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Written by rosalind renshaw

The RICS has today launched a new two-pronged estate agency initiative which could challenge the NAEA’s licensed scheme.

It is telling consumers to use RICS members – whilst simultaneously upping its recruitment drive to high street estate agents, who can become RICS associates.

The RICS’s new campaign is based on the publication of the latest edition of its UK Residential Property Standards, ‘the Blue Book’, and is aimed at consumers, publicly endorsing RICS estate agents.

The RICS, which has recently taken on an external PR firm to promote its residential faculty, said it hopes to change the way people view estate agents.

The RICS said that with anyone able to set up a sales or lettings agency, ‘many people have doubted whether agents have the expertise needed’.
 
The Blue Book, says the RICS, provides residential sales and letting professionals with best practice advice.
 
David Dalby, RICS director of residential, said: “We hope to change people’s perception of estate agencies by promoting the standards expected of residential agents under the long-established RICS brand.
 
“The Blue Book will also help estate agents to improve their business by providing advice on issues such as conflicts of interest and how to build better relationships with buyers and sellers as well as information on how to expand their range of services.
 
“The RICS is the only chartered organisation monitoring residential agents, and those using an RICS agency will know that the level of service provided is of the highest standard.”
 
The RICS has also developed a new online resource, isurv Estate Agency, which offers agents advice on how to deal with all aspects of residential estate agency and provides access to the Blue Book.
 
High street estate agents have been able to become associate members of RICS through the Residential Estate Agency route since 2009.

A merger between the NAEA and RICS was on the cards a few years ago but failed to go through. The deal would have given NAEA members technical membership of the RICS.

A particular issue for the RICS has been recruitment, with the ever-increasing age of its members, and low membership numbers in its residential faculty. However, the RICS can lay claim to being a professional organisation rather than a trade body.
 
For further details visit www.ricsbooks.com/bluebook and www.isurv.com
 

Comments

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    Did all NAEA members receive a letter recently from PBK offering RICS Blue Book at a discounted rate?

    Another merger soon?

    • 03 November 2011 08:32 AM
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    RICS has punched below its weight for too long in residential matters and so this is an interesting and welcome development.

    As the inaugural Chair of the Residential Faculty (2000-2003) I worked hard to try and raise RICS position within agency arenas and was unsuccesful at the time in trying to take the NAEA under the RICS wing as the residential arm of the Institution with NAEA members being "given" at TechRICS level membership.

    RICS has a Royal Charter which requires it to be a professional body and act in the public interest at all times.

    Assoc RICS is not a "fill in a form and pay some money" qualification, it is a valid qualification that has to be earned and a real attenpt by RICS to be less "high brow" and open membership up to a wider audience without the need for a qualifying degree and full RICS status.

    With the NFoPP and NAEA shooting themselves in the foot at every turn I believe RICS' timing is opportune but they still have a lot to do to get the message across about what a Chartered Surveyor is (and the value of the qualification) in estate agency circles - not allowing the designation Chartered Estate Agent is a major hurdle here.

    Yes, I'm sure RICS would like to regulate the world and NFoPP would like to be the RICS.

    I currently have a foot in both camps but would prefer to see RICS as the professional body and NAEA as a trade association.

    I don't expect anything to shake out too clearly too quickly.

    • 02 November 2011 11:37 AM
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    Ray

    CMP and PI is fundamentally about money - of course - as is redress. What I meant was that SAFE isn't JUST about CMP - its more about the type of agent who is acknowledged as being regulated voluntarily. It says much about an agent

    Best

    Simone

    • 01 November 2011 18:33 PM
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    @Simon Says

    SAFE is only about money - in practice what else?

    • 01 November 2011 16:49 PM
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    Dear All

    The more regulators who send the message to the public about standards, insurance, redress and professional standards the better. Nevertheless, it dilutes the message and adds to consumer confusion when more than one regulator sends a message but seemingly as the only regulator.

    Its rather like the BBC cookery show - "Anchor butter is great, but other brands are available" - SAFEagent does this.

    Nevertheless, the more this issue is raised, the better for the industry. Well done RICS.

    Regards

    EW

    • 01 November 2011 10:17 AM
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    Associate RICS member? Can any Tom Dick or Harry get "associate" membership just by filling in an application form and posting off a cheque?

    If they can, what the hell did I do 3 years at college and 2 yrs CPD for?

    • 01 November 2011 10:04 AM
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    AND for the record - RICS have done NOTHING for the industry - have kept quiet and have never provided any guidance on lettings - now they want to be the Lords of all.

    Ok - Safe people may have brought this subject to the fore but ultimately they are just a bunch of agents who would do better focussing on their own businesses and leaving this to the professionals.

    • 31 October 2011 18:55 PM
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    I think parking tanks on the lawn is a tad of an exaggeration.

    Headline should read "RICS park their bath chairs and commodes on the lawn"

    ARLA's next step will be phasing out non licensed members by stopping them using their initials and logo's - already plans are afoot and talks being held......

    The more non licensed prehistoric members moan - the swifter and easier this process will become - if you don't like it - leave and good riddance. Thats why it all falls on deaf ears.

    RICS are surveyors, Law Society Lawyers. NALS - who knows. NAEA - stick to sales.

    • 31 October 2011 18:41 PM
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    Over 2000 read this article - few seem to actually give a hoot.

