Statutory estate-agent register wins support, but law still absent
A compulsory register, rules of conduct and external oversight should tackle abuses in home sales.
There is news on this story (Friday, 2 October 2026, 11:03): Cabinet finally plans statutory registration for estate agents
A statutory professional register for estate agents has won support from consumer organisations and several trade associations. The plans have not yet been enshrined in law: alongside research into possible rules, PVV MP Jeremy Mooiman is working on a private member’s bill.
The proposal would introduce uniform rules of conduct and external oversight, and make fines for breaches possible. Only estate agents listed in a statutory register would then be allowed to practise. According to its sponsors, this should better protect buyers and sellers from unclear procedures and conflicts of interest.
The debate intensified after Vereniging Eigen Huis set up a reporting centre. Since February, more than 900 complaints have reportedly been received, according to the organisation. People reporting concerns described, among other things, bids made after an agreed deadline, uncertainty about valuations and pressure to make a higher offer. Such reports are consumer signals and do not in themselves prove that an estate agent breached the rules.
Estate agency has not been a legally regulated profession since 2001. As a result, there are no uniform statutory requirements for training, conduct, oversight and working methods. Trade organisations do have their own codes of conduct, complaints procedures and forms of professional disciplinary law, but these do not automatically apply to estate agents who belong to no organisation.
The bidding process is also already covered by industry agreements. In 2025, the Dutch government had a national standard for the digital bidding log presented. After a sale is finalised, bidders should be given access to the registered bids. An evaluation showed, however, that bidders do not always receive the log and that bids are sometimes passed on to sellers too late.
The sector is divided over how far statutory regulation should go, but several organisations are now calling for a legal basis. NVM wants statutory regulation of estate agency. Vastgoed Nederland advocates the same minimum requirements for every estate agent, including professional competence, continuing education, rules of conduct and independent oversight.
Vereniging Eigen Huis also wants new homes coming onto the market to be made available to all house-hunters at the same time. According to the organisation, closed networks may mean that people with a buying agent get a viewing sooner. That issue is separate from the register and touches on the broader question of how fair and verifiable the buying process should be.
A private member’s bill still has to be submitted, considered and passed by both Houses of Parliament. It has also not yet been established which body would provide oversight, which training requirements would apply or how existing estate agents would be classified. The essence of the new development is therefore political support for regulation, not a register requirement that has already been introduced.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Estate agency is not legally regulated and has no uniform statutory requirements for all estate agents.
- There is a proposal for a professional register, rules of conduct, external oversight and sanctions.
- Vereniging Eigen Huis reported more than 900 complaints since the reporting centre reopened in February.
- A national standard already exists for the bidding process, but compliance with and distribution of bidding logs are not fully watertight.
- A statutory register requirement has not yet been introduced.
Left
Arguments The housing market is too important financially and socially for many people to be left primarily to self-regulation. A statutory minimum standard, independent oversight and equal access to homes coming onto the market could reduce power imbalances between estate agents and house-hunters.
Values Equal opportunities, consumer protection, transparency and public responsibility.
Consequences Greater oversight could help deal with complaints more effectively and deter abuses, but it requires public capacity and could lead to additional rules for small firms.
Centre
Arguments A legal basis is an obvious step where industry agreements are not observed everywhere, but the rules must be proportionate and workable. There is scope for recognising existing training and for cooperation between the government and the sector.
Values Reliability, legal certainty, workability and institutional continuity.
Consequences A phased register could provide clarity without losing existing expertise, but its impact would depend on enforcement and the precise transitional rules.
Right
Arguments Rogue estate agents must be dealt with, but a heavy licensing system could restrict occupational freedom, make entry more expensive and add bureaucracy. Rules should target demonstrable misconduct rather than shielding established trade organisations.
Values Limited government, responsibility, free entry and proportionate enforcement.
Consequences A compact register with clear sanctions could strengthen trust; a large-scale system could raise costs and reduce competition in estate agency.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The main claims can be found in public reporting by NOS, the Dutch government and trade organisations. The text clearly distinguishes between existing arrangements, proposals and legislation that has not yet been finalised.
- confirmed The proposed statutory register is accompanied by rules of conduct, external oversight and fines. — NOS describes these elements of Jeremy Mooiman’s private member’s bill. source
- confirmed Jeremy Mooiman is working on a private member’s bill. — NOS reports that Mooiman is working on a private member’s bill; an earlier House of Representatives motion by him already included a statutory quality standard. source
- confirmed Vereniging Eigen Huis received more than 900 complaints since February. — This number appears in the NOS report on Vereniging Eigen Huis’s reporting centre. source
- confirmed Estate agency has been an unregulated profession since 2001. — NOS refers to the abolition of statutory title protection in 2001 and the absence of uniform statutory requirements. source
- confirmed A national standard exists for the digital bidding log. — The Dutch government describes the NTA for a transparent digital bidding process. source
- confirmed Bidders do not always receive the bidding log. — This is stated in the evaluation described by the Dutch government and is also reported by NOS. source
- confirmed NVM and Vastgoed Nederland support a legal basis for regulation. — NOS describes support for statutory regulation; Vastgoed Nederland develops this further in its own call for national regulation. source
- confirmed No statutory register requirement has yet been introduced. — The sources refer to proposals, research and desired regulation; no source reports that a statutory register requirement has entered into force. source
Editor's note
The content of the PVV initiative, the reported complaints and the existing arrangements around the bidding log are certain. The precise form, timing, oversight body and transitional rules remain uncertain; no statutory register requirement has yet been introduced.Sources
- Na misstanden bij makelaars is wet nodig voor meer toezicht, vindt PVV — NOS
- Vereniging Eigen Huis: te veel klachten over makelaars en oneerlijke huizenverkoop — NOS
- Nieuwe standaard voor biedlogboek moet ongewenste prijsopdrijving tegengaan — Rijksoverheid.nl
- Iedereen mag zich makelaar noemen. Dat vinden wij niet meer van deze tijd — Vastgoed Nederland
- Motie van het lid Mooiman over een wettelijke kwaliteitsstandaard voor makelaars — Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal
The story so far
- Thursday, 1 October 2026, 01:19 Statutory estate-agent register wins support, but law still absent (this article)
- Thursday, 1 October 2026, 12:02 Minister seeks compulsory registration for estate agents
- Friday, 2 October 2026, 11:03 Cabinet finally plans statutory registration for estate agents
More on this in Dutch media
- de Volkskrant — „makelaars woningmarkt”
- RTL Nieuws — „makelaars woningmarkt”
- NOS — „makelaars woningmarkt”