Irish government officials met with consumer groups, and other organisations with a vested interest in the property market, yesterday, to discuss a dispute over the publication of house prices.

The meeting followed accusations that some estate agents were exaggerating sale prices to newspapers.

The Irish Auctioneers and Valuers Institute (IAVI) said the situation has arisen because current data protection laws only allow agents to publish the exact price of a home with the expressed consent of the seller and the buyer.

Yesterday, the Institute called on a change in the law so all prices can be listed on a national database. The organisation now plans to meet with the Data Protection Commissioner to resolve the dispute.

-- Advertisement --

IAVI President Edward Carey said he hoped to seek a quick resolution to the problem.

The matter, which was first raised by the Irish Times in April, over concerns of exaggerated sale prices being submitted for publication, was discussed at yesterday's Dublin meeting. Representation included the National Consumer Agency, the Law Society, the Society of Chartered Surveyors and officials from the Departments of Environment and Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

IAVI's Mr Carey said: "We are pleased that a consensus recognised the existence of data protection problems in the property sector."

"We have agreed that this issue goes beyond house prices and includes the freedom of comparable evidence for arbitrations, Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs), court cases and rent reviews," added Mr Carey.

It is expected the Institution will now seek a meeting with Irish Data Protection Commissioner Billy Hawkes. It is suggested that the IAVI will raise the case for a change to data regulations and discuss possible implications, which could arise from altering the law.

(PR/JM)