I can just about make a case for estate agents having a useful role in house. Lettings agents, however, are a disgrace. No qualifications required and over-charging the people who, in many cases, can least afford it. Most of the charges are wholly unnecessary but the Government - surprise...
But if there were no estate agents, there'd be no-one to tell you that you can't actually ever get to see the property they're selling because they're too busy/don't do viewings on Mondays/ or before 10am or after 5pm /can only get access one hour a week/can't show you it before the Open House...