The IAVI has had another bad week following its newly-published analysis of the housing market. No sooner was the report published when officials of the organisation were running for cover because of objections to its findings by heavy hitters in the business.

Over the years the media paid little attention to the annual survey, carried out among members, simply because it was based on opinions rather than actual deals.

This year, however, the IAVI attempted to move to a more scientific level in the hope that the survey would get wider coverage on the all-important airwaves.

Naturally its claim that there are 40,000 empty apartments in Dublin got the headlines - but was it true? The findings were based on CSO figures which some agents are seriously questioning.

The officials compiling the figure for the CSO can declare a property empty if they got no response when they visit a property more than once.

But your typical apartment dweller is usually out on the town or simply not inclined to answer the door to strangers.

Mobile telephone contact would obviously be a much more reliable way of establishing if a property is occupied or not. Members were also dubious about some of the other findings in the survey and it might be that the IAVI -which outsourced the research - has to row back on some of the claims to retain the support of its most senior members.

No doubt the row will continue tomorrow when the IAVI holds its annual conference in the Royal Marine Hotel in Dún Laoghaire.

It may be time for an overall review of the organisation, whose members are going through one of the most turbulent markets on record.

One source suggests that there has been a rethink and that changes in the hierarchy will be revealed tomorrow.

Watch the 9 o'clock news for more.