A survey of 537 estate agents in England and Wales found strong support for tighter regulation of the estate agency sector, with 92% backing measures such as mandatory licensing and professional qualifications. Nearly half of respondents said rogue or substandard operators are a problem in their local market, with poor knowledge of property law and regulation cited as the leading concern.
Landmark Information Group’s research suggests that most recent home buyers and sellers wish they had more information about a property and its location before agreeing a deal. The report says information gaps, delays and poor communication continue to slow transactions, while the sector prepares for government home buying and selling reforms.
An industry survey by Thirdfort suggests that compliance spending in estate agencies and property firms is set to rise, driven largely by increasing anti-money laundering (AML) demands. Most respondents expect higher AML budgets and larger compliance teams over the next year, while many report that compliance workloads have intensified significantly in the past 12 months.
