Rightmove agent qualification now Propertymark approved

Rightmove’s Level 3 Certificate for Estate and Lettings Agents (CELA) has been officially recognised by trade body Propertymark, alongside Propertymark Qualifications.

The approval means the CELA qualification is now another route to meeting the requirements for ‘Member’ grade of Propertymark’s National Association of Estate Agents (MNAEA) and Association of Residential Letting Agents (MARLA).

Sales and letting agents who complete their free Rightmove training and pass the final exam to obtain their Level 3 certificate, will be able to apply for membership and, once accepted, use the relevant post-nominals after their name. The Level 3 certificate is the equivalent of an A-Level qualification.

In the absence of news from Government on the Regulation Of Property Agents (ROPA), Rightmove said this qualification gives agents the chance to get ahead of potential changes, helping them to avoid compliance issues and win more business.

CELA has been written by a wide range of leading industry experts and contains a thorough overview of the sales and lettings markets and the key skills to being a successful agent, from understanding sales and lettings law, expertly handling and progressing sales and rental enquiries, to generating new agency business.

Agents wanting to apply for any discipline of Propertymark member grade must be currently working in the property industry, and have a minimum of one years’ experience, alongside an approved Level 3 qualification.

CELA is awarded by the Awarding Body of the Built Environment (ABBE), part of Birmingham City University, and regulated by the UK government’s Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual). 

The training is free for all Rightmove member agents and available on the Rightmove Hub. To take the final exam for the Level 3 qualification following the free learning, there is an exam fee of £170 (plus VAT) which is payable to the awarding body ABBE.

It takes approximately three to six months for an average agent to make their way through the content and feel ready to take their exam, though this varies depending on their previous level of experience.

Rightmove’s head of education Jason Charles said: “Registering for Propertymark membership has been the number one question we’ve had from agents since launching the qualification, so it’s great to be able to confirm that they can following a rigorous content review by Propertymark. 

“We understand that many agents want to use the MNAEA and MARLA post-nominals as they are synonymous with high-quality and exceptional service, so we wanted to make sure that the time and effort agents put into achieving their Level 3 qualification can help them achieve this if they want to. The launch of CELA has been met very positively by agents, with nearly three thousand now enrolled and the first agents passing their exam. 

“Now that the market is transitioning into a more normal level of activity, agents will want to use every resource to stand out from the crowd, which being able to say they have the Rightmove CELA qualification certainly helps them to do.”

Nathan Emerson, chief executive of Propertymark, added: “Propertymark exists to drive and lead the highest standards of practice within agency. It’s our vision for the sector that all agents are regulated, qualified and professional. 

“Those working hard to provide an exceptional calibre on every level of their business, for the benefit of their customers, are welcome within the professional body. In turn, we are seeing that consumers now recognise that the Propertymark logo marks an agent they can trust.”