Demand for qualifications doubles as Rightmove helps agents get ahead of reform

• New data reveals a jump in estate and letting agents looking to get qualified, with Rightmove exam bookings more than doubling (+128%) compared to last year
• Leading property industry body Propertymark has seen a 51% uplift in demand for qualifications since April 2020, highlighting a long-term shift in the industry wanting formal qualifications
• The insight comes ahead of the anticipated government consultation response on home-moving reform, which includes proposed mandatory agent qualifications
• Research shows seven in 10 home-movers say they would prefer to work with a qualified agent
• Rightmove and Propertymark have launched new training routes towards two recognised property agency qualifications in response to the increased demand from agents

New data from the UK’s biggest property platform Rightmove shows estate and letting agents are increasingly investing time in professional qualifications, with bookings for Rightmove’s Certificate for Estate and Lettings Agents exam more than doubling (+128%) year on year.

This rise reflects a growing recognition that qualifications can help agents demonstrate their expertise and commitment with home-sellers, at a time when they are placing greater value on professional standards. Rightmove’s consumer research shows seven in 10 home-movers would prefer to work with a qualified agent, while over 70% of renters and homeowners believe agents should hold formal qualifications.

The data tallies with that of Propertymark, the UK’s leading professional body for property agents, which has seen demand for formal qualifications speed up at the start of this year.

Propertymark has also seen a 51% uplift in demand for qualifications since April 2020, highlighting a broader long-term shift in the estate agency industry wanting formal qualifications.

The insight comes ahead of the anticipated government consultation response on home-moving reform, which includes proposed agent qualifications. The consultation closed at the end of last year, with a roadmap for change expected in 2026.

In response to demand for more routes to formal qualifications, Rightmove & Propertymark have launched new sales and lettings training to qualify for two estate agency qualifications. The Propertymark Level 3 Certificate in Property Agency is available in both sales and lettings specialisms now.

It follows the launch of the Level 3 Certificate for Estate & Letting Agents (CELA) qualification on Rightmove in 2022, which is a dual sales and lettings course. The course was launched in response to estate agents asking for more ways to receive formal training and certification, ahead of potential regulation.

So far, over 10,500 estate agents have signed up to complete the qualification, which is included with Rightmove memberships.

Jason Charles, Rightmove’s Head of Education says: “Agents are being asked to navigate more complex consumer expectations, and qualifications give them a practical way to show their expertise, build trust and differentiate their service. By making this training available through Rightmove membership, we’re helping agents get ahead of any potential regulatory change, and demonstrate the professional value they already bring to every move.”

Nathan Emerson, CEO of Propertymark comments: “Working within the property profession is both rewarding and incredibly quick paced. It is a sector that is seeing vast evolution and one that represents exciting opportunities for those already working in the field, and crucially anyone considering such a career pathway.

“As with any vocational ambition in life, it becomes ever more essential to stay ahead of the curve via displaying demonstrable in-depth knowledge and understanding, two aspects consumers highly value and trust when they consider their property journey. Our own Insight tells us qualification and professional representation for agents is of extremely high priority and we look forward to working closely with Rightmove to promote excellence via nationally recognised qualifications.”

Mike Taylor, Managing Director at Burns & Reid in St. Helens says: “We believe that professionalism truly matters. Full qualification enhances our expertise, sets us apart from many other agencies, and underpins our commitment to excellence. Our goal is for every member of our team to be fully qualified—giving our clients real confidence that they are dealing with knowledgeable, trusted professionals. It also ensures we operate on the same professional footing as solicitors and mortgage advisers, delivering a higher standard of service throughout the buying and selling journey.”

ENDS

About Rightmove

• Rightmove has the UK’s largest selection of properties for sale and to rent, adds more listings than anyone else
• Latest view from Comscore is over 80% of all time spent on property portals is on Rightmove, and latest view from SimilarWeb is over 70% of time spent on property portals in the UK is on Rightmove (two datasets used across the industry to track time spent on portals)
• Rightmove’s vision is to give everyone the belief that they can make their move by giving people the best place to turn and return to for access to tools and expertise to make it happen
• Users can search Rightmove for residential resale, new homes, rentals, built for rent, commercial property and overseas properties. Rightmove also provide an extensive range of tools and information assisting their home moving journey, including but not limited to: local sold prices, online property valuation, agent visit requests, moving guides, mortgage in principle certification, renovation calculator, extension explorer, home services for renters like utilities, media and insurance, school information, moving guides and sustainability information
• Partners (Rightmove’s customers) include the following key groups: estate agents, letting agents, new homes developers, rental operators, commercial property operators, overseas property agents, financial services operators and home services providers for insurance, utilities and media
• Using the UK’s largest housing datasets, we issue a number of regular reports to track housing market indicators: our monthly House Price Index (established 2002), quarterly Rental Trends Tracker (established 2015), weekly Mortgage Rates Tracker (established 2023) and quarterly Commercial Insights Tracker (established 2024). Historical data is available on request
• Founded in 2000, Rightmove listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2006 and is a member of the FTSE 100 index