The Lettings and Estate Agency of the Year Awards in association with The Sunday Times and The Times are the most prestigious and coveted awards in the industry.

Here – from founder and organiser (and former estate agent) Peter Knight – are the reasons why agents don’t win.

1. They don’t enter because they won before

Winning an award in a previous year is of no advantage or disadvantage; the judges are rotated so the panel has a different composition albeit the Chairman of Judges is always the Property Ombudsman. We have winners who have won their regional category every year for a decade or more and equally many new entrants win each year. Each year it’s a fresh start. Past performance is not taken into account.

2. They don’t enter because they didn’t win before

We know it’s frustrating to enter a competition and not win. But, many past winners have had the same experience and rather than give up have redoubled their efforts and gone on to win bronze, silver or even a gold award – indeed, on a number of occasions the overall winner is an agency that failed at their first attempt.

3. They don’t enter because the judging is fixed

The Property Ombudsman as well as the managing directors of ARLA and the NAEA oversee the whole process; these awards are the most stringent by far and the decisions are made as a panel decision, ensuring no ‘fixing’.

New for 2015, we have commissioned an independent company to carry out a mystery shopping exercise for every category, the results of which will be given to the judging panel to assist them in their deliberations. This report will also be made available to entrants post awards ceremony.

We believe the perfect system for judging any awards from any sector doesn’t exist – the Oscars are flawed, the Brits are flawed as are The Chelsea Flower Show awards – but this doesn’t stop us from trying to perfect it. Every year we adapt and change the judging process based on feedback from entrants and the judges themselves. We accept that the process can always be improved and we will not cease from exploring how to do so.

4. They don’t enter because it’s too expensive

It costs £199 +VAT to enter a company and entries for individuals are free. You don’t have to attend the winner’s ceremony and the tickets are sold out before the judges have met to decide the winners, so whether you choose not to buy a ticket or take a party of 12 to the event has no bearing at all on the outcome.

5. They don’t enter because they don’t have the time

You can enter in less than one hour. The process is very simple – complete a short questionnaire online (we no longer accept printed submissions) and then take part in a telephone interview for 15-20 minutes. That’s it.

6. They don’t enter because the cost of putting the entry together is so much

At one point we accepted printed entries and over the years they became ever more elaborate, expensive and time consuming. Submissions are now made by completing a simple online form.

7. They don’t enter because there isn’t enough value from winning

Winners receive more rewards than ever before. Firstly there are the winners’ medals that can be applied to marketing materials (NB terms and conditions apply, please see the website for details) and these are all provided in a most comprehensive toolkit.

Those winners that attend the ceremony receive their plaque on stage from our celebrity presenter and personal photographs are added to the toolkit for use in PR and other marketing communications. Additionally, all Gold winners have the option to be videoed on the day and a short, edited version is also added to the toolkit. Most of the sponsors donate an exclusive prize to a “winners bundle” worth in excess of £20,000 that every winner receives.

Many past winners have gone on record that winning a medal has directly led to their winning instructions; indeed some have measured an increase in fees in excess of £100,000 per office. Additionally, past winners have highlighted how winning has helped them to retain clients and also to attract and retain valuable team members too.

8. They don’t enter because they don’t get any feedback

Previously, we have only given feedback as to why the winning agencies have won, but new for 2015 we will feed back each entrant’s overall score and what the winning score is for each category. Additionally, the results from the independent mystery shopping exercise will be available to purchase (NB there is no requirement to purchase these results).

9. They don’t enter because they have something new coming later

The judging is not based on improvement but on the standard as assessed by the judging panel at that point in time. In theory, an agency that won before could win again, even if their performance has declined, so long as it’s still ahead of the competition. Nearly every agency is working on a new project, whether it be a new website, new branding, new service, etc. These things can be highlighted during the interview with the judges, but often have less impact than imagined – it’s the overall quality of the agency that matters most; the judges expect there to be things you’re working on, and it would be odd if you weren’t seeking to improve further.

10. They don’t enter because there are too many winners’ medals

Since 2012 the medals can only be displayed for 12 months and then must be removed. Any report of an agency in breach is acted on and nearly always the medals are very quickly taken down or not used again. These are the most highly regarded, most sought after, most valuable awards in the industry, and only the very best agencies can display them.

We hope this helps and alleviates any concerns around entering the most valuable awards in the industry. Consider whether you can afford not to enter, and not challenge your competition.

Remember, winners will –

* have a unique marketing advantage

* receive new-found credibility offering confidence and reassurance to clients

*have a positive story to share with staff, clients and prospects

* recruit the best talent in the industry. The best people want to work for the best companies

* have access to £20k worth of free products and services

One last benefit: it’s significant how many past winners have gone on to sell their business, often for record multiples, and whilst we’re not claiming that this is just down to the awards – that would be ridiculous – we know from first-hand feedback that they have had a significantly positive influence.

You can enter and find out more here or call Nicky Stevenson on 01372 370847