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

Residential projects remain under pressure

Infrastructure keeps UK construction moving through a sluggish spell Residential and non-residential projects remain under pressure, while infrastructure and utilities work give the industry a much-needed lift The value of underlying work starting on-site during the latest three months declined 2% and stood 18% below last year’s levels. Residential construction starts fell 8% against the…
Read More →
Breaking News

Homebuyers hold tight ahead of Autumn Budget

but should they wait to make their move?   The latest research from Yopa has revealed that mortgage market activity has reversed in recent months, with approvals falling at an average monthly rate of 3.9% over the last four months, having previously increased by an average of 1.5% per month over the previous four months, suggesting…
Read More →
Breaking News

House price growth accelerates in Q2

The latest Property Market Index Review by London lettings and estate agent, Benham and Reeves, has revealed that the property market continued to build momentum during the second quarter of 2026, with UK house prices increasing by 1.1%, while London recorded a second consecutive quarter of positive growth.   The Benham and Reeves Market Index Review…
Read More →
Breaking News

House prices hold steady despite impact of higher interest rates

House prices were unchanged in September (0.0%), following a -0.3% fall in August The average property price is now £298,441, compared to £298,395 in August Prices were also unchanged annually (0.0%) compared with September last year Northern Ireland continues to lead UK annual growth, at +7.4% Latest first-time buyer prices reveal what a 2.5% deposit…
Read More →
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 5/10/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X. Architect-founded KnowYourNest brings property scores into the home search, with a free 1–10 score and full KnowYourNest reports from £9.95 By Author Andrew Stanton CEO Proptech-PR NestLink today launches free NestScore checks and KnowYourNest property intelligence reports for buyers and homeowners across England and Wales.…
Read More →
Breaking News

Gap between house prices and earnings narrows

Gap between house prices and earnings narrows – but higher borrowing costs limit affordability gains UK’s house price to income ratio falls from 7.6 to 7.3, an 11-year low, as earnings continue to outpace house price growth For first-time buyers, homes now cost less than six times earnings, falling from 6.1 to 5.9 However, monthly…
Read More →