The Demand for Regulation of the Property
I’ve been watching this ‘space’ for the last 18 years and when I started working in the property sector I did not understand why estate agents who assist consumers with the biggest purchase of their lives were not required to have even a minimum entry level qualification. But this also applies to letting agents who manage billions of pounds worth of stock.
We have a list of the primary, secondary legislation that agents need to be aware of and adhere to on behalf of their clients and it currently sits at 297. Clearly no one expects an agent to know each piece of Statute of by heart, but the fundamental principles of key legislation is paramount.
But the property sector does not just revolve around the law and compliance - think about key skills, customer service, customer care, complaints handling, building rapport and relationships, the benefits of NLP in business and so it goes on.
The Importance of Training in the UK Property Sector
In an ever-evolving landscape, training plays a pivotal role in shaping the success of professionals in the UK property sector and the industry as a whole. As the demand for housing and lettings services continues to grow, the need for well-trained individuals becomes increasingly apparent.
Even though it is not a legal requirement for property professionals to be qualified, ensuring that continues professional development (CPD) and on going learning / training, is extremely important. A well-versed negotiator, property manager, estate agent, sales / lettings progressor or administrator can make all the difference to a client and customer, and most definitely impacts the business and agency.
The Importance of CPD
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is a combination of approaches, ideas and techniques that will help an individual manage their own learning and growth. Since the publication of the ROPA working group’s report in 2019, CPD has been at the forefront of many agents training agenda. As the property sector awaits with bated breath confirmation that one day in the future the English Government will legislate making qualification mandatory, CPD has become a staple. The requirement for updates and a need not to be isolated throughout the three lockdowns, saw agents register at least 100 hours on webinars.
Why is CPD so important?
CPD essentially ensures that an individual can continue to be proficient and competent in their profession while also providing them with essential skills that could help them progress with their career.
These terms are often used interchangeably, though there is a distinction. As a rule, training is formal. It’s to do with learning how to do something specific, relating to skill and competence. Development is often informal and has a wider application, giving you the tools to do a range of things and relating to capability and competency. It involves progression from basic know-how to more advanced, mature or complex understanding. CPD can also be about widening the range of transferable skills like leadership or project management.
Positive Energy to Carry Forward to 2022
Given the last 20 months, it’s easier to focus on the negative rather than the positive.
The speed with which 2021 has gone by is astounding as are the peaks and troughs of emotion and change that businesses have had to deal with. Yet, where there is negativity, there has to be positivity to counterbalance. And goodness there is so much to be grateful for.
We would like to congratulate our learners who passed their Level 3 and 4 exams. They have been part of our successful 'Hybrid Learning Programme”. The commitment and dedication the students shown have shown has been very impressive when a Netflix boxset is often a much more attractive alternative.
As a proeprtyMark centre we have been working closely with many letting agents who are offering the Level 3 technical Award to their employees. We nominated Anthony Pepe for PropertyMark Qualification Employer Champion as a result of the deception the company has shown towards their employees ensuring that they are well-equipped to provide exceptional service to their client base.On the 6th December at the award ceremony, it was announced that they had won. Managing Director, Charlie Perdios expressed the importance of ensuring that the employees’ training programme forms a crucial part of business success.