Estate Agents in Government Sights
Darling announces plans to clampdown on rogueEstate Agents
DTI Press Release
17 November 2006
The Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Bill would champion the
rights of buyers and sellers and ensure that estate agents give
consumers a fair ride, increasing consumer rights and
representation.
The new measures would:
* make it compulsory for all estate agents to belong to an
independent, approved ombudsman with powers to award compensation
to buyers or sellers;
* ensure agents refusing to join the scheme would be banned from
operating;
* require estate agents to keep written records of dealings with
buyers and sellers for six years, to be inspected without notice;
and,
* give greater powers to the OFT to remove rogue estate agents
from the market.