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How To Complain About an Estate Agent

July 2004

The following is a guideline of steps you should take to complain about an estate agent:

Register your complaint with the estate agent themselves first, reputable agents will have an in-house complaints procedure of which a senior member of the agency will be responsible for dealing with complaints.

If the complaint has not been resolved to your satisfaction and you feel you need to get a governing body involved, then you can register a complaint with the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA), Ombudsman For Estate Agents (OAE) providing the Estate Agency in question is a member of either, or both.

For this reason it is always a very wise move to choose your Estate Agent based on either or both of these governing body memberships as agencies whom are members must abide by their conduct and code of practice regulations. Be wary also that if they are not members of either or both of these associations then you can do little if your complaint is not resolved through the agents complaints department.

Estate Agents which are members of these governing bodies will display the logo on items such as stationary, websites and in window displays, you can also find a list of estate agents in your area that are members of the NAEA here and the OAE here

- You can complain about an NAEA listed Estate Agent

In writing to:
The Compliance Officer
The National Association of Estate Agents
Arbon House
21 Jury Street
Warwick
CV34 4EH

Telephone: 01926 496800
Facsimile: 01926 400953

Email: compliance@naea.co.uk

- You can complain about an OAE listed Estate Agent by downloading this form

Please note - the OAE will only investigate complaints relating to residential property sales.

Failing the estate agent is not a member of either, then you can register a complaint with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) or Trading Standards (TS) who have the power to close an agency down if it finds them unfit to carry out estate agency work under the Estate Agents Act 1979 (EAA) regulations.

- Complain to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT)

In writing to:
Office of Fair Trading
Fleetbank House
2-6 Salisbury Square
London EC4Y 8JX

Phone: 020 7211 8000
Fax: 020 7211 8800
E-mail: enquiries@oft.gov.uk

- Complain to Trading Standards (TS)

Visit their website (address at bottom of this page) and use their postcode lookup tool to find your local office contact details.

Reference Links

National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA)
Ombudsman For Estate Agents (OAE)
Office of Fair Trading (OFT)
Trading Standards (TS)



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