Cabinet finally plans statutory registration for estate agents
A public register, code of conduct and complaints committee should better protect buyers.
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Minister Elanor Boekholt-O’Sullivan wants estate agents to be required to register in a statutory professional register. This is a new step following earlier announcements on regulation, but the legislation still has to pass through parliament.
Estate agents would have to register once in a public register. This would involve statutory conduct requirements, such as sharing relevant information about a property in good time, treating interested parties equally and making the bidding process transparent through a standardised bidding log.
The proposal also includes a dispute committee for complaints. In serious cases, an estate agent could be removed from the register. Under the cabinet’s plan, anyone who is not registered or is removed from the register would no longer be allowed to work as an estate agent.
The minister sent her letter to the Lower House (Tweede Kamer) on 1 October. The letter was accompanied by research from the Verwey-Jonker Instituut into experiences with estate agents. The letter does not yet concern legislation that has been passed and therefore does not set definitive rules for the sector.
The industry organisation NVM supports registration and statutory conduct standards, but believes that demonstrable professional competence should also be a requirement. According to NVM, registration without an educational requirement offers homebuyers insufficient protection.
The political debate therefore centres on two questions. The first is whether consumers will be better protected by a uniform statutory minimum standard. The second is whether the government should also set quality requirements, or whether industry organisations and market forces can continue to perform that role largely themselves.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The cabinet is preparing a statutory register for estate agents.
- The proposal includes conduct standards, complaints handling and possible removal from the register.
- NVM supports registration but also wants a professional competence requirement.
Left
Arguments Homebuyers are often in a weaker position than professional estate agents. Statutory standards, supervision and sanctions are therefore needed, even if they create an administrative burden for the sector.
Values Consumer protection, transparency and fair access to the housing market.
Consequences Stricter rules could limit malpractice, but may impose additional costs on small firms.
Centre
Arguments A statutory basis is defensible as long as the rules are clear, workable and proportionate. The government should mainly safeguard the minimum standard and leave room for professional self-regulation.
Values Legal certainty, workability and institutional oversight.
Consequences A register can increase trust, but only if supervision and complaints handling function effectively.
Right
Arguments The government should be cautious about creating new barriers to entering the profession. Conduct rules against deception are necessary, but additional educational requirements could restrict entry and make services more expensive.
Values Free enterprise, freedom of choice and limited regulatory burdens.
Consequences Light regulation keeps the market more accessible, but in this view may offer less protection against differences in quality.
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 proposed rules, the parliamentary status and NVM’s position were checked directly. No core claims were found that go beyond the sources.
- confirmed The cabinet is working on a statutory registration requirement for estate agents. — The minister announced this on 1 October 2026. source
- confirmed The proposal includes conduct rules, a complaints committee and removal from the register. — These elements appear in the explanatory memorandum from the Dutch government. source
- confirmed NVM wants a professional competence requirement. — NVM says this in its response. source
Editor's note
It is certain that the cabinet is preparing a registration requirement and that NVM wants additional quality requirements. The final legislation, conditions and implementation date have not yet been decided.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- de Volkskrant — „makelaars woningmarkt”
- RTL Nieuws — „makelaars woningmarkt”
- NOS — „makelaars woningmarkt”