It will take at least two years from now before estate agents and letting agents are regulated, the man behind the proposed reforms has said.
Lord Best, speaking on the radio programme Moneybox, said that despite the delay, “We will get there”. He did not directly respond to repeated suggestions from presenter Paul Lewis that his report – issued eight months ago – was being ignored by the Government.
Lord Best said that the new regime would mean that agents in business without a licence would be committing a criminal act.
He also said that the Regulation of Property Agents working party was using the “interregnum” to add to its proposals, and now wanted to see Airbnb operators licensed.
He said that the new regime would outlaw agents who “range from crooks through to people who are just hopeless”.
He said that quick sale agents would also be part of the new regime, and said that they were guilty of some “pretty dodgy practices”.
The programme’s case study was of someone who had used a quick sale agent – who was not named.
Su Francis, 65, of Buckinghamshire, said she was visited by a quick sale agent who pressurised her into signing a contract.
She subsequently found she had signed up for a year. It wasn’t clear whether she had been told of her 14-day rights to cancel the contract.
She said: “They provide no service whatsoever, they provided no viewings, nobody came to see the house and when I phone them, it was just recorded messages.
“It’s left me in limbo because I haven’t been able to sell my house. It’s impossible for me to plan for my financial future.”
She said she backed Lord Best’s recommendations.
Lord Best said that any ministers listening to the programme should get a move on.
The Ministry of Housing told Moneybox that it would respond to the RoPA findings “following careful consideration”.
The full programme can be heard at the link below (it’s the second item, about 11 minutes in).
Comments (5)
Given the present government has given over no time for any enactment of RoPA at this time, it may be half a decade before RoPA has any powers if ever. Whilst every profession should have members who are fit for purpose, I am not sure that Richard Best should belittle honest individuals who choose to become estate agents, by saying that they need to be licensed if not they will be criminals. And then citing other professions as being paragons of virtues.
The prisons of the UK have been home to many solicitors accountants, and members of the house for many decades, so regulation of their activities did little. Plainly put, if people have a criminal bias within them then that nature will or may surface in whatever profession or job they take.
Most people are straight, but to make them fearful or leave an industry which maybe they have faithfully worked in for 4 or 5 decades due to the whims of a political or ‘governing body’ which may have a large voice, but maybe does not represent the 35,000 workers within the property industry – is to my mind not a measured option.
Neither is the charging of estate agents to undertake examinations, prior to there being any changes in legislation. Some feeling pressured to do so, and others doing so in the false belief that the government has already endorsed new legislation.
Lastly, how many houses has Richard sold, or rented in a professional capacity as an agent? Me I have personally marketed over 16,000 and have dealt with over 9,000 sales, I might not know all there is, but I bet my hat I know a lot more than some of those sitting in judgement of others. Maybe it should be a criminal offence if a person who is a member of the general public enters the houses of parliament as an MP, without formal training and an A level in the workings of parliament – that might have saved us the debacle of the 3 years of the Brexit wrangle that cost the economy billions.
There isn’t a problem according to year on year TPO reports to justify!
The government has got some rather more pressing issues to deal with. This is so far down the list that it is out of sight.
I think Best is doing a roadshow/tour promoting his “crusade against estate agents” because he feels his efforts should be rewarded with the introduction of regulation.
Personally …….fire hazard cladding in buildings should be top of any housing related matters …….otherwise those misled souls at Grenfell will have died in vain.
Time that Best realised that just because his crusade is personal, it doesn’t make it more important than other pressing housing matters.
I get that there is a case for some form of regulation however this “personal crusade approach” from Best is clearly in danger of delivering a poor form of regulation.
Bad/forced regulation is unacceptable for Our Industry or indeed any industry. Best has no right to tout the headline grabbing “crook” estate agents in order to try and force his regulation through.
Where on earth do we start with Politicians and the lack of regulation? Best would do well to hold a mirror up to his “profession”.
Best is aided & abetted by other parties from Our Industry with their own agendas of being the “providers” of Qualifications not because they want to see well delivered/credible legislation …..merely to be at the head of the bandwagon in the dash for cash/annual regulatory fee income etc.
I am sick & tired of Politicians and others who abuse their position/influence to try and introduce bad regulation.
There are better/more effective ways of regulating Our Industry….
This is undoubtedly a case of….. “Best is actually Worst!”