Golding Young & Mawer Auctioneers managing director Colin Young vowed to personally contact individuals and firms in his year-long presidency, which starts this month.
“There are too many auctioneers who are not regulated and not qualified. There is, of course, no law to enforce this. But if they can’t pass the basics they shouldn’t be in business. It doesn’t cost that much or take that long,” he told ATG.
Young, who takes over from Joseph Trinder of Dawson’s Auctioneers, said that while auctioneers can also learn on the job from peers, both experience and professional qualifications are needed.
"It is about adding substance beneath the gloss,” he said.
Young also supports greater regulation. “It will help businesses in terms of profile and reputation. If a customer does have a complaint then it will go to an ombudsman,” he added.
Members Are Accountable
NAVA states on its website that it “holds its members accountable and empowers consumers with knowledge and advice… and protects consumers and their money”.
Young added: "All auctioneers and valuers should be members of a professional body, be it NAVA, RICS or SoFAA. Once those members have qualified above student grade, their firms, subject to the rules of association, should promote their membership and use the logo as a guarantee of service, client accounting and complaints handling."
The organisation recently rebranded as NAVA Propertymark, comprising 375 auctioneers and valuers. It is part of the wider Propertymark organisation which has 17,000 members – from real estate to personal property such as chattels.
The separation of auctioneering and dealership is also on Young’s agenda. “There is a fence between dealers and auctioneers, which has shards of glass on top. People should not be allowed to operate as both.”
