Follow Up from the Debate on RoPA
In 2018, the Regulation of Property Agents (RoPA) working group Chaired by Lord Best examined the options for raising standards across the property agent sector.
The working group made recommendations on:
a model for an independent property-agent regulator
a single, mandatory Code of Practice for property agents
minimum entry qualifications and continuing professional development for property agents
clarifying processes and charges for leaseholders
The Working Group’s Report was published in 2019 and almost 7 years to the day since it’s publication, Lord Best’s work on RoPA was referenced in a debate on commonhold and leasehold reform and the regulation of property managing agents on Thursday 2 July 2026. This debate was led by Florence Eshalomi MP.
Whilst the debate focused on the regulation of Managing Agents (Agents who manage blocks of flats, apartments) the RoPA report from 2019 made reference to the regulation of ALL property agents not just limited to Managing Agents, but including Estate Agents and Letting Agnets.
Matthew Pennycook, Minister for Housing and Planning stated that “ As hon. Members know—it has been mentioned several times—the previous Government committed in 2018 to regulate the property agents sector. It asked a working group chaired by Lord Best, who I am very pleased to see in the Gallery, to advise them on how to do it, yet over multiple years they failed to act on that report’s findings. We have already progressed work on a number of those recommendations, including mandatory professional qualifications.
However, I will state candidly that in taking forward those and other measures designed to strengthen the regulation of managing agents, we have a choice about how we do so.”
It must be refreshing for Lord Best to finally be in a position where the contents of his report may finally come to fruition.
Click here for further information of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill..