Carsberg, formerly director general of the Office of Fair Trading, will work with forum members and oversee the organisation’s aim of bringing greater efficiency, transparency and coherence to the home buying and selling process.
Sir Bryan said: “This is a huge opportunity to make a real difference. This year promises to be a crucial one for the property marketplace and I welcome the opportunity to be at the heart of it in my new role as President of the E-Homebuying Forum.
“Now is the time for industry to look to take a lead and the E-Homebuying Forum is well placed to do this by bringing together businesses and representative bodies across the residential sector.”
Forum members represent relevant businesses and stakeholders in the residential property market, including estate agents, surveyors, search firms, lenders and solicitors.
Among the proposals which look likely to become a priority and which were set out by Carsberg in his 2008 review, was an intention to regulate estate agency and lettings. Carsberg argued that powers for overseeing residential property transactions and management should be transferred from the OFT to a newly set up “light touch” regulatory body.
Carsberg also proposed in his review that “the government should undertake a review of all existing legislation affecting the residential property market with the objective of simplifying the statutory rules, eliminating those that can be left to a regulatory body and consolidating the remainder.”
The Carsberg review and the E-Homebuying Forum’s “Blueprint”, or manifesto, for improving the property transaction process both received acceptance in principle across the industry.
Carsberg’s appointment to the E-Homebuying Forum indicates the lobby group’s intention to make these recommendations government priority.
Mark Riddick, current chairman of the E-Homebuying Forum said: “Sir Bryan’s appointment is a rallying call to all those in industry frustrated by the failure hitherto to improve the homebuying process. The forum, under Sir Bryan’s leadership, provides a real opportunity for the industry to shape its own destiny in the current political climate.”
Carsberg added: “Notwithstanding the current downturn, it is widely recognised that transaction times in England and Wales compare very poorly to those throughout the rest of Europe, typically taking between 8-10 weeks from acceptance and exchange. Even worse, approximately 1 in 4 transactions fall through.
“But if all businesses involved were to take some responsibility to provide better information to customers about the process, whilst at the same time working towards a truly modernised system, this would benefit everyone.
“The opportunity to reform the homebuying and selling process has never been greater and I am genuinely enthusiastic about what can be achieved.”
Nicholas Leeming, Zoopla.co.uk commercial director, said: “I think Sir Bryan has an opportunity to bring together what is currently a fairly disparate industry to create a higher standard of operation.
"But it’s important that we don’t have yet another body in this sector or more regulation.
"I am in favour of estate agents being more formal in their approach and being better prepared at the time they take a property to market, but further regulation is unnecessary. The property ombudsman already provides sufficient regulation.
“It would be a good thing to see Sir Bryan working towards collating the views of what is a fragmented industry though, and representing those views to the government.”
