Insurance News Archive

Improved regulation for lettings needed

Consumers need to be provided with greater protection when renting a property, the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) has said.

However, according to the group, the government's proposals on the Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Bill do not deal with the issue of improved regulation for lettings.

Commenting on the absence of terms relating to regulation in the Queen's speech, Charles Smailes, president of the NAEA, said: "There is a need for the general public to be protected and we hoped the government would have come behind us and agreed to regulate the industry."

He added: "If they are not prepared to do that then it is up to us as an industry body to make sure the public are protected."

Mr Smailes also identified how it was important that the public recognised there were a lot of unregulated bodies in the industry.

17 Nov 2006