Shadow housing minister Grant Shapps met the National Association of Estate Agents' Peter Bolton King and Gary Smith and told them... yes, we'll ditch the HIP; no, we won't make the licensing of estate agents compulsory under current circumstances; should those circumstances change we'll consider only a "light touch" approach. The big question... after they'd shaken hands with Shapps, said goodbye and left the building, did King and Smith high five? Who knows... but when will Shapps learn about negotiating with estate agents? More here.

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