice on the grounds you can use to launch or defend a case against agents and brokers and
- Links to resources for further help and legal assistance.
So Who Is A Reliable Agent?
As we deal with complaints against agents, our experiences tend to be with the worst of the agents and we don’t get to hear about the good ones. So how do you find a good one?
We’ve put together a page on finding the right agent to sell your business. Or you can use the business broker directory at iTABB; either search manually or use their help to find a business broker free service.
Background To This CEBTA Website
The information on this site is gleaned from ten years of guiding business owners through the process of defending Claims by the some of the ‘Business Agents’ named. It is entirely voluntary; we charge no fees.
CEBTA are not competitors of any business marketing agents. The site was founded by a group of (individually vetted) business owners who were harassed or misled by agents into parting with thousands for doing, in our opinion, very little. For example, a miniscule advertisement among many other adverts on a web-site that the potential viewer has to register on in order to gain access to the advertisement, is hardly going to get many buyers.
If you have a grievance against an agent would like some support with your case then please see this page.
Contacting Us
You can contact us using info@cebta.org.uk but please note that we no longer directly assist with advising on your case or helping you take it to court. The most we can do is recommend where you can get appropriate advice but please be aware that advice from a qualified lawyer will be circa £250 an hour and advice from a para legal with specific experience of business sale agents / brokers will come in at £100 – £150 an hour. Please only email us if you are willing to pay those fees and please include a brief outline of what it is with which you need assistance or advice.
Please allow a few days for a reply.