Estate Agents to be qualified

In December 2017 Government issues a call for evidence titled ‘Improving the home buying and selling process’  to which Elmhurst responded with a plea to ensure that EPCs were placed at the heart of the home buying process.

Government has yet to respond to that consultation in full but has issued a press statement to say that estate agents will be required to hold a professional qualification and will need to be transparent about the fees they receive from others.

The consultation response will consider ways of; prevent sales falling through with the introduction of "reservation agreements" reducing the time taken to provide buyers with the legal documentation they require requiring managing agents and freeholders to provide lease information promptly strengthening the National Trading Standards Estate Agency Team so they can carry out more enforcement activity which includes banning agents

The government will also work with stakeholders, including HM Land Registry, to bring the profession into the technology era to speed up the home buying and selling process.

Elmhurst Energy's Managing Director Martyn Reed gave full support to the announcement and believes that by ensuring estate agents are qualified, competent and policed will help ensure that sellers and buyers are told the facts about energy assessment, EPCs and minimum energy efficiency standards.  

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To read the full MHCLG press release click here.

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Article Published: 10th April 2018