Estate agents are the UK’s most stressed professionals, with 86% saying they are either “stressed” or “very stressed”.
Indeed, 43% feel “very stressed”.
According to a new survey by Boundless, a leisure club for public sector workers, broadcasters are the second most stressed profession, with police officers coming in at third place.
Ian Holmes-Lewis, director at Boundless, said: “It’s not surprising that estate agents, whose work revolves around high value assets, tough targets and a changing marketplace, feel the pressure.”
- Estate agents – 86%
- Broadcasters – 80%
- Police officers – 67%
- Chefs – 63%
- Recruiters – 60%
The finding might raise your blood pressure, but on the other hand it makes a refreshing change from all those other surveys which routinely find that estate agents are either the least respected profession there is, or close to the bottom.
Oops, we spoke too soon, for into our inbox has thudded the latest least-trusted poll – the annual Ipsos Mori Veracity Index.
Predictably, estate agents come fifth from bottom, with a trust rating of 30%.
But at least you’ve done better than journalists (fourth from bottom), government ministers (resigned to being third from bottom), politicians generally (last but one from bottom) and advertising executives (last, with a trust rating of just 16%).
All the same, if there’s one thing guaranteed to raise your stress levels even more it’s to learn that not many people trust you.
Deep breaths everyone!
Comments (18)
‘to have some form of understanding that dealing with criminals, deaths, assaults and mentally ill people ‘ So u have no experience. This is the same as lettings! Unfortunately agents aren’t allowed to report it due to tenants being gods children in the eyes of shelter.
Sounds like someone has an ‘axe to grind’ to me. Agency is stressful because agents are never in control and get lambasted from every side at the first opportunity. When it goes right the client/applicant was a genius – when it goes wrong the agent is a moron and not to be trusted.
pat 123 I think you are you better suited to where you are now and leave us professionals to get on with agency.
Lol, i work with agents on a daily basis and can assure you a vast majority of “professionals” are incompetent and highly untrained simply looking to make a quick bit of money rather than actually caring for their client.
My point was that to say agency is more stressful than being a police officer is laughable and to say otherwise is just delusion.
Out of interest, for how long were you a Police officer pat123-…?
You don’t have to be a police officer to have some form of understanding that dealing with criminals, deaths, assaults and mentally ill people trying to take their own life is a lot more stressful than dealing with an angry client in lettings.
pat123 is fake news. probably related to dompritch who has gone awol since losing all his money betting on purplebricks share price.
lol i put forward a case and you try cracking dead banter as comeback instead presenting something plausible, well played fella…
”lol i put forward a case and you try cracking dead banter as comeback instead presenting something plausible, well played fella…”
Given the well-informed and comprehensive nature of your ”case”, as well as your literary eloquence…we can all rest easier tonight, safe in the knowledge that you are not a member of law enforcement or the criminal justice system 😉
Imagine judging people for the way they speak, how laughable. Whatever you say Mr Snob, you can go to bed in your deluded world thinking that your job is 10x harder than any other. Honestly, it is hilarious reading through some of the replies of agents that actually think their job is difficult, there is a reason why anyone can become an estate agent and it’s because it is such a simple and easy job to do.
Crawl back into your delusional world you complete mong.
You’ve really rubber stamped your ignorance and utter stupidity with that last comment.
Do we really need to explain why that is an unacceptable phrase in this day and age?
I’m sorry but this is absolute bull****, i don’t know why estate agents act as if they have the toughest job in the world. I would really love to find out how these statistics come about, to say agents are 19% more stressed than a police officer is laughable. Estate agents must be becoming a bunch of snowflakes if this line of work causes more stress than someone like a police officer.
Everything looks easy from an armchair pat123.
If you tried lettings for a few weeks you’d be shaking in your armchair for months.
Coppers also get to enjoy a fat , tax paid pension and retire at 45 with back ache. agents dont get any govt. support and are walking targets .
bless the ignorant for it is bliss.
I worked in lettings for 4 years and still work within the industry so it’s not ignorance at all. So should coppers get what they do, they deal with far more stress than someone saying something horrible to you as an agent. Agents are walking targets because the majority don’t give two ***** about their customers and care only for money, i’ve seen this first first hand and is one of the reasons i moved to a sector of the industry that actually cares for it’s clients.
IMHO, this is absolutely ”on the money”…I always find myself incredibly heartened and impressed with every member of my teams…particularly in an age where it is seemingly acceptable [indeed encouraged by the names with whom we are all familiar] to treat property professionals with contempt. Team members who maintain their professionalism and desire to achieve/perform, in the face of sometimes adverse conditions/attitudes.
Our people have to deal with rudeness, abuse, unpleasantness and contemptable behaviour in all forms, from the minority of clients (thankfully).
Not enough respect is given to property professionals for their often difficult/sensitive work, and I for one am proud and in awe of anyone who engages in our industry, keeps a smile on their face and continues to drive forward, positively.
The duplicitous environment in which we now find ourselves operating within is, IMHO, as a direct result of Govt./Lobbyist propaganda and those guilty of inciting such behaviour (I’m looking at you Shelter/CAB/TPO…) should hang their collective heads in shame.
#Respectyouragent
agreed!
This is where I fail to understand how bricks is suppressing that stress through trustpilot.
That stress we feel is a direct result of stress from customers.
Where is all that stress going when bricks customers go to a call centre for help?
Any parties conducting surveys on conveyancers ? Increasingly they are becoming slower in processing sales/purchases as they focus us on securing new cases yet don’t have the resources to undertake them efficiently. Many have to be pressured by their client or the Agent as we are the parties which lose out of if a transaction is delayed or collapses. The conveyancer still gets paid for work to date. Online practices in our experience are the worst. Interested to hear comments from other Agents and clients.
“A leisure club for public sector workers” It that where public sector workers go to work a set number of hours with regular holidays and a final salary pension scheme at the end of it or is that where they go when they have left all their ‘who gives a 5h1t ?’ in an in tray and finished for the day?