Regulation of Property Agents is alive and kicking… just

RoPA, the legislation mandating the qualification of estate agents, might have been kicked into the long grass but it hasn’t gone away.

Licensing

RoPA, the legislation mandating the qualification of estate agents, might have been kicked into the long grass but it hasn’t gone away.

Indeed, only earlier this month the Government confirmed that the RoPA reforms to regulate agents’ practice are still alive – just without a timetable in place.

The Neg reported all last week on November’s fireside style chat with the self-proclaimed ‘Great And The Good of the Property Industry’ as they chewed the fat on numerous issues.

The event, which was co-ordinated by Russell Quirk, Co-Founder of ProperPR and The Giggs Group Founder Matt Giggs, offers a deep dive into all-things estate agency.

So, what did they think about whether estate agents should be licensed?

Some on the panel are an adamant ‘yes’, others less so.

Would it even make any difference? Would it really get rid of the wrong ’uns? Would it lead to increased fees?

Surely a proper licensing regime would improve standards and, importantly, knowledge?

“Regulation of property agents has been talked about for a number of years but where are we actually at with it?” asks Matt Giggs.

CHAGRIN

Russell Quirk’s quick to inform us that although it’s still on the parliamentary agenda, much to his chagrin, it has been pushed to one side as it’s not a vote winner.

“I think it’s incomprehensible that the estate agency industry is not licensed. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous,” he says.

“There is [of course] a danger of being over licensed and over-regulated such as in the financial services sector.

“But the fact that for people that are tasked for looking after people’s biggest asset, the fact that you can be a carpenter or a taxi driver on a Monday and set up as an estate agent the next day, with no checks or balances, no hoops that you have to jump through either!”

REASON

As we’ve seen from previous episodes Agents Together Chief Executive Sarah Edmundson is the voice of reason and she is here again too.

“Anything that professionalises our industry and gives us all more credibility in the eyes of the consumer, I really agree with it,” she says. “But I think that we have got to be very careful about how that is delivered and how it is policed.”

Running at 13 minutes and 36 seconds the panel also includes Peter Rollings, former Chief Executive and current board member at Foxtons; Gemma Noonan, Operations Director at The Giggs Group; Iain McKenzie, Chief Executive of The Guild of Property Professionals; Adam Day, UK Country Leader at eXp and Mark Burgess, Chief Executive at Iceberg Digital and software CRM, Lifesycle.

Watch the latest episode HERE.

STILL TO COME

Leadership. Does it actually exist in the estate agency sector?

Brand and Marketing. Explained.

2023 opportunities. How to set your stall out this year.

Critical skills needed in 2023.


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