THE Malaysian Institute of Estate Agents (MIEA) has certified the first batch of 230 negotiators during a recent exercise in Kuala Lumpur. The move, a milestone for MIEA, is primarily to separate the illegal agents from those working with registered estate agents and raise the standard of the profession.

Those certified by MIEA are given the designation certified real estate negotiator (CREN) and are allowed to use the initials ''CREN'' after their name.

Besides a certificate, certified real estate negotiators are given an identity card, bearing their name, agency they are currently attached to and their registration number. As an initial visible recognition, they are clearly identified by wearing a well-designed badge bearing the initials, ''CREN'' and the logo of the MIEA.

MIEA president Khatijah Abdullah urged the public to use the services of these certified real estate negotiators as they had attained the necessary expertise and skills for the job.

''We are currently embarking on an exercise to certify real estate negotiators and will continue to publicise this exercise nationwide. We are going down to Johor and Penang,'' she told StarBiz.

Khatijah Abdullah.

She said the aim of the exercise was to raise the standards of practice of negotiators in estate agency, as currently there were no standardised criteria for recruitment of negotiators, no structured training and no career path.

''With this certification, MIEA aims to address the long standing issue of non-conforming practices by certain negotiators. Eventually, registered agencies will only employ certified negotiators, and these will be people who would have gone through a basic training. We want them to be our model group. We don't want them to talk rudely to people or wear slippers and shorts when they meet clients,'' Khatijah said.

She said the first batch of people who were certified came from all walks of life, including graduates, retirees as well as professionals like lawyers and bankers.

Khatijah said there was a six-month ''window'' period till June 30 whereby negotiators with a minimum two years of working experience with a registered real estate agency could receive their certification without having to undergo a compulsory two-day basic negotiators course. They will still have to go for an interview.

Those who register after June 30 will have to attend the course. The fee is RM350 per MIEA affiliate and RM390 for non-members.

Khatijah advised all registered real estate agencies to encourage their negotiators to be certified.

Source : The Star  14/02/2005