The House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee Chaired by Baroness Taylor of Bolton begins its ‘short inquiry’ into the regulation of property agents tomorrow and will hear from representatives of tenants and leaseholders.
Short inquiries usually run for about three to five evidence sessions and once the results have been gathered any findings and recommendations will be put in a letter and sent to the relevant minister.
This inquiry will examine the current approach to regulation of property agents in the residential sector and whether there should be a new regulator of property agents.
GIVING EVIDENCE
Giving evidence on behalf of tenants will be Conor O’Shea, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at GenerationRent while later in the morning Sebastian O’Kelly, Chief Executive of Leasehold Knowledge Partnership, will be giving evidence on behalf of leasholders.
Baroness Taylor of BoltonThe pair can expect a grilling from Bolton and committee members such as Viscount Trenchard and Lord Clement Jones and are likely to be asked about the key challenges facing tenants when dealing with letting agents.
The inquiry is also expected to probe how difficult it is for tenants and leaseholders to complain about property agents and whether a regulator of property agents would be able to deal with the challenges tenants and leaseholders face with property agents.
CODE OF PRACTICE
The Viscount TrenchardThey are also expected to be pressed on whether or not they would support a code of practice that agents would have to sign up to as a condition of their license to practice.
The first inquiry session will run from 10.30am tomorrow (Tuesday 27 February) and can be followed live on Parliament TV or in person in Committee Room 4, Palace of Westminster.
The Industry and Regulators Committee considers matters relating to industry and other members include Lord Altrincham, Lord Best, Lord Gilbert of Panteg, Viscount Thurso, Lord Agnew of Oulton, Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top, Viscount Chandos, Lord Cromwell and Baroness O’Grady of Upper Holloway.
