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Who owns the money in an escrow account?

TL;DR

The depositor (principal) owns funds held in escrow. The escrow agent merely safeguards them and releases only when the agreed conditions are fulfilled.

Who owns the money in an escrow account?

‍When funds go into an escrow account, the depositor (or principal) retains ownership. The escrow agent holds the funds neutrally, managing them in trust until release conditions are met. The agent does not own the funds.

Why this matters

  • Protects the depositor from misuse or insolvency risk of the agent.
  • Ensures funds are released only as per the escrow agreement.

Common scenarios

  • Real estate: A buyer deposits funds via conveyancer - the buyer still owns them.
  • M&A or construction: Conditional deposits are made to fund releases upon milestone completion.

Regulatory and safety features

  • Agents must be FCA-authorised, and funds are held in safeguarded accounts - we hold all of our funds via our banking tech partners liquid and unencumbered at the Bank of England.
  • If the escrow agent becomes insolvent, deposited funds remain protected and segregated.

Further reading

Learn more about how a trusted Escrow Agent, Escrow Agreement, or Project Bank Account ensures fund protection.

Our Escrow Accounts

We provide specialist escrow accounts, from the everyday to the exotic, adding trust and transparency to your transaction.
Discover our Escrow Accounts

Our Payment Accounts

Our managed third-party payment services support regulated and unregulated clients in managing their own client funds.
Discover our Payment Accounts

FCA-Regulated

We're regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for the provision of payment services.

Digital Accounts Portal

Access your account, view your transactions and documents and provide read-only access to all of your relevant stakeholders.

White-Glove Service

Your named account manager can help you manage your accounts at any time, by email, phone or WhatsApp.

High-Speed Account Opening

We can open escrow accounts in as little as a day - our systems and processes are built for speed.

Ultra-Secure Deposits

We deposit all pound sterling sums at the Bank of England, offering the lowest-risk escrow service in the United Kingdom.

Any duration, any value

We can hold funds for as little as a few hours, for many years, or even longer depending on your specific requirements.

What our clients say

Don't just take our word for it - hear from our clients who have added trust and security to their escrow and payment requirements.
Escrow Accounts

UK Escrow Accounts

Private escrow accounts provide security, trust and transparency to ongoing or ad-hoc payment requirements.

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Frequently Asked Questions
Corporate

Pension Deficit Escrow

This strategic tool allows employers to balance short-term financial flexibility with long-term funding obligations, aligning both corporate and trustee interests.
Learn more
Corporate

Mergers & Acquisitions ('M&A') Escrow

Escrow is often used in M&A transactions to provide security for the deal and protect the parties before and after completion.
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Marine

Marine Sale & Purchase Escrow

We provide escrow services for ship and yacht sale and purchase, supporting lawyers and owners in their maritime transactions.
Learn more
Aviation

Jet Card Escrow Accounts

Our jet card escrow accounts provide all of the benefits to charterers but without the insolvency risks associated with traditional jet card programmes.
Learn more
Aviation

Aircraft Purchase Escrow (UK)

Acting as a trusted neutral third party for the completion of an aircraft purchase transaction, we hold the aircraft papers and the deposit.
Learn more
Construction

Construction Retentions Escrow

Retentions exist to incentivise contractors to complete the contracted Works. The idea behind them is that by agreeing to withholding some of each monthly payment, this amount of money acts as a significant carrot to complete the Works to the required standard.
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Construction

Construction Escrow

Construction Escrow accounts de-risk the construction contract for both parties and offer a lower-cost alternative to performance bonds.
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Construction

Party Wall Escrow

Party Wall Escrow Accounts provide security for neighbouring building owners while you carry out construction works.
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TPMA's

Third-Party Managed Accounts

Third-Party Managed Accounts (TPMA's) are a convenient way to manage complex, high-value or even routine payment operations.

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Frequently Asked Questions
Corporate

Corporate PayMaster Accounts

Supporting new businesses, international businesses and streamlined back offices with outsourced accounts payable.
Learn more
Legal

Probate & Executor Accounts

Executors and lawyers collecting estate property can use our Probate & Executor Accounts to collect estate funds and hold them safely at the Bank of England.
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Legal

TPMA's for Legal Fees on Account

Third-Party Managed Accounts to handle your fees on account.
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Family Office

Household PayMaster Accounts

Supporting house managers and family offices in single- and multi-residence households with outsourced payment and accounting services.
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Construction

FF&E Procurement Accounts

As many interior designers aren't regulated to carry out payment services or hold client money, our procurement accounts offer a safe, transparent alternative for large FF&E projects.
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Construction

Project Bank Accounts

Our Project Bank Accounts provide project-specific, pre-funded, ring-fenced bank accounts to protect Funders, consultants and Contractors engaged in high-value and/or long-term Works.
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dospay Escrow & Payments

Fixed-Price Escrow & Payment Schemes

We operate a number of zero-fee or fixed-price escrow and payment schemes to deliver the best value on our Bank of England escrow services.
UK Retention Deposit Scheme

UK Retention Deposit Scheme

We hold construction retentions, free of charge at the Bank of England for the whole supply chain. Secure, FCA-regulated service with Bank of England deposits.
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UK Security for Expenses Scheme

UK Security for Expenses Scheme

Deposit your Party Wall Security for Expenses, free of charge, at the Bank of England. As safe as houses. Secure, FCA-regulated service with Bank of England deposits.
Find out more...
dospay Escrow & Payments

Articles

Information, guides and blogs about specialist escrow and third-party managed payment services.
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How Do I Find a (UK) Escrow Agent/Service?
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How Do I Find a (UK) Escrow Agent/Service?

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Why choose a digital Project Bank Account?
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Pensions in the Age of Market Uncertainty – Avoiding Trapped Surplus

Discover how pension deficit escrows offer a low-cost, efficient solution to avoid trapped surplus in defined benefit schemes amid market volatility.
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Understanding FF&E Procurement: Should Interior Designers Purchase as Agent or Principal?
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Understanding FF&E Procurement: Should Interior Designers Purchase as Agent or Principal?

The devil lies in the detail - we explain the nuanced differences between the two.
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High-Value Dealers: Part 3 - Simplifying Compliance with Third-Party Escrow Services
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High-Value Dealers: Part 3 - Simplifying Compliance with Third-Party Escrow Services

Outsourcing provides an opportunity for interior designers to lighten the compliance burden.
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High-Value Dealers: Part 1 – What's Changing and Why?
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Regulators are taking a closer look at interior designers, art dealers and other high-value sellers.
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Where to deposit party wall security for expenses
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Why can't law firms in the UK provide escrow services?
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Why can't law firms in the UK provide escrow services?

Rule 3.3 of the SRA Accounts Rules specifically prohibits the use of a client account to provide banking services.
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Escrow Accounts vs. Third-Party Managed Accounts
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Escrow Accounts vs. Third-Party Managed Accounts

A guide for law firms - escrow accounts and TPMA's both serve as mechanisms to safeguard funds and control disbursements, but operate in different ways.
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5 reasons clients prefer Project Bank Accounts
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5 reasons clients prefer Project Bank Accounts

‍Project Bank Accounts (PBAs) have been around for a long time now but, in the wake of Carillion and ISG's collapses, are experiencing a resurgence in popularity, both in the public and private sectors.
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UK Project Bank Account Providers List (2025)

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Escrow & Payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Popular questions about escrow and third-party payment accounts
Are escrow agents regulated in the UK?
Can I withdraw money from my escrow account?
Can escrow be used for personal transactions?
Do escrow accounts earn interest in the UK?
How much does an escrow account cost?
Is escrow a thing in the UK?
What is project escrow?
What is an escrow agreement?
What is the difference between an escrow and a payment service?
Who owns the money in an escrow account?
Who pays escrow fees in a typical escrow transaction?

Sectors

Our escrow and managed payment services are all made to measure, but there are particular sectors that we tend to work with regularly:
Corporate

Corporate

In low-trust and/or high-value corporate transactions, we can add security, trust and transparency.
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Construction

Construction

Through our bespoke construction payment and escrow accounts we add trust to construction contract payments.
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Family Office

Family Office

We support wealthy families and family offices with managed payment accounts to support their lifestyles and luxury assets.
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Real Estate

Real Estate

From purchase to renovation and eventual occupation or tenancy, we support all stages of the property ownership lifecycle.
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Marine

Marine

From new build to purchase, charter and ongoing operations and APA's, we support all stages of the yacht and ship lifecycle.
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Aviation

Aviation

From purchase to charter and ongoing jet operations, our specialist accounts provide transparency and peace of mind.
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Legal

Legal

We support law firms, independent solicitors and in-house counsel with their escrow/TPMA requirements.
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Bespoke

Bespoke

Specialist escrow tailored to your exact requirements, of any duration, value and use case.
Learn more