Who can be an estate agent

Who can and who cannot be an estate agent.

There's no legal requirement to have any formal qualifications to engage in estate agency work. 

However, a person can be prohibited from doing so if they fail to comply with or breach estate agency legislation.

The Estate Agents' Act 1979 states that you cannot engage in estate agency work if you're an undischarged bankrupt. You can work for an estate agency, as long as it's not your own company.

You cannot engage in estate agency work if you've been prohibited by:

• the National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team (NTSELAT) 
• the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) up until 31 March 2014 (orders issued by the OFT still have effect)

Public Register of Orders

One of NTSELAT's key responsibilities is maintaining the Public Register of Orders in accordance with section 8 of the Estate Agents Act 1979. The Register contains details of individuals and businesses who are currently prohibited from carrying out estate agency work, as well as those who have received a formal warning under the Act.

The Register indicates whether a prohibition or warning order has been made, including any variations to those orders. If an appeal has been lodged, the Register will also show that the order or variation is either within the appeal period or currently subject to appeal.

View the Register Public Register of Orders