Agents react to new RoPA rules announcement
Lord Best's recommendations have finally been picked up by the Government with a new code of practice and mandatory qualifications.
Estate agents will be subject to a new code of practice at some point later this year – that was the announcement at the end of last week, as part of a major shake-up of the homebuying system.
And along with a code of practice, mandatory qualifications are also in the pipeline, with a consultation planned next year.
It’s been a long time coming, with Lord Best’s (pictured) recommendations on RoPA (regulation of property agents) published way back in 2019.
There have been many times when it looked like the can had been kicked down the road, with Lord Best telling The Neg in 2024 he didn’t think it was a Government priority.
Rebuild trust
“A new Code of Practice will raise standards for estate agents, alongside proposals for mandatory qualifications for the sector which could ensure agents are properly equipped to support efficient transactions and rebuild trust in the sector,” the announcement read.
As part of a “roadmap to fix the broken system”, the code will “set out minimum standards for property agents and guidance to improve the quality of information in property listings”.
A clear Code of Practice will help create consistency across the sector.”
Timothy Douglas, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Propertymark, says: “Propertymark welcomes the UK Government’s commitment to introducing a Code of Practice for estate agents and consulting on mandatory qualifications.
“For many years, we have called for a regulatory framework that raises standards, improves consumer confidence and recognises estate agency as a professional career.
“A clear Code of Practice will help create consistency across the sector and support agents in delivering high-quality service.
“We are particularly encouraged by the commitment to consult on mandatory qualifications. Propertymark has long supported minimum qualification requirements, as recommended by the Regulation of Property Agents (RoPA) review, to improve professionalism, competence and trust in the sector.”
Daunting
And Isobel Thomson, Chief Executive of accreditation scheme Safeagent, says: “From Safeagent’s experience, as a recognised training provider for the Scottish and Welsh Governments whose regulatory regimes, when they were introduced, set out mandatory qualifications as part of their criteria, we know that professional agents have nothing to fear from such a requirement in England.
“It is often the thought of having to take a qualification that is more daunting than the actual process once a learner starts.”
