The Rules

Conditions of Agent Entry

1. ENTRY is open to all estate & letting agents in the British Isles with a single office or multiple offices more (there are also group categories for agencies with 2 or more offices).
2. Agency firms who wish to be considered for the 2021 Awards must have been trading on or before 31st January 2020.
3. Agency firms who wish to be considered for the 2021 Awards must sign up between 1st Jan 2020 and 31st Dec 2020.
4. New offices of agency firms must be open and trading on or before 1st October 2020 under the same brand name.
5. Online agents must prove they have national coverage to enter the National Online Agent category only – please contact us for more information.

Conditions for Agent Voting

1. For the Best Estate Agent category, all sellers & buyers who have completed on a sale during 2020 can vote (one vote per transaction).
2. For the Best Letting Agent (rated by landlords) all landlords who the agent worked for in 2020 can vote (one survey per property portfolio).
3. For the Best Letting Agent (rated by tenants) all tenants who have rented for a minimum 2 month period in 2020 can vote.
4. New property developers should complete only ONE seller survey rating the agent’s service across all the properties sold in 2020.
5. Sellers and buyers of properties sold at auction may complete a survey.
6. Surveys are CONFIDENTIAL and therefore must be completed by the client NOT by the agent on their behalf.
7. Clients must not be influenced by the agent before or whilst completing the survey.
8. Surveys may NOT be completed over the phone by agents on behalf of clients.
9. Agent devices (computers, tablets or phones) CANNOT be used to submit a survey by a client.
10. Members of staff AND ex-staff of an agency may not complete a survey as sellers, buyers, landlords or a tenant of their own agency or another branch of that agency.
11. Any family member or relative of agency staff (including spouse/partner) are not allowed to complete a survey on behalf of the agency that the relative works for.
12. New members of staff (who have accepted a position at the agency but not yet started) who are a client of the agency may NOT complete a survey.
13. Surveys completed without valid contact details will be deleted.
14. Agents may offer their own incentive to clients to complete the survey.
15. HOWEVER, the incentive cannot be related to the score to be given by the client.
16. Agents must not influence the client in anyway on how their service is rated ie. they should not ask the client to give them an ‘amazing’ or ‘excellent’ rating. If we are informed by clients that an agent is asking for or offering an incentive for ‘excellent’ or 'amazing' ratings that agent will be disqualified.
17. Surveys must be completed and received by 12 midnight on 31st January 2021.

Agent Scoring

1. Agents taking part in the SALES (rated by Sellers and Buyers) category must have a minimum of 15 surveys completed to be eligible for the shortlisted stage of the competition.
2. Agents taking part in the LETTINGS (rated by Landlords) category must have a minimum of 15 surveys completed to be eligible for the shortlisted stage of the competition.
3. Agents taking part in the LETTINGS (rated by Tenants) category must have a minimum of 15 surveys completed to be eligible for the shortlisted stage of the competition.
4. Scores for each office are based on an average score basis. Final scores are weighted according to the number of surveys completed.Score for the Best Local Chain category (2-5 offices), minimum entry 2 high street offices, is based on final scores from the top 2 offices.
5. Score for the Best Regional Chain category (6-20 offices), minimum entry 6 high street offices, is based on the final score from the top 6 offices.
6. Score for the Best National Chain category (21+ offices), minimum entry 21 high street offices, is based on the final score from the top 21 offices. 

The ESTAS Group Ltd reserve the right to disqualify any agent who does not abide by the above rules.

Conditions of Mortgage Adviser Entry

1. All independent mortgage advisers & mortgage broker firms in the UK can enter.
2. Advisers and broker firms who wish to be considered for the 2021 awards must have been trading on or before 31st January 2020.
3. Advisers and broker firms who wish to be considered for the 2021 awards must sign up between 1st Jan 2020 and 31st Dec 2020.
4. Firms operating in a specific geographical area can enter the Regional Mortgage Adviser Category.
5. Firms operating nationally can enter the National Mortgage Adviser Category.
6. Conditions for Adviser Voting
7. Only clients you have completed a successful mortgage application for in 2020 may complete a survey.
8. Clients may only vote once by completing the online survey.
9. Members of staff AND ex-staff of an adviser/broker may not complete a survey for the same adviser/broker.
10. New members of staff (who have accepted a position at the adviser/broker but not yet started) who are a client of the adviser/broker may NOT complete a survey.
11. Immediate relatives of adviser/broker staff (spouse, partner, parents or children) are not allowed to complete the survey on behalf of the adviser/broker that the relative works for.

Conditions for Completing Adviser Surveys

1. Surveys must be completed and received by midnight on 31st January 2021.
2. Surveys are CONFIDENTIAL and therefore must be completed by the client NOT by the adviser/broker on their behalf.
3. Clients must not be influenced by the adviser/broker while completing their survey.
4. Surveys may not be completed over the phone by adviser/brokers on behalf of clients.
5. Advisers/brokers devices (computers, tablets or phones) CANNOT be used to submit a survey by a client.
6. Surveys completed without valid contact details may be deleted.

Adviser/Broker Scoring

1. Regional Adviser/Broker firms taking part must have a minimum of 15 surveys completed by clients.
2. National Adviser/Broker firms taking part must have a minimum of 50 surveys completed by clients.
3. The FINAL SCORE for each adviser/broker will be calculated by taking the Average % Score and weighting this by the % Bonus achieved – determined by the total votes received.

