Estate agents are being urged to adopt a personal safety code in a campaign launched 30 years after Suzy Lamplugh disappeared after meeting a man to view a house in London.
She was just 25 years old when she went missing at a time when there were no mobile phones with the only clue left behind an entry in her office diary that she was meeting a Mr Kipper at a property in Fulham.
No trace of her has ever been found and a charity the Suzy Lamplugh Trust was set up in her name and it has now teamed up with leading agents Knight Frank and Savills as well as the Guild of Letting and Management to promote safety in the property sector.
They want all estate agents to sign up to a new code to protect the personal safety of those selling, buying and renting property. ‘When Suzy went missing, it was in the days before smart phones, the only clue her company had to whereabouts was an entry in the diary,’ said Lara Wilks Sloan of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.
‘We know from the work we carry out with companies that things have changed since 1986 but we’ve carried out new research that indicates that 30 years on, safety in the housing sector is still a concern for estate agents and consumers too,’ she explained.
In new research carried out by Suzy Lamplugh Trust, a quarter of consumers surveyed said they felt house viewing should be safer and almost three quarters feel it should be down to estate agents to make it safer.
Meanwhile, 29% of female estate agents surveyed by the charity said they have felt unsafe at a house viewing, which equates to one in three working in the role. The charity hope that Suzy’s Code for Personal Safety will help.
It says agents should implement a buddy system so colleagues always know each other’s whereabouts and contact details. This should include checking in and out when meeting arriving at and leaving the property, including out of normal office hours.
That they have a system in place for colleagues to raise the alarm back at the office in case of an emergency while working alone and have a clear procedure to follow if someone does not return or check in when they were expected.
It also says that where possible they should arrange for viewers to visit the office before meeting them at the property so that colleagues have also seen them and all staff should be offered a personal safety alarm and have discreet lone worker devices available.
It also suggests that before conducting a viewing they should find out who else will be present in the property such as a current tenant, contractors etc. when the visit is due to take place.
Finally, the code says agent should make sure all staff are aware of and have access to the personal safety measures available.
Suzy’s father Paul Lamplugh welcomed the code. ‘I very much hope that all estate agents will adopt it. I still miss Suzy enormously but at least her name is being used to benefit people and that’s wonderful,’ he said.
Andrew Hay, head of global residential at Knight Frank said the safety of staff and clients is taken very seriously. ‘Despite much improved technology since the tragic incident we have lone workers operating over many markets and strongly support the effort of the Trust to heighten awareness for the benefit of all,’ he pointed out.
‘As sponsors of this research by Suzy Lamplugh Trust we were delighted to help produce Suzy’s Code and we hope it will be taken up widely across the industry,’ he added.
Justin Marking, Savills head of global residential said his firm also regards personal safety as a top priority for staff and clients. ‘The Trust has turned a terrible tragedy into a tireless campaign to improve safeguarding in our industry and we hope this new code will set the personal safety standard for all UK estate agents,’ he explained.
‘It should also act as a guide for any home owner or landlord taking the decision to operate independently and conduct viewings alone,’ he added.
Mark Hayward, managing director of the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) said that the safety of everyone in the housing sector is hugely important, but especially those who are involved in viewing properties as part and parcel of their day to day jobs.
‘We welcome this research by Suzy Lamplugh Trust and join the Trust in calling upon all our members to sign up to Suzy’s Code,’ he added.
Estate agents and organisations signing up to the code are asked to email LiveLifeSafe@suzylamplugh.org
