Almost 12,000 estate agencies have signed up to the Ombudsman for Estate Agents (OEA) scheme, the organisation has reported.

This represents a doubling of its membership from 2005, when it stood at 5,022, to 11,816 today, with the OAE putting the increase down to legislation requiring agents to have some form of redress scheme in replace after the introduction of home information packs and the National Association of Estate Agents decision to compel most of its members to join.

Christopher Hamer, the current ombudsman, said that there had been an increase in complaints recently but pointed out "membership has risen much more quickly than complaints".

However, agents in Northern Ireland will be able to rejoice after no complaints about their conduct were filed in the last three months.

Unfortunately, agents in the south-west did not perform so well, with 22 per cent of the complaints received coming from the region.

According to the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Act is expected to come into force in April 2008, giving consumers the opportunity to air their complaints about the treatment they receive from estate agents when buying a home.