The ESTAS Group Ltd reserve the right to disqualify any adviser/broker who does not abide by the above rules.

1. Only suppliers who’s core business is working for the residential property industry may enter the competition.
2. Suppliers must have been trading on or before 31st January 2020.
3. Only Agency clients who have worked with the supplier for a minimum of 2 months in 2020 can vote.
4. Agency clients may only vote once (One vote per agency branch).
5. Surveys must be completed by midnight on 31st January 2021.
6. Suppliers must receive a minimum of 50 surveys completed to be eligible for the shortlist phase.
7. Telephone votes are not permitted.
8. Supplier devices (computers, tablets or phones) CANNOT be used to submit a survey by a client.
9. Members of staff from a supplier firm taking part in the competition, who use the same supplier services, cannot vote.
10. A vote audit will take place after voting has closed.
11. During the vote audit spot checks on voters will be made. If contact details are not valid a firm may be disqualified.
12. The ESTAS Group Ltd reserve the right to disqualify any supplier who does not abide by the above rules.

4th Annual ESTAS Conveyancer Awards Friday 16th October 2020

1. Entries close 31st May 2020 
2. Voting closes 31st August 2020
3. Shortlist published from 1st September 2020

Conditions of Entry

1. All conveyancing firms in the UK can enter.
2. Firms who wish to enter must have been trading on or before 1st January 2019.
3. Firms/branches operating in a specific geographical area can enter the Regional Conveyancer Category.
4. Firms with 2 to 5 branches can choose to enter the Best Local Group (min. entry 2 branches)
5. Firms with 6 to 20 branches can choose to enter the Best Regional Group (min. entry 6 branches)
6. Firms who offer a national service can enter the National Conveyancer Category.

Conditions for Voting

1. All clients you have completed the conveyancing for a residential sale, purchase, remortgage or equity release from 1st September 2019 up to 31st August 2020 are eligible to rate you. 
2. Clients may only vote once for each completion by submitting our online survey.
3. Members of staff AND ex staff may not complete a survey for the same firm.
4. New members of staff (who have accepted a position at the firm but not yet started) who are a client of the firm may NOT complete a survey.
5. Immediate relatives of staff (spouse, partner, parents or children) are not allowed to complete the survey of behalf of the firm that the relative works for.

Conditions for Completing Questionnaires

1. Surveys must be completed by 31st August 2020 by 12 noon. 
2. Surveys are CONFIDENTIAL and therefore must be completed by the client NOT by a staff member at the conveyancing firm on their behalf.
3. Clients must not be influenced by the conveyancing firm while completing the survey.
4. Surveys may not be completed over the phone by staff on behalf of clients.
5. Surveys cannot be completed by clients in branch (our voting system tracks IP addresses).
6. Surveys completed without valid contact details may be deleted.

Scoring

1. Local/regional firms taking part must have a minimum of 15 surveys completed by clients for each branch taking part. 
2. National firms taking part must have a minimum of 100 surveys completed by clients.
3. The FINAL SCORE for each firm will be calculated by taking the Average % Score and weighting this by the % Bonus achieved – determined by the total votes received.
4. The ESTAS Group Ltd reserve the right to disqualify any conveyancer who does not abide by the above rules.

Rules for Conveyancer Suppliers

1. Only suppliers who’s core business is working for the conveyancing industry may enter the competition.
2. Suppliers must have been trading on or before 31st November 2019.
3. Only clients who have worked with the supplier for a minimum of 2 months during the voting period can vote.
4. Clients may only vote once (One vote per branch).
5. Surveys must be completed by 12 noon on 31st August 2020.
6. Suppliers must receive a minimum of 50 surveys completed to be eligible for the shortlist phase.
7. Telephone votes are not permitted.
8. Supplier devices (computers, tablets or phones) CANNOT be used to submit a survey by a client.
9. Members of staff from a supplier firm taking part in the competition, who use the same supplier services, cannot vote.
10. A vote audit will take place after voting has closed.
11. During the vote audit spot checks on voters will be made. If contact details are not valid a firm may be disqualified.
12. The ESTAS Group Ltd reserve the right to disqualify any supplier who does not abide by the above rules.

The vote audit process will apply to agents, suppliers, advisers & conveyancers as follows:-

1. Each firm taking part must inform us of any duplicate votes or rogue votes (names that are not recognisable as one of your clients). 
2. Random auditing will take place throughout the competition and during August 2020.
3. Any votes without a valid phone number may be deleted.
4. If phone numbers are unobtainable or related to the firm in question you may be disqualified.
5. Company devices (computers, tablets or phones) CANNOT be used to submit a survey by a client.

The score formula for agents, suppliers, advisers & conveyancers will be as follows:-

• The FINAL SCORE for each firm will be calculated by taking the Average % Score and weighting this by the % Bonus achieved – determined by the total votes received. A % bonus will be added for every vote completed over the minimum votes required for a particular category. 
• The Average % Score is the score which can be viewed by each firm on their secure login area via our website. This score is calculated from the ratings each client gives when completing the survey. The % Bonus is added after the vote audit period and this will determine the FINAL SCORE for each firm. 
• NB. If you are unable to attend the awards ceremony this will NOT impact on the results, however if you do win an award and are not at the ceremony to collect your trophy an administration charge of £299 + vat (per trophy) will apply to obtain your award/trophy and the winners marketing pack. 

The ESTAS Group Ltd reserve the right to disqualify any agent/mortgage adviser/conveyancer/supplier who does not abide by the above rules.