July 2007

You’re out of touch, David!

Sir,

DAVID PERKINS is someone who has enjoyed the respect of his peers for many years and has been a generous contributor to EAN but I was extremely irritated to read his Comment section in the centre pages of the June issue.

Much has been written of the mess that both the Secretary of State and her CLG department have made of HIPs and their roll-out.

But he brought a new and frankly ludicrous perspective when he sought to involve the Ombudsman for Estate Agents office.

His broadside at the only redress system that the profession has so far come close to embracing illustrates quite how out of touch he is with mainstream agency and the efforts that so many are making to try to drag the reputation of the industry back up.

Perkins’ remarks about “threats and coercion” shows how little he understands of the work that the Ombudsman does nor the importance of the redress system that is provided.

The alternatives would almost certainly involve Government or third party intervention and most consider this to be most unwelcome.

As for the petty and clumsy personal attack on Bill McClintock, I would suggest that he spends a day with Bill — if he can keep up — and see exactly how much work goes on to try to make something of the dogs’ dinner that Government has delivered.

Both the profession and the OEA’s office deserve more support and encouragement and less playground name calling.

The majority of the profession welcome the improvements and higher standards that OEA has brought.

Is Perkins suggesting that they are wrong?

Incidentally, your own letters page in the same edition contains two from people taking issue with previous comments made by Mr Perkins — a lawyer and a Chartered Surveyor.

I think we all understand that his pieces may only be designed to get reaction but please, could we have more of your excellent editorial and perhaps fewer contentious ramblings that frankly look like an excuse for the gratuitous plug of a book (mentioned twice!) or at least make him pay for his adverts like the rest of us and label the piece appropriately!

HENRY PRYOR,
Pall Mall,
London SW1.