Estate agents in Jersey are being encouraged to join an industry association to help protect islanders in the property market.

The Jersey Estate Agents’ Association said it wanted all estate agents in the island to join.

It highlighted that every member was required to belong the Property Ombudsman Scheme, which allows complaints about an estate agent’s service to be escalated if they are not satisfied with the handling of an issue.

President John Quemard said: “Buying a property is one of the biggest investments a person is likely to make and we want the people of Jersey to be protected and reassured.”

Quemard, who helped to introduce the Property Ombudsman Scheme into the Channel Islands more than a decade ago, told the press that the association, which was established 60 years ago, would be writing to all non-members in the coming weeks encouraging them to sign up.