A new body has been set up, consisting of suppliers to estate agents and letting agents. It will work closely with agents and aims to raise standards across the entire industry.
The Property Industry Scheme of Centrally Endorsed Suppliers is known as PISCES.
Founder members include VTUK, ARPM, FCC Paragon, the Bloom Academy, the Charlbury Group, the Letting Training Centre, Guild of Professional Estate Agents, Rentright, Brookstreet Des Roches, Hallmark, and he Property Jungle.
Peter Grant, managing director of VTUK, has been elected as chairman, while property veteran Bill McClintock has been appointed as adviser to the group.
Members will be required to adhere to a code of conduct, guaranteeing excellent service levels, whilst working together towards a shared goal of raising standards.
Grant said: “We believe that promoting high standards in the property industry is the responsibility of all in the industry. As such, we will work alongside agents, landlords and professional bodies to raise standards and communicate with the Government.”
The group will also support Centrepoint, the charity that supports homeless young people, through a series of initiatives throughout 2011 and beyond.
The PISCES group will hold a series of regional seminars next year.
New body sets up to lobby for standards in property industry
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Comments
I'm with Adam, please get behind this noble work.
Great news, Great news,
Internet marketing Giant
Nigeria 419 have signed up to do the e marketing and fund raising.
I think the whole point (or lack of...) revolves around the name. The Property Industry dum de dah de doh de SUPPLIERS. So - are they looking to simply improve the quality of materials and services that Agents use in the course of their work? Because that is what the title suggests.
Surely, then, the title could have been shortened somewhat - to Property Industry Successful Suppliers, maybe... ;0)
The whole idea is a complete nonsense.
Someone is probably making (or will) money from this.
Barge Pole comes to mind!
??
So some companies that sell widgets and things to the EA industry want to set up a property standards body – blimey, can that work?
Ive had a think about it and im not sure, it’s a bit like my Milkman, the petrol station owner, the bird in the offie near me, Vodaphone, the landlord of our local and Sainsburys…………… and anyone else I buy things from (which when you start to list it is a lot so you have to give up like I just have) all asking me to sign up to be a better person by not shouting at the kids, picking up my dogs poo (which I do), not speeding / smoking / swearing and so on.
Well I’d tell them to stick to selling me things and mind their own business
If they believe in it so much then they can prove it by not supplying their products and services to companies that won’t / haven’t signed up, but ive got more chance of stuffing an elephant up my jacksie tusks an all than that happening
Daft idea, won’t be a runner,
Jonnie
It is a nice idea, and will no doubt be of some benefit to those who choose to get involved.
But to those agents who want to earn more money and not compete with Mr 0.5% down the road, there are a number of very successful, highly regarded agents who achieve this respect and profitability without being a member of any trade association, but just by setting their own high standards and adhering to them.
Being a member of any association does not automatically get you higher fees and respect. Only your company's individual conduct and reputation can achieve than.
We agreed I would do the PR and marketing Adam!
There are no dodgy motives here!
I think that every decent agent would agree with you. I also think this particularly applies to lettings and management where large sums of client money are held and no registration, even to the TPO is required. However, Grant Shapps has made it abundantly clear that legislation will not be forthcoming; he does however support the NAEA initiative which is flawed by its exclusivity and cost. At the Pisces meeting real commercial solutions generating increased revenue providing consumer protection and promoting the positive messages in the industry were offered in great detail. These solutions were open to all were revenue driven and cost free, without legislation the only way to improve standards is in this all inclusive added value and commercially viable inducement to raising standards.
Bagsy the treasurers job!
A more appropriate name would be the Pheonix Knights.
A professional body needs beyond reproach and free from commercial pressure.
I would love to see the due diligence that even allowed this to get this far.
Will Messr'r Ockenden and Whatnot be invited to join too.
Adam, are you or are you not in favour of ALL property professionals both sales and lettings being rigourously tested and qualified before being licensed to carry out their trade? You speak most eloquently and beautifully on how you see the goals and aims of this particular new trades body but be honest it will never be able to clean up and regulate our industry as a whole. I have a dream that one day I can sell a property, arrange the finance and do the conveyancing all under one roof, my roof so I can earn a helluva lot more. Why must I have to fight some cowboy down the road charging 0.5%? If we were all licensed, professional, ethically challenged and qualified to perform multi tasks then not only would we do more for the public at large we could earn more!
What a fine reflection, these comments are on the last bastion of entrepreneurial adventure, that we call the property industry. Its sad that you are unable to read (never mind between the lines) and see that this is a carrot not stick, and offers the added value that main steam associations are failing to give and in conjunction with the TPO is a commercial solution for all in the industry to the issue of professionalism and best practice, without any associated costs. I attended the launch in Newcastle and found a seminar of intelligent, business orientated individuals who want to recognised as such and who are immensely proud of their industry. Its non exclusive, non mandatory and if you don’t find out more you will be disadvantaged. It’s a total solution for those of us who aspire to those goals and cannot rely on active legislation from government. This industry needs some positive professional press and this to me is a perfect vehicle.
"New body" - well we all know what to do with that don't we? Bury it quickly!!
Julian, I LMFAO..!
Genius.
Could I volunteer to be in charge of data protection please?
Don't put foxes in charge of a hen house is what my old uncle used to tell me
Why does this keep on happening. The average agent has no chance here.
We recently had the NAEA saying that we needed to join that, recently a reminder about joining the ICO, a yearly reminder about our TPO for CEARA, not to mention TDS... the public cant possibly be expected to understand all of this because none of us can get our head round it.
Do you know what I would be in favour of licensing of agents if it rolls up all of these other requirements.
Just think what the business card would look like of all these bodies gave us initials after our name...ridiculous absolutely ridiculous.
Yawn, yawn here we go again! The nail is hit firmly on the head by Ray. Another so called regulatory 'approved body' FFS, that means absolutely nothing to the average man in the street but they will want £XXX from us to join to do guess what? Improve standards and promote good practice. Just look at your TDS subs this year! £500 odd last year and I have had to pay, after a lot of screaming and shouting and NOT ONE DISPUTE I will add since inception, £2500 this year. They are an utter disgrace the lot of them. A 'not for profit' organisation, rubbish! License everyone policed by your local authority so you will have to prove your capabilities and qualifications before you can even trade in any borough of the country. Set the bar at a certain height and anyone who can't make it over, tough!!
I agree with Rays comments. The amount of hoops we as agents have to jump through gets to a point where you can't see the wood or the trees. Why can't the TPO which under ceara is an approved legislative body give guidance and compliance on all the remaining law like data protection, privacy and comms regs, ICO, etc
Ray Evans, on one blog you moan about lack of regulation, then moan here about some group trying to do so? Not very consistent.
...same old cronies talking guff. Get a life FFS.
Yet another (eventual)money collecting set up. Have hese people nothing better to do! Have we not eneough organisations attemping the same?