News

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government has launched a consultation into home buying and selling reform. The aim of the consultation is to explore why the current process is so long, complicated and often frustrating.

The consultation runs for a 12-week period and safeagent, the UK’s largest not-for-profit accreditation scheme for lettings and management agents, will be carrying out a survey of our firms in relation to these proposals to gauge their views which we can incorporate into our response to Government.

Isobel Thomson, chief executive of safeagent, says:

“Today, Government in its home buying and selling reform consultation indicates that it is seeking input into its proposal to introduce mandatory qualifications for estate and lettings agents in what is portrayed as an enhanced regulatory framework.

At a time when there is so much uncertainty surrounding the detail of aspects of the Renters’ Rights Bill, safeagent would counsel professional agents that they would have nothing to fear from the introduction of mandatory qualifications given that these were introduced seamlessly into the Scottish and Welsh markets without upset to the sector. safeagent will respond to the consultation in due course.”