Government Crack Down On Rogue Estate Agents

All estate agents will be required to hold a professional qualification under new government rules to crack down on "rogue" operators. Managing agents will also be forced to reveal the fees they receive for referrals to solicitors, surveyors and mortgage brokers.

Housing Secretary Sajid Javid also vowed to tackle "stressful" delays faced by buyers and sellers.

Estate agents welcomed the plans but Labour called them "small scale".

According to government research, there are approximately 20,000 estate agent businesses across the country, and currently, anyone can practise as an agent.

However, it said a minority caused problems and that about a quarter of sellers said they would use a different agent if they were to sell their home again.

Source: BBC News