A senior agency executive has backed the controversial issue of including broadband and mobile signal in property listings.
The National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team indicated in June that broadband and mobile speeds may be deemed material information for agents to include in descriptions of properties.
The issue has received a mixed response from agents but Adam Day, international expansion leader UK for eXp UK, has given the move his backing.
Writing exclusively for Estate Agent Today, he said these changes may seem over the top but are important for how people live.
He said: “Back in my Hatched days, the whole business was based around transparency – from fees and photos, to details, floor plans and any other information we thought would be helpful in the sale of a home. I just thought it was obvious and good practice.
“Yes, some of it may seem a bit over the top – broadband speeds and phone coverage to name a couple – but these things for me are important aspects of understanding the location and experience of living in that home.
“Now that I work from home, I would certainly think again if the phone signal was no good. And what bad can come from it? Vodafone and other companies will have to react to consumer demand and make sure that there is a good phone signal and decent broadband in the area. No complaints from me there.”
Day said increased transparency in listings would mean all parties know exactly where they stand early in the transaction, adding: “Potential problems can be flagged from the outset so that lawyers can resolve them ahead of sale rather than during a transaction, which helps reduce frustration and delays.
“The improved certainty and consistency across the process gives homebuyers peace of mind that they have been looked after and treated fairly and ethically. It really is a win-win situation, and the industry needs to hasten the pace to change.”
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I use Sprift as brochures (Key Facts for Buyers) on all my listings and they generically include broadband and mobile speed/connectivity. More and more buyers are working from home and this is key information often asked for by buyers in their purchase-making decisions.
So, the tech savvy generation are now incapable of finding out anything, talk about being spoon fed, soon we'll be tasting their food for them to make sure that it's not too hot!
Where does Adam say that they're incapable? He's suggesting it's helpful information for buyers considering properties, so why not include it.
I'm astonished at your "can't they do it themselves" service ethos! Why not make them bring their measuring tape round to the viewing so they can measure it up themselves too?!
At what stage do we think someone buying a house might be required to actually think for themselves?
I'm sure any buyer already knows how to check broadband speeds in any area. I think you're missing Adam's point. It enhances a property's marketing presentation and also adds convenience for buyers. These are the kinds of thing that forward thinking, service-minded agents already do. I'm surprised at your "can't they do it themselves?" attitude. You could easily apply that to the rest of your service and just send clients to Strike instead, no?
I guess the argument would then be: what is the point of estate agents? People moan about online/hybrid agencies for making consumers do all the work, but some of the comments here suggest consumers should be doing a lot more.
Of course, due diligence is vital in any major transaction - and people should be doing their own thorough research - but the industry also needs to provide some help and make things easier. Things shouldn't be hidden away or buried in the small print, there should be more transparency.
Buying a home is intimidating and complex, no matter what age you are or how many times you've done it, so a helping hand from the professionals is always welcome.
It doesn't seem to me to take huge amounts of effort for agents to provide much more useful information on listings. Maybe not going as far as broadband speeds and mobile signal, but they wouldn't do any harm, either.
Agreed
Jeremy & James, I get your points but you have to think about the consumer, your customers! This info is relatively easy to obtain so if you include it in your particulars/brochures etc, the consumer is more likely to want to deal with you because you understand their needs.
If you were to buy a car, would you expect the car dealer to know which fuel the car runs on?
100% - it is all about the process of providing the best, more relevant service to the customer as possible - if those commenting negatively above are estate agents, then it highlights how not all agents are the same - some of us are totally customer-centric and brilliant service is a major point of difference across the board.
You're spot on Christian. I struggle to understand their defensive comments.
But the providers don't guarantee these services and speeds, so why would you put it in a brochure.?. what along with the same 10 page caveat they services providers have to have to stop them getting sued, especially if a house purchase depended on it! (which someone will claim soon enough) All for what? to save a buyer 1 minute on the web....
Lamdin is not even an agents he just pontificates about it
Mind you nor am I but I use them
Christian & Charlie, I accept that this is about service levels but what happens if the information provided by the agent proves incorrect? Internet speeds can vary, bus routes can be cancelled what if the buyer then alleges that they purchased on the basis that the internet speed and bus route quoted by the agent were x and the agent was wrong?
The information provided is generically available by the said companies.
Jeremy, If you took that stance you would never provide any information. Do you provide info supplied by the vendor? A non regulated individual? Yes of course you do. So providing info from a regulated source should be much more reliable..!!
Why are snowflakes not capable of doing anything for themselves! seriously, more so considering all the variables in such services, so much even the providers don't guarantee anything so when put it in writing.. Orange (while back ) said to me they don't guarantee their digital service if you're moving more than 15mph! and there was me thing waves travelled at the speed of light. Then you have all this trash, only to go get a StarLink anyway.... this industry needs to get a life, it's becoming very sad by the day.
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