Tag Archives: Property Agency

Accreditation raises questions

Some in the property industry question how the rules can be enforced and ask who will do the policing

THE government last week unveiled a proposed framework to regulate property agents here – a move thought to be urgent as complaints about errant agents have risen over the years.

The changes mooted are varied. Among other things, the Ministry of National Development (MND) proposes that real estate agents no longer be allowed to be freelancers – that is, agents not contracted with an accredited agency.

It also wants to prevent agents from representing more than one agency.

And a recognised accreditation body for agents will be set up next year, which will create and maintain a public central registry that lists all accredited agents so that people can check that the agent they engage is qualified.

To oversee all this, a new government agency will be created. The aim is to monitor the activities of property agents more closely and enforce rules more keenly. Continue reading

Real estate agencies deserve their cut

I REFER to yesterday’s letters by Mr Chua Khim Leng (‘New rules should protect property agents‘) and Mr Jason Sim (‘Zero commission? It’s too good to be true’).

The Institute of Estate Agents was advised by the Competition Commission of Singapore to remove its commission guidelines in June last year. In the commission’s view, the guidelines are ‘harmful to competition, restricting competition in both fee levels and fee structure in the real estate industry, and likely to have the object of appreciably restricting competition among real estate agents in the real estate agency market’.

The commission guidelines were officially removed in September last year. Mr Chua’s suggestion to standardise commission rates is not tenable as it is anti-competitive.

Agencies are at liberty to set their own fee guidelines and compete with each other on value propositions to their clients. This is where agents play a key role in adding value to the services provided. Continue reading