Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 162: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding the need for legislative powers to be given to the National Property Services Regulatory Authority to regulate apartment management agents and to mediate between agents and apartment owners. [41821/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Government Legislation Programme published on 23 September 2008 provides for publication of the Property Services (Regulation) Bill during the current Dail session.

This Bill will establish the Property Services Regulatory Authority on a statutory basis. Its primary task will be to operate a licensing system for auctioneers, estate agents and property management agents and to improve standards in the provision of property services by licensees. The Authority will specify and enforce qualification requirements for licences, including levels of education, training and experience and other requirements such as minimum levels of professional indemnity insurance. The Authority will also establish and operate a system for investigating and adjudicating on complaints against property service providers. In this context, the legislation will refer to the possibility of resolving disputes by mediation between the parties concerned.

With a view to improving client protection and ensuring clarity with regard to the services being provided by a licensee, the legislation will also require that property services agreements be entered into between service providers and their clients. Such agreements will specify the services to be provided, fees payable by the client, details of redress procedures etc.