Thank you for contacting me about the regulation of property agents.
I completely understand that property agents play an important role in the upkeep of people’s homes and protecting the value of their properties. While many agents take a professional approach, I am concerned that a minority do not.
The Government must ensure that homeowners and tenants are protected from abuse and poor service, while defending the reputation of good agents from the actions of rogue operatives. The Housing Minister has said that the Government will set out its position on the regulation of letting, managing and estate agents in due course. I will follow any announcements.
If you want to make a complaint about the service you have received from a property agent, it is usually best to raise concerns directly with them in the first instance. In addition, there is the option to raise issues with a government-approved redress scheme. In 2014, it became a legal requirement for property agents to belong to one of two government-approved schemes: The Property Ombudsman or The Property Redress Scheme.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.