No More Waffle - Podcast

Hosted by No More Waffle - Property Podcast

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Dec 2025

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About the show

No More Waffle is the podcast that cuts the fluff and tells the truth about the property industry. Hosted by Ben Madden, each week we dive into the real conversations agents avoid, from why the public doesn’t trust estate agents, to the impact of acquisitions, training, AI, and service standards on buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants. If you work in the property sector, or if you’re a consumer who just wants to understand how estate agency really works, this is for you. Raw, honest, and occasionally brutal, but always with the goal of making the industry better. 🎙️ New episodes every wee

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60 recent

December 27, 202533 min

Why Moving Takes So Long (And How To Speed It Up)

In the final part of our three-episode run with Angi Cooney, we tackle the question every mover secretly wants answered: why does it take so long to buy or sell a home, and can it actually be faster? Angi and Ben dig into slow timelines, broken systems, political apathy, and why nobody seems brave enough to simplify a process that should be so much easier for the people living through it.In this episode:The one change Angi would make tomorrow to transform the moving experienceWhy shorter timelines, clearer updates, and smarter tech would help everyoneWhat went wrong with HIPs, and why the idea wasn’t actually the problemPoliticians, housing ministers and “God syndrome” decision-makingHow overvaluing, six-month contracts and self-serving models slow everything downWhy the industry needs real experts at the table if anything is ever going to changeGuest:Angi Cooney - lifelong estate agent, high-calibre operator, and host of the podcast Now What?, exploring life’s big “what next?” moments. #NoMoreWaffle #EstateAgency#PropertyPodcast #HomeMoving #Conveyancing #HousingMarket #AngiCooney

December 18, 202535 min

When the Industry Serves Itself (Instead of You)”

In the second part of our three-episode run with Angi Cooney, we dig into what she believes is the property industry’sbiggest failure: it serves itself before it serves the people whoactually rely on it. From clunky conveyancing and faceless processes to referral fees and dodgy communication, Angi and Ben explore how we ended up here, why it still hasn’t changed, and what “being the parent, not the pal” looks like in agency and conveyancing.In this episode:Why so much of the industry is built around fees and referrals, not clientsHow conveyancing became slower after computers and email arrivedThe hidden damage done by layers of process, poor updates and zero transparencyParenting, boundaries and property: why great service is basically good parenting for adultsThe truth about referral fees, and the question every seller should ask their agentRealistic advice on choosing a conveyancer (and why “local, reachable, and human” still matters)Guest:Angi Cooney - lifelong estate agent, high-calibre operator, and host of the podcast Now What?, exploring life’s big “what next?” moments. #NoMoreWaffle #EstateAgency#PropertyPodcast #Conveyancing #HomeMoving #CustomerFirst #AngiCooney

December 11, 202534 min

Estate Agency: It Was Never About the Houses

In the first of a three-part run with Angi Cooney, Ben sits down with a lifelong agent who says the quiet part out loud: estate agency is not about property, prices or portals, it’s about people. From vision boards and “pointing north” to why only a small percentage of agents truly get this, Angi and Ben unpack what great agency really looks like when the client is the hero of the story. In this episode:Why most of the industry still behaves like it’s all about transactions and feesThe simple truth: without clients, you don’t have a businessHow “care” sits at the centre of Angi’s whole approach to agencyThe danger of promoting great valuers into terrible managersSelf-employed agents, corporates and independents - why the model matters less than the mindsetPractical advice for movers: how to actually choose one of the 5% of agents who put people firstGuest:Angi Cooney - lifelong estate agent, high-calibre operator, and host of the new podcast Now What?, exploring life’s big “what next?” moments. #NoMoreWaffle #EstateAgency#PropertyPodcast #AngiCooney #MovingHome #CustomerFirst #PeopleNotProperty

November 20, 202531 min

Why the Housing System’s Broken (and How to Fix It)

In the final part of our three-episode run with Matt Baldock, we tackle one of the property industry’s biggest frustrations, the painfully slow sales process.From outdated data to never-ending conveyancing, Matt and Ben break down why the system keeps failing the people who rely on it, and what needs to change to make moving home faster, fairer and far less stressful.In this episode:Why slow conveyancing kills deals and confidence.The case for faster data and full transparency on prices.What England can learn from how Scotland sells homes.Can AI and digitalisation finally fix conveyancing?How rental reform could reshape lettings, and why agents must adapt.Guest:Matt Baldock - estate agency leader, mentor and long-time champion of people-first property.

November 14, 202531 min

Why Overvaluing Hurts Everyone

In this second episode with Matt Baldock, we dig into one of the property industry’s biggest failings - overvaluing. From unrealistic pricing to pressure-driven targets, Matt explains how chasing numbers over people can cause chaos for buyers, sellers and agents alike, and what needs to change to fix it. In this episode: Why overpricing property damages real lives, not just sales figures.How short-term targets and incentives fuel bad behaviour.The case for honest advice and transparent communication.Could 28-day contracts stop chronic overvaluing?Why positive leadership and shared standards matter more than regulation. Guest:Matt Baldock - estate agency leader, mentor and long-time champion ofpeople-first property.

