Member

A solution comes in Amendment 204. It is to use existing provision for resolving disputes between tenants and property agents, and between landlords and property agents. That is the redress scheme approved by government, currently the property ombudsman scheme and the property redress scheme, but in the future overseen by a single ombudsman service. Since membership of a redress scheme is a legal requirement for a property agent, Amendment 204 would make it a condition of membership of the ombudsman scheme to comply with the new requirement for mandatory qualifications. Failure to comply could lead to expulsion and an inability to carry on the property agency business. Is this an adequate basis for enforcement of the professionalisation of lettings agents? No, it is not, but it takes a first step in the right direction.