Property Personnel advises estate agents to “hold their nerve” post- Brexit

The Managing Director of the UK’s oldest estate agent recruitment consultancy has advised employers to “hold their nerve” following the ‘leave’ result in the EU referendum.

 

His comments come after a snap survey of recruitment intentions carried out by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) which suggested that almost half of members (48%) believe it’s ‘too early to tell’ what impact Brexit will have on the sector.

 

Property Personnel MD Anthony Hesse said: “After a historic decision like this, hasty knee-jerk responses are the last thing the industry needs. It’s important that UK estate agents don’t feel bounced into taking decisions with long-term impacts they may live to regret.

 

“Brexit is more of a process than an event – so the immediate impact will be limited, because any major changes will take some time. As a result, employers need to hold their nerve and consider any next steps carefully.”

 

But Anthony Hesse said he was concerned by another aspect of the CIPD survey, which indicated that 54% of members still don’t have a post-Brexit plan in place, and only 26% of respondents were actively developing one.

 

He explained:  “Issues such as employment law, immigration and the ability of employers to bring the right skills they need into their business were central themes of the EU referendum campaigns – so estate agents need to plan accordingly.

 

“It’s important to remember that our existing labour market already strikes a good balance between providing flexibility for employers and employment rights for workers. Currently, employers can bring in skilled workers from outside the UK to help support business growth and address labour shortages. It’s absolutely crucial that any renegotiation of our relationship with the EU takes this into account.

 

“Ultimately, we need to ensure that UK estate agents continue to recruit the best people to fill the jobs available. Access to the right talent is absolutely vital to ensure sustainable growth and prosperity – not only for the sector, but the country.”

Christopher Walkey

Founder of Estate Agent Networking. Internationally invited speaker on how to build online target audiences using Social Media. Writes about UK property prices, housing, politics and affordable homes.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

More than a third of homes undergo price reduction

The latest research from GetAgent.co.uk has revealed that more than a third (34.4%) of homes sold subject to contract (SSTC) across Britain’s major cities have undergone an asking price reduction, with this figure climbing to more than half in Bournemouth, raising questions over whether sellers, and their agents, are pricing their properties realistically when first…
Read More →
Breaking News

‘Explosion’ in e-signature use at Land Registry spells progress for homebuying reform

The number of e-signatures used at Land Registry has exploded in the latest quarter — jumping more than ten times in just three months to 643, Novus Strategy can reveal. Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES) are a central plank of the revolution unfolding in homebuying because they reduce friction and save time. It’s a combination of…
Read More →
Letting Agent Talk

The Flats Above the Shop Problem

Why residential property hidden inside commercial ownership keeps causing trouble By Adam Hills, Client Services Director, LRG Living Markets Somewhere in many commercial property portfolios sits a small collection of front doors that was never really part of the plan. Many large and small retailers inherit residential property portfolios by default as part of mixed-use…
Read More →
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 2/11/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   April 2027: The date Landlords become data companies   From 6 April 2027 some landlords pay 4% more tax – but a bigger burden is the extra governmental red tape Thought leadership by Olivier Jauniaux Founder of NestLink There was a moment in the 2026 Budget speech…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

Buying Alone? What Solo Buyers Need to Know Before Making an Offer on a House

Figures show that solo buyers accounted for 36.9% of Barclays’ mortgage completions in June 2026, as more people chose to step onto the property ladder without a partner beside them. Choosing independence over waiting for a joint purchase has doubled over the last 50+ years, with solo first-time buyers doubling from 15% before 1980 to…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

How to Make a New-Build Living Room Feel Less Like a Show Home

An empty new-build living room can be surprisingly difficult to furnish. The walls are freshly painted, the sockets are in place, and there is nothing to remove before decorating begins. Yet once the sofa arrives, the room can still feel unsettled: too bare in some places, awkwardly crowded in others. The answer rarely involves buying…
Read More →