Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Newsroom from a report by Property Industry Eye. Read the original article for full details.

CLC Responds to Report, Calls for Regulation of Estate Agents

The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) has criticised a recent report by the Legal Services Consumer Panel, stating that it misrepresented the CLC’s approach and wrongly linked conveyancers to issues raised in a BBC Panorama investigation. The CLC maintains that the Panorama programme exposed wrongdoing by unregulated estate agents, not conveyancers, and has renewed its call for statutory regulation of estate agents to improve consumer protection.

The CLC’s response follows the publication of ‘A Regulatory Framework for the Future’ by the Legal Services Consumer Panel, which examined the performance of legal services regulators and raised concerns about aspects of the CLC’s approach. The CLC defended its decision to review conveyancing practices after the Panorama programme, stating that it acted proactively in the public interest, even though the issues highlighted were outside its direct regulatory remit.

The CLC also addressed comments in the report regarding its recruitment of regulated firms, stating that its conveyancing and probate firms benefit from focused regulation and high entry standards. The CLC emphasised that its regulation is beneficial for both consumers and legal professionals.

The regulator reiterated its ongoing efforts to press for the regulation of estate agents, citing consumer protection as a key reason. In the meantime, the CLC has identified areas to strengthen transparency and consumer protections within its own code.

This development is relevant for UK letting agents and inventory clerks, as it highlights ongoing concerns about the lack of statutory regulation for estate agents and the potential impact on consumer protection within the property sector.