What exactly is the AIPP?

Last updated on October 28th, 2019 at 04:09 pm.

Ábaco is a member of AIPP. In this article we explain a little  more about this organisation and why membership can provide added assurance surrounding the services we offer.

When buying a house in Spain you want to be sure that you are given the correct advice and support. You want the estate agents and solicitors that you deal with to be trustworthy, reliable and who they say they are.

For many of us that means turning to people who have already used a service. By recommendation is one of the main ways in which we choose professionals. However, if you are buying a property in another country you may not know anyone to recommend such a service. Even if you do, you might want some other proof that the people you contract to work on your behalf are reputable. That’s where quality marks and assurance come in.

The AIPP is the Association of International Property Professionals. They are not estate agents but an organization that is there to help people buy abroad safely. They have developed a code of conduct which property sellers and associated companies sign up to. If they become aware that one of their members has breached their code of conduct they will, if necessary, take disciplinary proceedings that can lead to expulsion from the group.

They are a non profit-making organization whose objective is ‘to improve the standards of professionalism in the international property market, helping both the industry and the public.’

The code of conduct

Their code of conduct is divided into seven sections; general, marketing & sales, legal, relations with AIPP, training, dispute resolution and applicability. There isn’t room in this article to include all the items on the code and if you are interested you can view it on the website. However, the general section contains some interesting points about what to expect from your solicitor if you are a buyer.

General

1. Members shall adhere to the highest standards of honesty and professional integrity both in their dealings with the public and in their dealings with each other.
2. Members shall conduct their affairs with integrity and dignity.
3. Members shall, in particular, refrain from misleading statements and exaggerated claims in their dealings with sellers, buyers and potential buyers.
4. Members shall take all possible steps to avoid conflicts of interests and shall decline to deal with any transaction where such conflicts arise.

Applying for membership

In order to apply for membership, companies are checked for how long they have been trading and whether they have adequate professional indemnity insurance. They are required to provide contact details for an independent third party such as an accountant, legal adviser or bank manager. This referee must have dealt with the company in a professional capacity for at least 12 months.

The AIPP monitor those who have signed up with them and carry out regular checks.

Ábaco’s membership

Ábaco considers that being part of AIPP is a way in which its English-speaking clients can feel doubly assured and confident in its services. As a company that has been in operation since 1999 and has affiliates and links across many local businesses, professionals and legal entities, we feel that we can provide many assurances of our trustworthines.

Our staff at Ábaco have their own range of professional qualifications. These include the Colegio de Abagados de Orihuela and Colegio de Economistas de Alicante and Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores.But we know that clients and potential clients may not be familiar with these awarding bodies. With AIPP membership this provides additional reassurance to people who perhaps have not come across us before and are anxious about buying a property abroad.

Being part of a group such as AIPP does not mean that those looking for representation should not still apply other methods of making decisions. The best way to find an organisation you can trust is still to seek recommendation from someone who’s used them and cross-reference this with other information you can find out about them. However, we do believe that AIPP membership is a welcome seal of approval.

Association of International Property Professionals