Hunters' founder becomes latest MP to join TPO Conference panel

The founder of the Hunters franchise agency group, Kevin Hollinrake - now a Conservative MP - is the latest parliamentarian to join a panel at The Property Ombudsman’s conference in July.

Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton, is parliamentary private secretary to DEFRA Secretary of State Michael Gove as well as a member of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee.

He also remains chairman of Hunters. 

Another Tory MP - Mark Prisk, who represents Hertford & Stortford and is a former housing minister - will be on the panel along with Lord Richard Best, a cross-bencher in the House of Lords and chair of the Regulation of Property Agents Working Group.

This group is charged with forming proposals to be put to Parliament later this year, recommending possible training and other qualifications fort agents, and other possible changes in the house buying process and agency industry.

Other speakers on the panel include Kate Faulkner, the property market commentator and managing director of the Designs on Property consultancy; she will be joined by Theresa Wallace, head of customer service and compliance for Savills.

Michael Stoop, chair of TPO’s Industry Forum, says: “Never more so than today are agents looking at what’s on the horizon and wondering exactly how it might affect their business. As someone who has been riding the waves of the property market for more than 30 years, and as a strong advocate of the small business sector, we are delighted to welcome Kevin’s expertise and experience to the panel.”