Nested, the modern estate agent, has found that the majority of UK estate agents it surveyed believe that the reputation of the industry would be improved if mandatory licensing was to be introduced.
The survey of 262 UK estate agents, commissioned by Nested, asked if they agree that the reputation of the estate agency industry would be improved if mandatory licensing for agents were to be introduced.
73% of respondents agreed, with 30% of those strongly agreeing, while just 15% either somewhat, or strongly disagreed.
When asked if they think such licensing should be overseen by a new regulatory body, or an existing entity such as PropertyMark or the RICS, 76% stated they would like to see a new entity trusted with the task.
Alice Bullard, Managing Director at Nested, the modern estate agent, comments: “The topic of mandatory licensing has been a hot one for some years now and while it’s fair to say that the industry has largely moved beyond its traditionally poor reputation, there have still been some recent examples of big industry names operating by their own rule book.
“Regardless of your opinion, the setting and maintenance of a certain set of rules and standards can only be a positive step towards improving the industry for both the customer and workforce alike. It’s high time the sector evolved in this respect.”