Jan Bartlett Blog

Monday 6th February 2012

Goodbye NAEA and ARLA – will you miss me?

Yes, the day has dawned! With a 300% increase in the cost of the accounting report required to stay on as a member, CPD requirements which mean members have to pay to attend events to get their hours – even though they may be doing stacks of things which could be logged as CPD – I have resigned from both Associations. 

This, after 36 years of membership with NAEA and latterly ARLA, and having to pay two memberships for a number of years to keep my Honoured Fellow status, although this was after a fight that has now been resolved and a proud Honoured Fellow of NAEA can be the same in ARLA – but why did members have to fight for that?

I sat for many years on committees and then ARLA divisional council, but one year was not asked to continue, with no acknowledgement of my services.

I have now received an apology – but only because I moaned! I really enjoyed my days as Chair for Oxon, Berks and Bucks NAEA, and we held fabulous meetings which were well attended.

Recent discussions with NFoPP met with a waffled response to many of the things that I am currently unhappy about: the increased accounting requirements at such a huge cost, the CPD costs, the cost of courses, the lack of publicity and marketing and the dismal failure of PropertyLive, plus the boring magazines that tell us all about the baddies from months ago, lightly flavoured with the ‘jollies’ that the great and the good attend, with big smiles (like I care!). 

It was pointed out that these complaints of mine were discussed at the DC meetings I attended – how strange, then, that I was not asked to stay on! They don’t like people who do not toe the party line at Arbon House!

Two years ago I wrote an article for The Estate Agent, in which I expressed some views. This was the subject of a ‘veto’ so it never appeared. I have just read through it again, and nothing has changed! One point I attempted to make was that I feel the organisation is consumer complaint driven rather than for the benefit of members.

One test of this is when you, as a member, wish to make a complaint against a rogue member. You will receive what is clearly the standard dismissive reply from Arbon House.

So, when the need arises, remember this tip – get a member of the public to make the complaint, (it can be your granny, for example) – it’s like the charge of the Light Brigade! Much more impressive reaction! It still does not get rid of the cowboys but NFoPP will never be controversial enough to achieve that anyway – that is down to the rest of us, using Trading Standards, etc, as our weapons.

I have also complained about the lack of information for young people considering our business as a career. NFoPP does after all have an Education Department.

I give talks at local schools at careers events, and try to encourage young people into the property industry. All NFoPP can provide as leaflets is Technical Award details. But young people leaving school don’t want info on exams, they want info on a career as a letting agent or estate agent, over and above what the local Careers Office can provide. 

They want real-life stories, the chance to experience a few days with companies, seeing it for themselves. It’s good for them to know that working with property is all about working with people: that no day is ever the same, and if you are not a people person, property is not for you. 

So, I have devised my own leaflets and displays, and have been asked back time and time again to various venues, so it must be OK! Also, the parents of these young people have become clients of mine in some cases – unique marketing tool, you see!

I consider myself a property professional and as such have largely made my own path. 

I certainly find the information trail via NFoPP (ARLA) useful, but actually nowadays keep ahead of the game myself, much more quickly, by using researchers, political contacts, property lawyers and of course the internet. This furthers my business more quickly and gives me a more balanced view. 

I am Oxford’s first Accredited Agent, get press and radio coverage at least monthly (twice last month), have a really good name and reputation, and frankly I just don’t need all this policing and threatening. Half the things NFoPP made me do are not mandatory.

It’s so expensive, annoying and threatening all the time. Goodness me, a past President was even threatened with ARLA turning up and investigating his books! I would have like to have seen them try! What are they, the SWOT team?

I am known as the local HMO specialist and even train other agents in the handling of their clients’ HMO needs and applications. I have been involved with Government in discussions regarding LHA.

Have NFoPP ever asked me to assist them – bearing in mind Oxford leads the way in the matter of HMOs and Class 4 Planning? Not once. That is because I am not ‘one of them’.

Anyway, as my son Charlie now joins me as a Partner at Premier, we move forward with NALS and SAFEagent who both seem friendly and informative. 

Why bother to be a member of anything? Ask me again in a year’s time, but for now all seems well, the landlords and tenants are reassured on the CMP front and it’s cheaper – with nice logos! So no SWOT team for me!

Jan Bartlett

Premier Letting Oxford – NALS Licensed Agent