Accreditations

By dealing with a Member of the TPO, the public can be confident about the agent's approach in its dealings with actual and potential buyers and sellers of residential property or lettings in the UK. With effect from 1 October 2008, all estate agents are required to register with an Estate Agents Redress Scheme that has been approved by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and which investigates complaints against estate agents. The TPO is one of the schemes approved by the OFT.

Sowerbys have in addition agreed to follow the TPO Code of Practice for Residential Estate Agents. Estate agents signing up to this Code of Practice are required to provide additional consumer protection that goes beyond that required by the law. They can be recognised by the blue TPO logo. Registered agents, who do not voluntarily accept the Code of Practice obligations of the TPO Scheme, are not entitled to show the blue TPO logo. Lettings and property management agents who join the TPO also subscribe to the Code of Practice for Letting Agents. The Property Ombudsman provides a free, fair and independent service for dealing with unresolved disputes between sales and letting agents who have joined the TPO and consumers who are actual or potential buyers or sellers or landlords or tenants of residential property in the UK. The Ombudsman is a member of the Ombudsman Association and follows the standards and rules of the Association. The Ombudsman is totally independent of agents and reports directly to the TPO Council which has a majority of non-industry members.

Being members of the NAEA is again another confirmation to our clients that we are serious about providing them with a service that is second to none. There is NO mandatory regulation of estate agents, however Sowerbys choose to be members of the NAEA. This demonstrates our transparency and ensures we are at the forefront of developments in the industry, all making sure we provide the very best moving experience to our consumers.

By using a NAEA estate agent consumers are guaranteed to be consulting with a professional agent who can give them up-to-date advice and guidance. What makes NAEA Estate Agents different? Integrity NAEA estate agents are experienced and trained professionals who abide by a nationally recognised Code of Practice. Complaints Procedure Ruling on complaints through independent ombudsman services and NFoPP Regulation. Peace of Mind Sowerbys hold all the correct insurance and protection to give you peace of mind through your move. Compliant Registered with HMRC to ensure compliance with money laundering regulations. Conduct and Membership Rules All NAEA estate agents agree to comply with the professional standards outlined within the NFoPP Conduct and Membership Rules, demonstrating our dedication and commitment to higher standards within residential sales.

ARLA is the UK's foremost professional body for letting agents. Members are professionals working at all levels of letting agency, from business owners to office employees. Every year tenants and landlords lose thousands of pounds and suffer distress through dealing with agents who are inexperienced and do not deal with client money in a professional manner. ARLA Licensed letting agents hold client money in a designated client account and accounts are independently inspected annually.

What makes ARLA licensed members different? • Experienced and trained professionals • Understand and comply with complex legislative changes and best practice • Backed up by NFoPP Client Money Protection scheme (CMP) • Accounts are independently inspected annually and accountants’ reports submitted to ARLA • ARLA agents have professional indemnity insurance • Attend regular training to keep skills and experience up-to-date • Comply with the professional standards of the nationally recognised professional body for letting agents Conduct and membership rules All ARLA letting agents agree to comply with the professional standards outlined within the NFoPP Conduct and Membership Rules, demonstrating their dedication and commitment to higher standards within residential lettings.

Awards

Created by Feefo, Trusted Service is awarded only to businesses that use Feefo to collect genuine reviews and insights. Businesses meeting the high standard, based on the number of reviews they have collected and their average rating, receive the award. A highly valued badge of approval, this accreditation remains unique, as it is based purely on the interactions with real customers. As all reviews are verified as genuine, the accreditation is a true reflection of a business’s commitment to outstanding service.

We are very proud to have been awarded this rating, having achieved the Gold standard award for three years in a row.

This award is incredibly important to us as it is not only based on the feedback of real customers, but it also recognises how hard we work to give our customers the best possible experience.



The Best Estate Agent Guide is a website that provides an independent reference source for sellers and landlords, who can search for the best sales and lettings agency offices in their areas.

Over 15,000 estate agencies are included in the assessment, which is conducted by Property Academy and the UK’s leading property portal, Rightmove.

Each office is scored against a unique set of criteria, using a combination of data analysis and mystery shopping, from which, the best agencies in the country are identified.

The Best Estate Agent Guide Awards are awarded for marketing, results and customer service.