The Association of Independent Inventory Clerks says it’s going to propose evolutionary changes at its upcoming annual general meeting.

This will include a refreshed board, restructuring to emphasise the organisation’s reach beyond London and the south east, and renewed attempts to hold government and politicians to account. 

“Strong trade bodies with a united voice are more important than ever” says AIIC chair Daniel Evans. 

“The lettings industry continues to face uncertainty over both the timetable for rental reform, the cost-of-living crisis and the ongoing fallout from Brexit and Covid, which means it’s important that new ideas, innovation and new voices continue to be heard to stop the market from regressing.”

The restructure is believed to take inspiration from ARLA Propertymark’s regional network, and the success of other trade bodies such as the Residential Property Surveyors Association at becoming a major voice in negotiations with government and regulators.

Evans says: “The RPSA provide a great model for us to work towards. As an independent association, they’ve managed to be included in a huge amount of government review boards, committees, etc, because they provide that independent voice in an industry where trust is an issue. As truly independent suppliers, who represent landlords, tenants and agents, our voice can be amplified.”

He continues: “Going forward, we need to reach even further outside the remit of the AIIC and bring the whole industry on board, to swap ideas and drive innovation. Speaking to everyone from sole traders to big inventory companies and understanding the successes and struggles of each can help us to improve the sector as a whole, for all of us. We need to collaborate to a greater extent than before – that’s the key word here.”

Part of that collaboration is likely to be working groups within the industry with key players from major letting agents, property companies and property management firms to see how collegiate operations, training, professionalism and PropTech can help the industry to tackle future challenges of the coming years.

“We’re at an incredibly tough point for a lot of inventory companies, as we’re one of the few suppliers in the industry who really suffer from a downturn in transactions volume. So we need to be working positively with the Housing Minister and others to address these issues and build on the successes we’ve had” explains Evans.

The association also has plans to engage with deposit schemes to increase the standards of reporting, roll out further training courses, and stage regular webinars on hot topics.

“We need to answer the questions that matter to our industry, which can only happen if we take a positive approach moving forward collectively. If re-elected at the upcoming AGM, I look forward to delivering a clear programme in the future which delivers for all the members of the association and secures its position as the primary inventory body nationally” Evans concludes.