Sixty-five per cent of estate agents support the proposed introduction of mandatory qualifications for professionals within the property sector, according to research carried out by agent comparison site.

It follows the Government’s announcement of sweeping reforms to the home buying and selling process, including greater material information requirements, digital property logbooks, and binding contracts between buyers and sellers.

GetAgent’s data reveals that while support for qualifications is strong, most agents began their careers without them, with 72% of respondents saying they held no formal qualifications when first entering the industry, with just 5% holding three or more.

significant uplift in reputation

When asked how necessary they believe formal qualifications are to maintain professionalism, 65% said they are either “very” or “somewhat” necessary. 72% also believe mandatory qualifications would improve public trust in the profession, with 37% expecting a “significant” uplift in reputation.

However, the findings also highlight concerns about the unintended consequences of the move. Two-thirds (64%) of agents believe that the time and cost required to achieve mandatory qualifications could potentially deter new entrants from joining the industry, potentially worsening recruitment challenges already faced by many agencies.

Beyond qualifications, agents identified “standardised data sharing between agents, conveyancers, and lenders” (33%) and “binding contracts between buyers and sellers” (31%) as the reforms most likely to impact their day-to-day operations.

The key is keeping the balance right – raising the barrier to entry without losing the entrepreneurial spirit that makes agency such a dynamic business.”

Confidence, though, in the overall success of the reforms is mixed, with just 21% believing they will “greatly” improve transaction times and reduce fall-throughs, and 42% saying the impact will be only moderate. Overall, 53% of agents believe the reforms will benefit the sector in the long term.

Short says: “Mandatory qualifications will help lift the baseline and give sellers more confidence in who they’re dealing with. They’ll also make it harder for some of the low-cost, low-commitment operators to enter the industry, which isn’t a bad thing if it helps protect the fee levels of those investing in their ability to do a good job and provide a great service.

He adds: “The key is keeping the balance right – raising the barrier to entry without losing the entrepreneurial spirit that makes agency such a dynamic business. Get that right, and everyone wins: agents, sellers, and the industry as a whole.”