Propertymark has announced that Stage 2 of its LGBTQ+ inclusion research within the residential sales and lettings industry is in development and will be launched over the next few months.
Working once more with the team at the University of Surrey, Propertymark hopes to draw from the experiences of agents who both identify as LGBTQ+ and those who do not, to identify levels of inclusivity within the sector.
The industry body says the primary goals of the project are to:
+ Document the experiences, concerns, and needs of lettings and sales agents regarding LGBTQ+ inclusivity in the property sector.
+ Understand what staff regard as barriers to LGBTQ+ inclusion in the property sector.
+ Understand what staff regard as examples of good practice with respect to LGBTQ+ inclusion in the property sector.
+ Highlight what changes staff think should take place to create greater LGBTQ+ inclusion in the property sector.
Professor Andrew King, who has previously undertaken extensive research and impact projects related to LGBTQ+ inclusivity in social housing, said: “It is great that Propertymark has commissioned this research. We are looking forward to working with them to better understand inclusivity within the sector and where necessary find ways to create meaningful and long-lasting change.”
Nathan Emerson, CEO of Propertymark, added: “At Propertymark, we are focused on ensuring that the industry is inclusive and supportive of agents and customers from across society. This project will help shed light on LGBTQ+ inclusivity, an area that has received little research focus, and should generate insights that will enable improved practices across the sector.”
