Rental reform is the big debate at agents’ annual conference

The details of the Northern Ireland Private Tenancies Bill will be the main focus of the Propertymark annual conference in Belfast on Thursday. 

Tickets are still available for the conference, with speakers sharing their industry-leading insight on current legislation, best practice, and business skills.

David Polley, director of housing supply policy within Northern Ireland’s Department for Communities, will provide an update on the progress being made with the introduction of the Private Tenancies Act, and James Munro - head of the National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agent Team - will talk about the latest regulatory developments including the ongoing work to define what information should be disclosed as standard when marketing a property.

Delegates will also hear from Stephen McCarron, President of NAEA Propertymark, and David Votta, President of ARLA Propertymark, as well as the head of policy and campaigns, Timothy Douglas, and Michael Smith, head of Propertymark Qualifications.

Other speakers include Laura Williams from Worknest, social media specialist Elle Wood, and Clare Yates from CY Training Works.

Propertymark chief executive Nathan Emerson says: “Any agents in Northern Ireland who haven’t booked their place yet really should do so without delay because we have a packed day of speakers with updates and talks across a range of subjects that will impact their businesses as well as the wider property sector.

“The Private Tenancies Act will present some significant changes to the private rented market and work is ongoing to define what constitutes material information for property listings, so we’re particularly pleased to have prominent figures from Northern Ireland’s Department for Communities and Trading Standards to explain what they will actually mean for agents.”