    Why? Because again its all about self interest. Safe start a creditable PR drive - eventually ARLA come out and say they are the consumer champions - but only their licensed members. RICS now claim THEY are the consumer champions - who will next shout "I am Sparticus"

    At least SAFe isn't competing and no - Ray - its not just about money - its about PI Insurance and redress and de facto - apart of a professional regulator.

    • 31 October 2011 17:57 PM
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    @RICS Member

    So you have joined SAFE. Yes, it seems a good idea to me and I wish it well as a single conduit to make the public fully aware that members (hopefully fully and continually vetted) have insurance in place to protect clients and tenants money.

    However, it is only about MONEY. It has nothing to do with training, obtaining a basic qualification then, after experience, a further qualification, advice and guidance on other regulations etc. etc. ARLA membership was and I hope will become so again, well respected until the ill advised merger of NAEA, ARLA ETC.ETC. under the administration of the NFoPP which has been a disaster in public relations...

    • 31 October 2011 13:27 PM
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    Friends, Romans and fellow countrymen, I don't' want to pee(bee) on RICS' parade but, to my knowledge the section in the new Blue Book on valuations, is devoid of any useful additional guidance to members reading it - about how to value residential property more effectively as agency practitioners?

    This beggars belief, after the Northern Rock debacle. No additional advice is given in this vital area, even though the market is in desperate need of better informed valuers, to advise both owners and mortgagees alike. For this reason I suggest, to date, the new Blue Book is a disappointing failure. I used to be a RICS member myself but gave up and resigned over their lack of direction.

    Nothing much seems to have improved since.

    • 31 October 2011 12:42 PM
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    John,

    You are 100% correct. Regulation is a time consuming monster. But for decades the RICS have not marketed and supported its residential arm (both agency and lettings).

    I used to employ 5 full-time staff and had a High Street presence providing EA, lettings and Mortgage Valuations, but now work from home with one remote part-time employee as a result of the Northern Rock debacle and the crash which followed.

    The RICS have so far given me little help and support over this difficult time. I have made comments on this website and directly to RICS before about the lack of support it gives to its residential members but quite rightly it still requires us to comply with its strict regulation regime.

    I am stunned and surprised to see that RICS is now looking to take the initiative and fully endorse and support this move.

    • 31 October 2011 12:08 PM
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    NAEA members: beware the RICS monster!
    The RICS heaps regulation upon regulation on it's members (while earning extra revenue as a result) We have the EU to do that. They champion the consumer not the members.

    • 31 October 2011 11:50 AM
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    No wonder the public are so confused.

    Only since SAFE started challenging the establishment have any of these dinosaurs so much as stirred from their hibernation. Now ARLA say only use some ARLA members and RICS say only use an RICS member.

    Its a bloody disgrace that NO ONE seems to give a toss about the consumer - just their own membership numbers.

    A least SAFE agent has been honest, impartial, all inclusive and non political.

    RICS & ARLA - what have you been doing for the last 30 years?

    • 31 October 2011 11:30 AM
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    So you pays your money and you takes your choice.

    Do something wrong as far as the NAEA is concerned and the member gats a polite telling off.

    Ditto with the RICS and at worst you get expelled.

    My old boss was an RICS man and the general way of conducting business is good and honest. Why do so many EA's have to be dishonest?

    As Rebel says, save your money.

    • 31 October 2011 11:23 AM
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    The RICS is a good regulator - but is a shame that you can find no reference to lettings on their website to endorse that which you tell a prospective landlord - thats why we joined SAFE agent. THat said - RICS have far more cred than ARLA who are just a trade body and of no relevance any more

    • 31 October 2011 11:23 AM
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    @IHS

    Spot on! At the moment confusion reigns for the profession and the public.

    • 31 October 2011 11:07 AM
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    Was NAEA, and I quit.

    Joining as AssocRICS is way harder than I expected, but I have to say I think it is of far greater value.

    I have mentioned to a few vendors on valuations that I am going through the process and they seem genuinely interested and impressed.

    • 31 October 2011 10:44 AM
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    Well done Mr Dalby, about time someone at RICS did something really positive to promote the RICS qualified estate agents.

    I hope it works, I might then be able to take my business to another level.

    • 31 October 2011 10:21 AM
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    Didn't take take long for each of the three members of NFOPP to start looking after their own interests!

    Why do we need NFOPP now - go back to what we had before:

    ARLA for Letting Agents

    NAEA for Estate Agents

    RICS for Surveyors

    No wonder the public doesn't understand what all these acronyms are - at least with SafeAgent it is plain and simple what it means.

    • 31 October 2011 09:53 AM
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    Why join either?

    Rememeber the genius of humour, Groucho Marx . .

    "I wouldn't join any club that would have me as a member"

    • 31 October 2011 09:26 AM
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    You know what? You can post as many negatives as you want and it will difference what so ever, the RICS remain the only professional set up, the NAEA a paid for joke.

    The RICS is the main organisation recognised by the government and the press and such will continue to be consumer champions and be seen as such by the public.

    Able to sell property at the best price? Thats another matter!!

    • 31 October 2011 08:53 AM
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    Now all you need to do now to boost your membership RICS is...update and modernise your qualification requirements inline with other chartered professional bodies.

    • 31 October 2011 08:17 AM
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    RICS = quill pen Bufton-Tuftons

    NAEA = bloody useless

    Save your money. Don't bother with either.

    • 31 October 2011 08:09 AM
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    good luck to the rics a credible alternative to the naea

    • 31 October 2011 07:10 AM
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