Searches: consumer chief and Propertymark leader join trade body

The Council of Property Search Organisations has named three industry figures as members of its newly-formed compliance committee, set to regulate a new ‘search code’ from the start of next year. 

CoPSO says the new Committee will not only be responsible for search code registration, but also the inspection team that is charged with ensuring compliance with the code by registered subscribers, and deciding on disciplinary matters. 

The committee is also responsible for the relationship with The Property Ombudsman which provides the redress mechanism for the code for consumer protection. 

The three appointees are Nicky Heathcote who is a non-executive director of Propertymark, Mark McLaren who is a non-executive director of The Property Ombudsman, and Paula Higgins who is the founder and chief executive of the Homeowners Alliance consumer group. 

Heathcote will chair the new committee.

CoPSO chairman James Sherwood-Rogers says: “The integrity of the Code on which so many people depend, including property lawyers and mortgage lenders, is absolutely essential to ensuring robust standards are maintained across the industry. This is for the long term benefit and peace of mind for consumers and ensures a level playing field for our members centred on quality’”