The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) has announced it will be issuing guidelines for members who wish to sign up to the Association of Residential Letting Agents (Arla) in the near future.

Some firms are already registered with both groups but following the merger of the two organisations in July, the NAEA said it would contact all of its members to inform them of how their membership will be affected and unveiled details of future plans.

"A new accredited firm scheme will be developed for both NAEA and Arla members over the next few months," the organisation said, promising it would keep members fully updated on its progress.

It caps a year of changes at the NAEA, following its decision to form part of the National Federation of Property Professionals alongside Arla from July this year, with both organisations expressing the hope that they would be able to take a more "confident and dynamic role" in the property sector by joining together.

In August, the NAEA also announced that it had absorbed the Federation of Overseas Property Developers, Agents and Consultants into its operations.