The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has published guidance to assist estate agents and others involved in property sales understand their responsibilities under consumer and business protection regulations.
It is aimed at all property sales businesses, from estate agents and property developers to intermediate websites that facilitate contact between buyers and sellers.
The guidance identifies examples of trading practices that could breach the regulations and includes practical steps that property sales businesses can take to comply with the law.
For example, property sales businesses must ensure that any information provided, whether in writing, in pictures or given verbally, is accurate when advertising for new business or when marketing property. Breaches of the regulations might include falsely claiming to be a member of a professional body, misdescribing a property for sale or making unfair comparisons with competitors.
They must not leave out important information that consumers need to make informed decisions. For example, throughout the buying and selling process, businesses must provide the necessary information to enable informed choices to be made on viewing a property, making an offer or instructing conveyancers or surveyors.
The guidance also countenances against putting undue pressure on consumers to act quickly, for example to put in an offer, raise their price, skip the survey or exchange contracts.
The OFT document specifically covers two pieces of existing legislation: Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPRs) and the Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations 2008 (BPRs).
Non-compliance with the CPRs and BPRs may lead to enforcement action under the Enterprise Act 2002. This could see a trader give undertakings, or be subject to civil court proceedings, to stop breaching the regulations. It may also lead to criminal enforcement action, an unlimited fine and up to two years’ imprisonment for a conviction in the Crown Court (or Sheriff Court in Scotland).
The guidance will assist traders and others (including enforcers and consumer advisers), especially in light of the Department for Business Innovation and Skill’s announcement today that the government intends to repeal the Property Misdescriptions Act 1991, which has largely been superseded by the CPRs and BPRs.
“Buying and selling a property is usually one of the biggest purchases we make and can also be one of the most stressful,” said Cavendish Elithorn, senior director of the OFT’s Goods and Consumer Group.
“Unfair business practices can cause substantial losses or frustration to buyers and sellers either when transactions collapse or afterwards when the truth is uncovered.
“In response to feedback, this guidance has been developed with help from the property sales industry and Trading Standards Services, to provide clear and comprehensive, but practical, advice.”