Estate agents are often given a hard time by the media and the public and stereotyped as untrustworthy and overpaid, however, a new survey has shown that people in the profession are considered more trustworthy than the politicians who run the country.

Ipsos Mori’s latest Trust in Professions survey found that 24 per cent of people polled trusted estate agents to tell them the truth compared to just 18% for politicians generally.

Perhaps unsurprisingly given the recent scandal surrounding Chris Huhne, MPs in general were also considered less trustworthy than estate agents, while the Leveson Inquiry and the current economic climate were likely contributors to journalists’ and bankers’ trust ratings of 21% each.

While many people still have their doubts about estate agents, they are used in the vast majority of property transactions, meaning it is important to find one which you trust.

Using a reputable firm which is a member of regulated professional body, such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), means that they are bound by a strict ethical code and will have to meet a minimum level of competency.

If agents who are registered with RICS fail to meet the body’s rules of conduct they will be investigated and sanctioned as appropriate and in extreme cases they may even lose their chartership.

However, anyone using an unregulated estate agent could put themselves at risk.

Commenting on the situation late last year, Peter Bolton King, RICS global residential director, said: “Clearly, when people are making the biggest purchase of their lives, they want to know that they can trust their agent and the advice they’re given. People who are buying or selling a house should always check that their agent is a regulated member of a professional body, such as RICS, who abide by ethical codes.”