Created by buying agents, for buying agents, and the buyers who need them.
A new alliance launches today aiming to bring together some of the UK’s most respected independent buying agents to help promote independence, experience, and integrity in property search and acquisition, and to improve accessibility for consumers to independent buying agents and the services they provide.
The Alliance of Independent Buying Agents (AIBA) has been created by experienced buying agents Jason Corbett, Louise Crichton, Victoria Robinson and Lucy Winfield. They share the belief that the wider use of independent buying agents would help improve the outcomes for many buyers in an increasingly challenging, fragmented and digitised property market. Together they agreed the best way to help inform, empower and build confidence in buyers looking for expert help is to form a new type of alliance of independent buying agents; one where the expertise, integrity and independence of each member is upheld not through marketing claims or financial incentive, but through the mutual respect and recognition of their buying agent peers in this specialised sector.
To achieve this, at the heart of AIBA is the Peer-Reviewed / Peer-Respected membership principle. Unlike traditional directories or referral networks, membership of AIBA is by invitation only and cannot be bought. To become an AIBA member, a buying agent must first be proposed and then seconded by two existing members, then complete an application process before a Peer Review of their proposed membership by a panel of existing members. Invited applicants must have a proven number of years’ experience as a buying agent, must have current membership of a recognised property redress scheme and must comply with other requirements of legislative compliance and best practice.
In an industry where anyone can currently describe themselves as a buying agent, regardless of experience or accountability, AIBA is here to make a positive and proactive contribution to changing that narrative with its membership of exclusively independent, experienced buying agents, all with proven track records and all dedicated to delivering the highest standards of service provision and client care with integrity and professionalism.
Buyers can therefore engage with AIBA buying agents with the knowledge and confidence that AIBA membership is based on a buying agent’s individual merit, experience and independence, and, crucially, on the recognition and respect of their buying-agent peers.
AIBA operates independently and is currently funded only by a modest annual membership fee to cover website maintenance costs. There are no referral fees, commissions for introductions or commercial incentives influencing recommendations. AIBA launches today with a core group of initial members, and the network is expected to grow organically as existing members introduce like-minded, experienced buying agents over time.
Co-founder Jason Corbett of Rowallan Buying Agents comments on behalf of the AIBA founders: “The idea behind AIBA was simple: to bring together respected, experienced buying agents who are prepared to hold both themselves and one another to the highest standards. Our objective is not to create the largest network, but the most trusted one, and to provide easier access for consumers into that pool of expertise.”
