The UK’s biggest estate agent, Countrywide, has developed a formally recognised estate agency qualification.
It claims to be the first agent in the UK to do so, at a time when there are still no barriers to entry.
Countrywide’s Level 2 Technical Awards in Residential Sales has been independently approved by City & Guilds. It means that the qualification would be recognised by future employers industry-wide, in the same way as the NAEA's Level 3 Technical Award.
We did ask Countrywide to comment but the company has not added to its original statement, that it wants to see minimum entry standards into estate agency become an imperative.
The Countrywide qualification is made up of three units, as opposed to the NAEA’s four. The Countrywide modules are: health, safety and security; legislation and codes of practice; and administration procedures.
The qualification is open to all Countrywide’s new estate agency employees as well as existing staff and can be completed at the candidate’s own pace through AgencyPro, an interactive portal for Countrywide staff.
Seven estate agents at Countrywide have already passed the new qualification. They are: Matthew Ireland of Bairstow Eves in Letchworth, Richard Furnivall of Wilson Peacock in Letchworth, Sanjay Akurogoda and Thomas Llewellyn of Bairstow Eves in Colindale, Josh Balodis of Taylors in Bedford, Boyd Kelly of Taylors in Flitwick, and Marcus Gittens of Taylors in Luton.
Mark Summers, operations manager of AgencyPro, who developed the qualification, said: “I am delighted to see the first of our new starters gain this qualification and I look forward to seeing many more doing so in the future.
“At Countrywide, the training and development of our staff is very important to us and we believe it is essential for individuals to be able to achieve an industry recognised qualification, showing that they have a good understanding of industry regulations and best practice.”
Bob Scarff, managing director of estate agency at Countrywide, said: “It is very pleasing to see so many of our staff wanting to achieve this qualification and we look forward to developing further qualifications in the future.
“We want to be leaders in raising professional standards within the industry and support The Property Ombudsman and its desire to create a register of individuals and to set minimum standards of entry into the estate agency industry.”
Pictured are some of the new graduates with Bob Scarff. Left to right are: Boyd Kelly, Richard Furnivall, Bob Scarff, Matthew Ireland, Marcus Gittens and Josh Balodis
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Comments
Laydees and gentlefolks - announcing entry into the room of the one and only Jon Middleton - the new challenger to the Peter Hendry MDT Prize of 2013.
I think he'll take the title hands down...
Congratulations to Countrywide for recognising the need to up skill their staff to at least a basic level of knowledge. This can only help house sellers and buyer not to mention Countrywide and the industry as a whole.
I am on unit 4 of the Level 3 Technical Award in Residential Sales with the NFoPP. Given this is suppose to be the industry standard I wonder why they didn’t use it. Seems a waste of money and resources to start your own award when there is a recognised one out there already.
I have written a blog on the skills you need to sell your house that your readers might find interesting - http://mtppblog.co.uk/the-skills-you-need-to-sell-privately
The difference is that NFOPP offers the only NVQs you can obtain within the industry.
This is what happens when NFOPP over-price the qualifications. Teaming up with MOL on the face of it looked a good move, outsourcing usually does, but the costs to take qualifications that really are pretty simple (and certainly are low level) have become quite expensive for agents to stomach where margins remain under pressure.
Sadly I'd be surprised to see NFOPP alter their mindset on the outsourcing of qualifications in order to continue to use them as a cash cow. The regional meetings are now the most cost-effective way of getting both training and CPD.
Has anyone at EAT asked NFoPP for a response to this news? It strikes me that they are set to lose a lot of members and that could be bad news for the rest of us!
it involves a certificate in, touting, call me cards and door knocking!!!!