Most people who deal with estate agents regret it says survey

Posted: 05 Dec 2006 11:02:17 GMT

Most people who have dealt with estate agents are left with a lasting sense of distrust, a damning report from consumer rights group Which? has found

Most people who have dealt with estate agents are left with a lasting sense of distrust, a damning report from consumer rights group Which? has found.

As many as 94 per cent said that estate agents deliberately distort property prices and 70 per cent said that they make up fictional offers.

The survey comes while a bill planning regulation of the industry is making its way through the House of Lords, forcing agents to sign up to an ombudsman scheme.

As much as 85 per cent of the general public said that they believed that estate agents referred clients to financial advisors that they were linked to.

Which? added that the industry should accept regulation for its own good, with ten per cent of property sales now taking place online, bypassing agents altogether.

"The internet has given birth to a wealth of private sales sites which could do away with the need for an estate agent altogether," said Louise Restell of Which?

"This could be the future for many home-movers," she added.

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