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A Norfolk estate agent has been elected Vice-President of the industry’s national professional body – which means in two years’ time she will be the UK’s most senior estate agent.

Jan Hÿtch, Partner at Norwich-based Arnolds, has become Vice-President of the National Association of Estate Agents, the first stage in a process which will see her become President of the organisation in 2013.  In this position, she will take a leading role in advising Government on policy, and has set the push for statutory licensing of estate agents at the top of her agenda.

The National Association of Estate Agents is responsible for regulating, guiding and assisting residential property professionals, as well as working to make the housing market safer and easier to use and understand for buyers and sellers.  It has over 12,000 members across the UK.

“Over the next three years I will be taking a leading role in setting policy at an important time for the housing profession,” said Mrs Hÿtch.  “I have two main priorities which I hope to move forward by the time I am President in 2013/14.

“The first is to drive forward the statutory licensing of estate agents, bringing a robustness of standards to the profession which is comparable to those in the accountancy or legal profession, for example.  At the moment, anyone can set themselves up as an estate agent, without any qualifications of regulation at all. Although there are many reputable agents operating across the country, many are not, and remain largely unaccountable. I believe this is damaging both for our customers, and for the reputation of our profession overall.

“My second priority will be to try to build closer links between the National Association of Estate Agents and the Association of Residential Lettings Agents.  The work of residential sales and residential lettings agents is becoming increasingly interlinked, so it makes sense to see a seamless interaction between the professional bodies which oversee the whole sector.”

Mrs Hÿtch joined Arnolds in 1989, and heads the Residential Sales and Lettings side of the firm, as well as holding responsibility for Quality Assurance under ISO9000.  She has been a member of the Divisional Council of the National Association of Estate Agents for the past year, and holds a Masters degree in Business Administration.

Arnolds is a member of the Association’s voluntary National Licensing Scheme, a status held by fewer than one in six estate agencies in Norfolk.  The scheme was launched in November by Housing Minster Grant Shapps and Shadow Housing Minister Alison Seabeck.