The Propertymark Trust has announced an initiative that allows estate agents to easily donate orphaned funds to support charitable causes through customer relationship management (CRM) software.

The trust said the initiative has been made possible through “enthusiastic support and technical integration” provided by CRM suppliers across the UK.

A trust spokesperson added: “Orphaned funds can happen for many reasons, and after six years, rather than allowing these funds to sit dormant, estate agents can now donate them to the Propertymark Trust, thanks to new features implemented by CRM suppliers.

“This initiative marks a significant step forward in utilising unclaimed funds for social good, demonstrating the powerful impact of technology and collaboration within the property industry.”

Street.co.uk is one of the suppliers committing to the initiative. Heather Staff of the company said: “At Street.co.uk, we’re committed to leveraging technology and automation to drive meaningful change within our industry. That’s why we’ve recently introduced a new feature that empowers our agents to effortlessly identify orphaned dormant funds and donate unallocated money to the Propertymark Trust’s incredible efforts – so everyone can easily make a tangible impact, without impacting their bottom line.”

Houseful is another supplier committed to the scheme. Andrew Marshall of the company said: “The team at Houseful are delighted to be able to support the Propertymark Trust with the orphaned funds programme.

“Making a minor change to our CRM products in order to help unlock such a large opportunity for estate agents across the UK to make a difference was an absolute no brainer for us, and we are really just delighted to play our small part in such a great initiative.”

Nathan Emerson, CEO of Propertymark, said: “We are incredibly proud of the positive impact made by the newly invigorated Propertymark Trust team of trustees and ambassadors. Their efforts in promoting innovative fundraising methods really do provide vital support for those in need and their families. 

“This initiative to allow orphaned funds to contribute to the fantastic work of the Propertymark Trust is the ultimate combination of initiative and tech integration, and we are delighted to see some of the industry’s biggest CRM providers getting behind it.”

The Propertymark Trust said it ensures that any funds donated are used to support a wide range of charitable activities, making a “tangible difference in communities across the UK”. 

Additionally, the trust said it has “comprehensive safeguards” to ensure a prompt reimbursement of contributions if a legitimate claim arises after the donation, offering peace of mind to participating estate agents.