The NAEA and ARLA have announced that former property ombudsman Christopher Hamer is joining as a special adviser.

It means that Hamer’s retirement has lasted less than a day, but that his expertise will not be lost to the property industry. Hamer’s last day at TPO was last Friday and his new appointment was announced yesterday.

Hamer served the maximum nine years in post at the Property Ombudsman, and said he is now looking forward to using his experience to help develop proper practice in the property sector, through developing legislation and establishing best practice.

in his nine years at TPO, the workload grew from around 500 cases in 2006 to what will be 3,000 in 2015.

The increase was driven by a number of factors, including  increased membership, expansion of jurisdiction into lettings, commercial, international and auctions a greater awareness of the scheme.

Hamer said: “I very much look forward to working with NAEA and ARLA. As Ombudsman, I always emphasised that the development of best practice in the property sector was an important commitment.

“Ensuring fair and consistent treatment of customers should be an aim of all agents, and keeping up to date with new legislation will make for greater consumer satisfaction across the industry.

“I recognise that there is a lot of professionalism in the industry, but equally there are still agents who do not conform to acceptable standards. In that regard I will maintain my call for a Property Agents Act to encompass sales and lettings. NAEA and ARLA between them have the largest proportion of agents operating in the UK in membership.

“I intend to contribute to the development work that the organisations have already done, in terms of helping agents give quality service and in the broader remit of contributing to developing legislation.”

The two managing directors, ARLA’s David Cox and NAEA’s Mark Hayward, said: “Christopher brings with him a unique skill set that we can use to continue campaigning for regulation and ensuring professionalism across the sector.

“The housing market is reaching critical point – and is very high on the political agenda at present, so Christopher’s appointment has come at a great time when we can make a real change for first-time buyers, last-time buyers, landlords, tenants and second steppers.”