The number of people using the NAEA website (www.naea.co.uk) in May since the ads were run has increased by almost 70% to over one million hits per month. The website provides information on buying, selling and renting homes and also allows users to search for NAEA member agents and properties for sale in any area in the UK. In addition, the NAEA received 100 calls immediately following the campaign and has received 200 enquiries regarding membership in the last six weeks alone.
The campaign, encouraging the public to use only NAEA estate agents, ran in national newspapers over a period of eight weeks and featured a variety of ‘nature’s nasties’ such as a spiders, wasps and bears, together with straplines such as, “For a web you won’t get trapped in – look for the logo.”
Estate agency in the UK is currently only thinly regulated, meaning that almost anyone can set up as an agent. The NAEA has over 9,500 members, all of whom are bound by a vigorously enforced Code of Practice and professional Rules of Conduct. Recent reports, such as the Office of Fair Trading’s enquiry into estate agency, have emphasised the importance of using accredited estate agents. Using a member of the NAEA ensures that customers will receive a professional service from their agent.
Peter Bolton King, Chief Executive of the NAEA, said:
“We are constantly emphasising the importance of using NAEA members when moving house and this campaign has further emphasised that point. It is excellent news to see that the number of people using our services has risen so dramatically. If more people use only NAEA-accredited members then not only will they be making sure that they receive service of the highest level, but we can also hopefully eradicate the rogue agents that blight the image of the whole industry.”
