‘Estate agents should be licensed and regulated’ says leading industry figure
Russell Quirk will be headlining the colossal Propertymark One conference tomorrow chairing a heavyweight industry panel talking about fees, stock levels and pipelines.
TV pundit and friend to the stars Russell Quirk (main picture) wants all estate agents in the UK to be licensed and regulated in a bid to protect consumers and stamp out bad practice.
Quirk will be hosting two panels at the Propertymark One conference tomorrow (June 27) and is going to focus on the subject as he believes it is a necessity that continues to be heavily avoided.
TRANSACTIONS
Talk TV’s Quirk, who also co-founded PR agency Proper PR, says that as estate agents are dealing with around one million sales transactions and three million lettings transactions every year, legislation should be put in place to provide oversight on the industry.
If you mess up, do something bad or wrong, you are subject to sanction.”
He says: “Once you are licensed, it is a bit like having a driver’s licence, so if you mess up, do something bad or wrong, you are subject to sanction.
“We are one of the only countries that doesn’t have licensing and I think it is completely outdated.
“We need to be properly regulated as an industry, and counties like America and Australia have already set the standard for how the industry should be operating.”
BAN PEOPLE
And he adds: “I also think that there should also be an ability to ban people and take licenses away if they have engaged in wrongful practice.
“To gain an estate agency licence in these countries, an estate agent must demonstrate an understanding of the law, rules and regulations of the sector. An agent must also pass a knowledge test about general good practice and the best practice for consumers right now.
“We mustn’t forget that we are dealing with the livelihoods and the financial vulnerability of millions of people.
“Licensing is an added benefit for consumers, knowing an estate agent is not going to take advantage of them, and their money.”
Propertymark One takes place tomorrow (June 27) at the OVO Arena, Wembley, London.
Book tickets HERE.
He would do wouldn’t he. The industry is self regulation, eventually the clown agents go bust. He’s also forgetting that most wouldn’t’ pass the exams 😀 and don’t know a cesspit from a septic tank.