Louis Armstrong, chief executive of RICS, says: 'In light of recent stories of cowboy estate agents, we believe now is the
high noon for the Government on this issue. A minimum standard of competence and system of compulsory licensing of estate agents must be introduced as soon as possible: RICS is working with the DTI to explore how best to establish this.
'The OFT report was a damp squib, the Government has been silent on the issue, but the industry is quite obviously keen for the system to be cleaned up in this way. The Housing Bill provides the best opportunity for the Government to tackle these cowboys.'
Louis Armstrong, chief executive of RICS, says: 'Empty homes not only represent a wasted asset at a time of acute housing
shortages in many parts of the country, but also blight communities and serve to increase pressures for the development of greenfield sites. In August last year, RICS campaigned along with Shelter and the Empty Homes Agency for such an initiative to be included in the Bill. Mr Kidney has our full support on this issue. 'The Housing Bill provides the Government with the best opportunity they have had, and will have, for years to tackle this plague on some of our
communities. It is high time we put a stop to empty homes falling into disrepair when they could so easily be brought back into use for those in desperate need of decent housing.'
