The introduction of Home Information Packs will force estate agents to "raise their game", the online property service The Little House Company has claimed.

According to the firm, there is currently not enough regulation of the industry, particularly with regards to professionalism, with the Ombudsman Service having received 8,000 complaints concerning estate agents in the last year alone.

The biggest area of complaints were related to unfair contract terms included by some agents, often caused by poor training and a lack of professional values in some firms, according to Martin Charlick, managing director of the Little House Company.

"Failure to train and employ staff, instilling true professional values or even knowledge of the law, has lead to a culture of lying, scaremongering and 'commission is king' before everything and the customer be damned," he said.

He added, however: "The government appear to be happy to let the market self-regulate, so I think what you will actually see happening is the effect of market competition forcing agents to adapt and raise their game."

Earlier this week the Association of Home Information Pack Providers reported that the packs are being completed within 48 hours and praised the work of estate agents in helping their introduction run smoothly.