Year of massive growth for Ombudsman for Estate Agents scheme

More than two thirds of the estate agency branches in England and Wales are now covered by the independent redress scheme run by the Ombudsman for Estate Agents.

At the end of 2006, the OEA covered 7,283 offices offering residential sales, lettings, or sales and lettings. Official figures estimate the total number of branches in England and Wales at 10,600.

Across the UK as a whole, there are thought to be 12,000 estate agency branches, meaning the OEA covers 60 per cent.

At the start of 2006, the OEA scheme encompassed 5,011 offices and it was only in January, 2005, that Portsmouth estate agency Fry and Kent became the 1,000th member firm in the OEA. At the end of 2006, that number stands at 2,708.

“This has been a remarkable period of growth for the OEA,” said Bill McClintock, chairman of OEA Ltd, which operates the scheme. “Numbers were boosted in the Spring when the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) required the majority of its members to sign up to the OEA.

“In June, a further landmark was reached when for the first time the OEA embraced firms operating within the residential lettings industry and today OEA members operate 1,665 offices that offer lettings services, either as stand-alone operations or alongside sales.

“A new Ombudsman, Christopher Hamer, started work at the beginning of December following the retirement of Stephen Carr-Smith, who had done much to encourage the growth of the scheme during his time in office since 1999.

“Christopher Hamer has already been busy talking to firms that are not members of OEA with regard to encouraging them to join. First signs are that his efforts will soon bear fruit.

“OEA has also made a submission to the Office of Fair Trading to become the recognised independent redress scheme under the new Home Information Packs legislation that comes into effect on June 1, 2007.

“This will require all estate agents in England and Wales to belong to an independent redress scheme and a decision on the OEA application is expected from the OFT during February.”