The SAFEagent campaign has reported a productive and positive first meeting with its consumer stakeholder forum.
The meeting, chaired by Lord Best, brought together representatives from organisations including NUS, Shelter, Crisis, OFT and The Property Ombudsman to discuss how SAFEagent can be promoted to tenants and landlords on a national level.
SAFEagent supplier supporters HomeLet and CFP Winman also attended the meeting.
In a display of support for the campaign, the organisations pledged to use their respective networks, communication channels and events in order to highlight the importance of using a letting agent covered by a Client Money Protection scheme.
Eric Walker of SAFEagent said: “We are very fortunate that the organisations supporting SAFEagent have embraced it so fully.
“SAFEagent is not a campaign for individual firms promoting their own interests: it’s about working together as a wider industry to raise consumer awareness of the financial protection which SAFEagent signposts.
“We have achieved a lot in a short time but there’s still a long way to go.
“Ultimately we want registration with SAFEagent to be one of the key questions that consumers pose when choosing a letting agent, and through working together we are sure this can be achieved.”
The consumer stakeholder forum will meet again in six months to review progress.
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Comments
Folks
I have had a long and interesting conversation with ARLA this week about how they ensure conformity to the CMP scheme they run.
Can I also clarify with you, and this is my understanding, SAFEAGENTS endorse the ARLA members and provide the SAFEAGENTS logo to its members. The logo is supposed to signify that the member is a member of ARLA (or other organisation) and they are a member of a client money protection scheme such as that which ARLA runs.
They are not separate organisations offering the same benefits. SAFEAGENTS certify if you like, that the member displaying their logo are a member of ARLA and comply with various codes of conduct.
Anyone else have a view? I may be wrong here but that is also what SAFEAGENTS have told me and that is my understanding.
Nit picking aside - I think SAFE has done an amazing job in a short space of time and got some focus on this subject.
I would be very surprised if these supporters were happy to support a scheme that didnt have a robust system and suspect there may be politics involved in their not expanding further.
Ray - all SAFE's material has a date of expiry on it including the window sticker, plus an upto date database
@ A Safeagent & ARLA member on 2011-12-15 15:47:23
" Well chaps, the key is in the certificate and the window badge - both of which are have dates of validity"
In my view not good eneough.
If you mean the providers certificate/window badge In my experience one is lucky to get a dated certificate within a month or two of renewing, So what is one to say in the meantime to a query? It's in the post?.
Or will SAFE issue certified and dated certificate/window badge themselves?
Well chaps, the key is in the certificate and the window badge - both of which are have dates of validity.
Can I ask why no one asks whether an ARLA member is still a member with CMP in place as they could leave at any time?
Likewise, the TDS. In that, you will have your answer.
And no, its not just members of a custodial scheme - its any agent with CMP in place by virtue of their belonging to NFoPP NALS RICS or Law Society
@ Ray Evans. That is a very good point.
If they want consumers to know that their money is protected, what happens in a years time when the agent hasn't got CMP in place???
Surely if they can't guarantee the CMP is in place. Then it is misselling the whole purpose of it.
I am assuming that the scheme is only for custodial backed deposit.
All very good and I have supported the concept of SAFEagent since the beginning.
However, my reservations are still the same. The question of just exactly how SAFE is going to ensure that their members have CMP in place CONTINUEOUSLY?
I have yet to see the procedure explained. Perhaps it has not yet been finalized?
Its a shame this important story has been eclipsed by the left wing lunacy of Red Ken
Well done to SAFE - good news and great progress. Shame none of the regulators could attend and make their own headlines