Standards of housing agents: How will two-tiered scheme help?

Source : Straits Times - 23 Aug 2008

I REFER to yesterday’s letters ‘Test ensures housing agents are more qualified’ by Mr David Ong, president of the Association of Singapore Estate Agencies, and ‘Two-tier test system raises standards of estate agency industry’ by Mr Wilson Lim, executive director of the Singapore Accredited Estate Agencies (SAEA).

Both were responses to Mr Steven Lau’s ‘HDB resale net services open to abuse’, published last Saturday.

I would like to ask how the two-tiered accreditation scheme is expected to raise the service standards of property agents.

Firstly, the new Common Examination for Salespersons (CES) introduced by the SAEA actually covers less than the existing Common Examination for Housing Agents.

Secondly, the passing mark for this multiple-choice test is a mere 50 per cent.

And thirdly, candidates only need two GCE O level passes to sit for the CES.

PropNex understands the need to establish high service standards in this industry.

That is why one of our recent developments was a PropNex proficiency test, mandatory for all our new agents, as well as long-time agents who are no longer active.

It covers the Code of Conduct and Ethics and tests applicants on HDB or private property market policies, programmes and procedures, depending on their area of specialisation.

While it is also a multiple-choice test, we require our agents to attain at least 75 per cent for certification.

We believe in setting such stringent requirements for practising property agents, as they are going to be professionals who will facilitate possibly the largest financial transactions their customers will undertake.

Another question I would like to raise is, who were the ‘industry and agency bosses’ that SAEA consulted, with regards to the feedback they obtained in the implementation of CES?

PropNex was not consulted, and we would have been happy to offer our insights as an industry leader, on how to develop a more professional industry.

The public deserves excellent service, and this can only be possible by setting even higher standards.

Adam Tan
Corporate Communications & Marketing Manager
PropNex Realty