Countrywide and the NAEA have announced a new partnership which will see all Countrywide’s estate agents encouraged to become members.
Countrywide is said to be the first national estate agency network to adopt such an undertaking, offering employees the opportunity of training and nationally recognised qualifications.
The NAEA initiative will sit alongside Countrywide’s own training programmes.
Two years ago, Countrywide launched a formally recognised estate agency qualification in the form of Level 2 Technical Awards in Residential Sales, approved by City & Guilds – meaning that the qualification would be recognised by future employers industry award, in the same way as the NAEA’s Level 3 Technical Award.
The Countrywide award can be completed at the candidate’s own pace through AgencyPro, an interactive portal for staff.
At the time, the launch was widely seen as opposition to the NAEA awards. Yesterday, a Countrywide spokesperson emphasised that its own awards were not being ditched and that the initiative to support the NAEA “complements other learning and development programmes”.
NAEA managing director Mark Hayward said: “This really is a major milestone for the sector and demonstrates foresight from Countrywide in terms of offering real benefits for their employees as well as guaranteeing customers that all staff are recognised as belonging to a nationally recognised regulated body.
“Importantly, in the time when housing remains high on both the media and political agenda, it allows Countrywide to contribute to the debate and influence key issues that are impacting the sector via our stakeholder and political outreach.
“We look forward to welcoming Countrywide staff into our membership and hope this will serve as a catalyst to other national chains to adopt similar practices.”
Countrywide chief executive Alison Platt said: “As the UK’s largest residential property services company, representing 48 estate agency brands and 1,300 offices, this partnership with the NAEA is very significant and another step in raising professional standards within the sector.
“Working with AgencyPro, our City & Guilds accredited learning centre, we will roll out this programme of bringing new members into the NAEA, building on the strong skills that we already have within the business and also attracting new talent to learn and develop with us.”
Comments (7)
This does not ring true – Countrywide to stop touting and follow respected codes of conduct – I don’t think so. This could be enough to decimate the membership of NAEA when the genuinely professional members realise what is happening.
I note the story said “encouraged” and not will. I don’t see many of them passing the elevenplus let alone an NAEA inspection (which they don’t do). Is this more a PR exercise for the public perception?
I have been considering re joining ……this news has put me off doing it any time soon.
I can’t see more than 20 % going for this or passing the tests from countrywide.
Ros should diarise this to pick up on in 6 months and then a year……see how close they are to their claim “all countrywide agents set to sign up to NAEA!
How will they be able to afford to send all their staff through the training when they are selling houses at £500 a go?
Great news……. well great news if the NEAE has the footballs to do anything about them once they are members.
I mean….. I assume door knocking and all of their other slightly “harassing” touting methods will stop as an immediate effect.
Or perhaps the deal (Partnership is) We will be members if we can re-write parts of the code.
sorry NAEA… fat fingers this morning – its catching smile please LOL.
Countrywide working to NAEA guidelines?! Is it April 1st?