After Panorama: Why It’s Time for Honesty in the Property Industry

Monday’s BBC Panorama documentary has sparked widespread concern across the property industry and rightly so. If you didn’t see it, it’s worth taking a look.

The programme uncovered instances of estate agents misleading buyers and made for uncomfortable viewing. But for those of us who have worked in property for decades, it was sadly not surprising.

At Anderson Jones, we’ve spent years meeting clients who feel confused, let down or overwhelmed after interactions with agents who seem more focused on their own targets than the needs of the people they serve. It’s not how we work. It’s not how we believe this profession should operate. Property is more than a transaction. It’s a life-changing emotional and financial decision that calls for integrity, not manipulation.

Panorama exposed the very worst of the industry, where manipulation and pressure tactics were used to push buyers toward premature decisions, all in the name of chasing completion numbers and cross selling. Buyers being told they can only have their offer put forward if they use the agent’s in-house mortgage broker or conveyancer? That’s not just wrong — it’s unethical.

In many ways, the documentary held up a mirror to a part of the industry that desperately needs reform. We would support the licensing of estate agents in the UK as an immediate initial step towards this. What matters is honesty, education, and client-first advice. Buyers and sellers need clarity, not pressure and manipulation.

Whether someone is buying a first home, upsizing, or downsizing, they should never feel like they’re being 'sold to'. They should feel informed and supported. They should be encouraged to ask difficult questions and they should be advised, not steered. I set up the business originally because I had seen these practices at first hand and knew there was a better way to do estate agency. With Candice, we have built our business on honesty, transparency and doing what’s right for our clients, not the bottom line. A good agent helps people feel more confident in their decisions, not pressurised.

The sad truth is that many agents are working within business models that reward speed and volume, not care and accuracy. When a system incentivises short-term wins over long-term trust, that is not a palatable recipe. Panorama highlighted Charlie as the 'bad' agent. The critical point is that she was not a rogue, acting out of line. She was following clearly set out guidelines that her corporate owners asked her to follow and were a key measure of her performance, commission and bonuses.

Panorama has prompted some overdue soul-searching within the industry and what matters now is what comes next. We need clearer standards, better agent training and a cultural shift that places integrity, clarity and the client at the centre of everything an agent does. It is the way we work, as do many independent agents. Let’s hope the industry uses this for the positive going forward.

To anyone who felt uneasy watching Panorama, your concerns are valid. And to anyone wondering if there’s a better way to do estate agency, we’re here to show you that there is.