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Written by rosalind renshaw

Brandon Lewis, a minister at the Department for Communities and Local Government, yesterday visited the Colchester head office of estate agents Spicerhaart to discuss the impact of Help to Buy.

Lewis, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, and Will Quince, the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Colchester, met Spicerhaart chief executive Paul Smith and chairman John Spence.

Smith said: “Help to Buy has contributed to renewed confidence in the housing market. Helping more people, usually first-time buyers, afford a home of their own is important.” 

Lewis replied: “It’s good to hear first-hand how Help to Buy is working in practice.  The message is clear that it is helping, but not fuelling a house price bubble, which is very positive.”

Smith did however express his concern that successive governments have still not acted on the licensing of estate agents.

He said: “As reputable agents we train fully our people, but anybody can set up as an agent in this country, without training or qualifications. For customers’ sake, this must stop.”

Spicerhaart currently employs over 2,000 people in 200 locations, including 350 at its Colchester head office.

Paul Smith, left, is pictured with Brandon Lewis, centre, and Will Quince

Comments

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    David Smith- Agents that are members of TPOS are not required to display that health warning any longer. Spicerhaart are founder members of TPOS and are not members of NAEA.

    • 19 December 2013 09:02 AM
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    'Know your Code' - "However an agent who is a TPOS member is not required to state such a health warning."

    To quote the Code:
    "If as a result of an unsolicited approach a seller is interested in using your services, you must draw to their attention and explain before they are committed to another contract the potential of paying fees to more than one agent where another agent has been previously instructed to sell their property."

    Sorry - WHICH PART of 'the code' does David Smith need to know?

    • 18 December 2013 22:16 PM
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    David Smith- However an agent who is a TPOS member is not required to state such a health warning. Spicerhaart are (founder) TPOS members.

    • 18 December 2013 21:07 PM
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    The problem in agency, particularly corporate, is the same as banking. Profit and pressure.

    Staff are placed under undue pressure to sell sell sell. Not just houses, but conveyancing, marketing packs, mortgages, insurances etc. The margins they demand are huge and over the last 5 years staff couldn't just walk away.

    Law firms begrudge the commission agents get then when they have to cough up a couple hundred quid for the intro, I believe the service levels drop. Simply - they CANT afford to employ anyone for this work other than the most junior - and guess what, then they cant pay their PI and then close.

    Mortgages may be regulated and corporates extremely compliant - but staff will do anything to get bottoms on seats or they face performance reviews.

    Some corporates even link the commission earned for selling a property to the number of other products sold. If you dont perform, you get managed out - not great on a reference.

    Banks went bust because of their greed for profit and the pressure they put on staff to hit huge targets and offered huge financial inducements - or the sack.

    This approach is at the heart of all that is wrong.

    I know one firm who pays people based on customer satisfaction.

    • 18 December 2013 15:24 PM
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    Ok, I'm confused, I suppose my removed comment could have been seen to be 'personal' but was none the less, a statement of fact.

    What we have here is Mr Smith bemoaning the fact that anyone can do exactly what he did himself, and telling us that situation needs to change. Seems a tad hypocritical!

    And for him to make the comment about being 'reputable' agents and training, given the well known and reported methods his company use is a statement that cannot go unchallenged!

    Perhaps if he is so concerned about standards in the industry, he should start by putting his own house in order!

    • 18 December 2013 15:00 PM
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    Well said Ros.

    Personal comments are wholly unnecessary.

    Nevertheless, as said below - why in heavens name would you draw attention to yourselves in this way?

    • 18 December 2013 14:36 PM
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    Regarding the comments that were taken down, it was entirely my decision as editor to delete these. As regular EAT readers know, I very rarely delete but I do reserve the right to do so – and do so for reasons including when I feel that comments are over-personal, do not add usefully to the debate and do not reflect well on the industry.

    You may not agree with some of my decisions, but I can assure you that they are my decisions and my decisions alone.

    • 18 December 2013 14:12 PM
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    "“As reputable agents we train fully our people,"

    Yes, and their training is pretty good.

    I am not sure whether 'reputable' is an honest and fair description. I am not being nasty, but their reputation amongst the public is almost as bad as it is amongst agents. ASA rulings aside,, they get a large proportion of the fees from the Lawyers they recommend.

    As stated below, when the feedback is so poor, why draw attention to yourself?

    • 18 December 2013 14:05 PM
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    Has Mr Smith got editorial control of EAT?

    • 18 December 2013 13:30 PM
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    I shall rephrase.
    I believe our industry should be regulated and licensed. I would hate to think that it would be Mr Smith spearheading the campaign.
    I would do a better job.

    Hope that's ok?

    • 18 December 2013 12:30 PM
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    Thank you Wardy, thought I was loosing it for a moment!

    Maybe Mr Smith has complained, and didn't like our comments!

    Just I reminder of what I said,

    "but anybody can set up as an agent in this country, without training or qualifications"..... which is exactly what Mr Smith and Daddy did themselves!

    "As reputable agents we train fully our people".... and we all know how they train them!

    • 18 December 2013 12:09 PM
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    Why have so many of the comments been deleted?

    • 18 December 2013 12:03 PM
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    "As reputable agents we train fully our people"

    Spicer Haart "This firm is ranked 11823 out of 11844 in the UK"

    FJ Lord "This firm is ranked 10038 out of 11855 in the UK"

    Darlows "This firm is ranked 11582 out of 11855 in the UK"

    Thats about 10,000 places behind Foxtons.

    • 18 December 2013 11:10 AM
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    An excellent idea PROVIDED that is you have three ASA rulings against you the whole company loses their licence.

    Still think it's a good idea, Smithy?

    • 18 December 2013 10:56 AM
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    That is rich coming from the agents that spend so much time touting ! A vendor client recently bought into us five letters all extolling the virtues of using Haarts, non of which contained the clause required by rule 7(5) of the NAEA rules of conduct " If you have instructed another agent etc" ....and their staff are fully trained ?? Eh ?

    • 18 December 2013 09:52 AM
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