Good news? Estate agents are now more trusted than footballers

There are many estate agents who dream of being professional football players during quieter moments at work or when playing in the local pub team.

But few are likely to realise that they share one thing in common with them; very low levels of trust among members of the public.

The latest national survey about the UK’s professions by IPSOS Mori reveals that although estate agents remain near the bottom of the ‘trust league’, they are just above professional footballers (26%), on a par with journalists (27%), and well above government ministers (19%) and politicians generally (17%).

IPSOS Mori’s research also reveals that more women than men distrust estate agents, and that generally speaking the older people are, the lower their trust levels in estate agents.

Also, people who read tabloid newspapers are less likely to trust estate agents than broadsheet or mid-market newspapers.

But the research reveals that the industry has a huge hill to climb if it wants to gain public trust.

Medical miracles

Nurses, doctors and teachers all have trust ratings of over 90%, while professors and scientists were trusted by over 80% of the people quizzed and, despite Michael Fish’s famously incorrect storm denial in 1987, three quarters of those canvassed trusted weather forecasters to tell the truth.

“Ipsos MORI has been tracking trust in professions for over 30 years, and over that time there have been some notable movers,” says Gideon Skinner, head of political polling at Ipsos Mori.

“Groups such as professors, scientists, the police, trade union officials and civil servants have become more trusted, but the clergy are the most notable losers. But not everything changes – doctors, nurses and teachers have consistently been near the top.”