Propertymark has written to the Housing Secretary Michael Gove to reiterate its longstanding call for regulation of property agents.
The agency trade body claims introducing regulations can support the delivery of the UK Government’s rental and leasehold reforms.
In February 2023, Gove stated that all property managers in the social rented sector should be qualified, and Propertymark has urged him to extend this requirement to lettings, sales and managing agents in the private housing sector.
At the Labour Party Conference in October 2023, Shadow Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook, stated that if in government his party would introduce Regulation of Property Agents (ROPA) regulation as recommended by Lord Best in his 2019 report.
Timothy Douglas, head of policy and campaigns at Propertymark, will again re-state the case for action when he gives evidence to the Renters Renters (Reform) Bill Committee on 14 November 2023, arguing that currently there are few barriers to entry which can affect service levels.
Propertymark said all property agents should be qualified to at least Level 3, carry out regular training, undertake Continuing Professional Development (CPD) each year, be members of a professional body and follow a code of practice.
Nathan Emerson, chief executive of Propertymark, said: “Piecemeal legislation is unmanageable and unenforceable and there is no overarching regulation to ensure property agents meet basic competency standards.
“The Renters (Reform) Bill provides an opportunity to introduce minimum qualification requirements and a statutory Code of Practices to be adhered to by all letting, managing and sales agents, professionalising the sector and giving consumers vital protections.”
The Government has regularly said it is committed to the ROPA reforms but is yet to issue any legislation to introduce the changes.
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Quick, write to the gov and make all agents pay to be "regulated" (AKA keep us employed)......please gov please, I beg you .... pretty sad.
That's pretty much the size of it, its all about them making money. Estate agents do not need to be regulated, its all completely unnecessary and the only people that will benefit from it are Propertymark. I think agents should all write to Michael Gove reiterating that they don't want it!
I will never understand why the group changed the name of NAEA TO Propertymark. The bodies aim was to represent agents while now they seem hell bent on controlling and chastising them.
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