A recent article in The Times highlighted a growing frustration among home sellers, pointing to rising complaints against estate agents and questioning what consumers should reasonably expect from the service they receive. It also referenced Property Redress data showing complaints increased by 47% last year to more than 4,200 cases.
Whenever figures like these are published, there is a tendency to assume standards across the industry are declining, but that is not necessarily the case.
From the complaints we see every day, the picture is often much more nuanced. While there are cases where an agent has clearly fallen below the standards expected of them, many disputes begin not with a serious mistake, but with a breakdown in communication, unmet expectations or a lack of transparency.
In many cases, the issue that ultimately reaches a formal complaint could have been resolved much earlier through a simple conversation.
The property market has become significantly more challenging over the past few years. Higher mortgage rates, affordability pressures and longer transaction times mean homes are often taking much longer to sell than many consumers expect. That naturally creates anxiety, particularly for sellers who are relying on a sale to fund their next purchase or, in some cases, homeowners who have decided to move because higher mortgage costs have made their current property less affordable than when they bought it several years ago. In this environment, keeping clients informed is more important than ever.
When progress slows, communication becomes more important than ever. Regular, honest updates help manage expectations, reassure buyers and sellers that progress is still being made, and reduce the likelihood of frustration escalating to the point where someone decides to pull out of the transaction.
One of the most common frustrations we encounter is when consumers feel they have simply been left in the dark. Updates become infrequent, calls are not returned promptly and sellers are left wondering whether anything is actually happening behind the scenes. Interestingly, it is often not the delay itself that causes the complaint. Most consumers understand that chains collapse, buyers withdraw and transactions take longer than anyone would like. What they struggle to accept is feeling forgotten.
For example, if an agent explains that the local market has slowed, provides evidence to support their valuation and agrees how frequently they will communicate, clients are far less likely to become frustrated if the property takes longer to sell.
It also means being prepared to have honest conversations. This could involve explaining that a property is overpriced, that market conditions have changed or that a sale may take longer than hoped. Those can be difficult conversations, but they are far easier than dealing with a complaint several months later because expectations were never challenged in the first place.
Equally, conversations around fees, sole agency agreements and withdrawal clauses should always be clear and transparent. Consumers should fully understand what they are signing, exactly what their fee includes, when commission becomes payable and under what circumstances a fee may still be charged if they decide to withdraw or change agent. We rarely see complaints because someone paid a particular percentage in commission. More often, complaints arise because consumers believe those terms were never clearly explained before they signed the agreement.
The industry has also seen consumer expectations evolve dramatically.
People now expect regular updates, quick responses and greater transparency throughout the sales process. Technology has made many aspects of buying and selling more efficient, but it has also raised expectations around service.
Digital portals, automated notifications and AI tools all have an important role to play, but they cannot replace honest conversations or professional judgement. A seller who is worried because their property has been on the market for three months is unlikely to be reassured by an automated email. They want someone to explain what is happening, why it is happening and what the next steps are. That human element with a clear point of contact remains one of the most important parts of estate agency.
At Property Redress, our objective is not simply to resolve complaints once relationships have broken down. We also want to help raise standards across the industry by identifying the themes that repeatedly emerge and encouraging best practice.
The overwhelming majority of agents work hard to deliver a professional service, often in difficult market conditions. However, the best agents understand that preventing complaints starts long before a customer ever considers contacting a redress scheme.
It starts with realistic advice, clear communication, transparent terms and the confidence to have honest conversations, even when the message is not what the client wants to hear. Get those fundamentals right and many complaints never arise in the first place.
Sean Hook, is head of redress at Property Redress.