November 6, 202531 min

It’s Not About Property, It’s About People

Estate agency veteran Matt Baldock joins Ben to kick off a three-part run by challenging one of the biggest myths in the industry: that this business is about property. It’s not, it’s about people. Matt shares 24 years of perspective on why empathy, honesty and integrity matter more than square footage, and how emotions, training and trust define the client experience. In this episode: Why great agents focus on people, notproperty.The power of empathy, integrity and straighttalking.How weak training and poor communication damagetrust.The blurred line between working for buyers vs sellers.What questions every seller should ask before choosing an agent.Guest:Matt Baldock - estate agency leader, mentor and long-time champion of people-first property.

November 6, 202528 min

If Agents Didn’t Earn Commission, Would the Public Finally Trust Them?

In this fiery final episode with Rowan Waller, Ben Madden tackles one of the most uncomfortable questions in UKestate agency: what if agents weren’t paid like businesses at all? Rowan suggests that the industry’s biggest conflicts of interest come from its commercial nature, the constant pressure to list, sell, and profit, often at the consumer’s expense. Together they unpack how over-valuing, long contracts,and conditional selling all stem from agents chasing targets rather than serving clients. It’s a rare, honest look at how commercial realities shapebehaviour, pricing, and trust.The pair debate whether removing long-term contracts or even separating valuations from marketing could finally restore transparency and rebuild public confidence in estate agency. From Purplebricks’ flawed upfront model to Scotland’s more regulated system, they explore what would really happen if agents had to tell the truth about pricing, and risklosing clients within a week. Unfiltered, thoughtful, and properly provocative,this episode is essential listening for anyone serious about raising standards in the property industry.

October 30, 202523 min

Licensing Estate Agents Won’t Fix the Problem, Here’s What Will

In this explosive episode of No More Waffle, Ben Madden is joined again by Rowan Waller (The Property Pen) to tackle one of the most divisive topics in the UK property industry - regulation. With talk of ROPA (Regulation of Property Agents)resurfacing again, Rowan argues that it’s a red herring: estate agents are already regulated by law, and the real issue isn’t the lack of rules, but the lack of enforcement. Together, they explore whether new licensing schemes would genuinely raise standards, or simply raise fees, create bureaucracy, and line the pockets of those who profit from the system.The conversation digs deep into what “professionalism” actually means in property, why public perception lagsbehind, and how true change starts with agents taking ownership of their standards, not waiting for regulation to force their hand. Expect blunt honesty, sharp humour, and plenty of uncomfortable truths as Ben and Rowan unpack whether ROPA would clean up the industry or just add another tax todoing business. A must-listen for agents who’ve ever rolled their eyes at the word “licensing.”

October 23, 202537 min

The Hidden Job of Estate Agents That No One Talks About

In this episode of No More Waffle, Ben Madden sits down with Rowan Waller, also known as The Property Pen, a former estate agent turned property copywriter with 20 years’ experience in the industry. Rowan brings a completely fresh perspective to one of the property world’s biggest identity crises: what exactly is anestate agent? Are they marketers, salespeople, or project managers helpingpeople move from A to B? Together, Ben and Rowan challenge the industry’s obsession with marketing, portals, and pricing, and reveal why so many agents and consumers misunderstand what great agency really looks like.From the myth that Rightmove “sells houses” to the growing trend of agents becoming content creators, this episode explores the blurred lines between advertising, service, and sales in modern estate agency. Rowan explains why the true value of a good agent isn’t in glossy photos or fancy videos, it’s in managing the process, the people, and the pressure points that come with moving home. A sharp, honest conversation for anyone in property who’s ever asked: what’s our job really about?

October 16, 202539 min

The Truth About Low Fees, High Service and What Consumers Deserve

In the third and final part of her No More Waffle series, Jackie Quinn, owner of Jackie Quinn Estates & Lettings in Surrey, and Regional Executive for Propertymark, joins Ben Madden to talk about transparency, trust and value in estate agency. Jackie argues that consumers still don’t understand what agents actually do, and that better communication, clearer education and more honest conversations are the key to fixing the industry’s reputation. From how her team manages clien WhatsApp groups to why she believes face-to-face contact still matters, this episode lifts the lid on how great service really works.The discussion digs into the commercial realities too: why so many agents race to the bottom on fees, how that impactsservice standards, and what needs to change if the industry wants to rebuild consumer confidence. Ben and Jackie explore whether the public simply “gets theagent it deserves”, why the best agents must learn to justify their value, and how professionalism, regulation and transparency could finally shiftperceptions. Straight-talking, practical and packed with experience, this episode is a blueprint for doing estate agency properly.