Lettings agents expelled from The Property Ombudsman scheme - including one in Stockport

Several lettings agents have been expelled from The Property Ombudsman scheme - including one in Stockport.

Eight lettings agents have been kicked out of The Property Ombudsman scheme in the first quarter of 2023, including a well known lettings agency in Stockport.

Once an agent has been barred from being a member of The Property Ombudsman, it also notifies the Property Redress Scheme, resulting in agents being unable to apply to the scheme, effectively leading to the lettings agencies being unable to trade legally.

The agencies include Doorsteps.co.uk, Surrenden Invest, Clarendon, Flatfocus Management, DA Investments, Empire Estates UK and House Estate Agents based in Stockport.

Stockport based House Estate Agents had five complaints raised against them including failing to transfer rent promptly, failing to transfer the tenant’s deposit to a custodial account as directed by the landlord, failing to transfer referencing checks to the new agent, invoicing for maintenance works that were still incomplete, and failing to return keys held as requested. The Property Ombudsman made an award totalling £1,000, and noted that the agent is no longer trading.

Other complaints made to The Property Ombudsman included a failure to return a refundable deposit paid for a conveyancing, failure to return a reservation fee of £2,500 a failure to transfer the tenant's rental payments to the landlord for five months and discrepancies in an agent's financial accounting and reporting.

At LettingsONE, we are proud to have attained several industry accreditations which help us ensure that our service is the best it can possibly be. As well as belonging to The property Ombudsman, we are members of ARLA Propertymark which means we meet higher industry standards than the law demands and strictly adhere to their regulations. In addition, we hold full Client Money Protection through Propertymark. We believe that Client Money Protection is fundamental for tenants and landlords, ensuring that their money is protected at all times.

If you are looking for a reputable lettings agent that you can trust, please contact us on 0161 511 5339 or complete our contact form for a free, no obligation chat about our lettings and property management services and how we can help you with your lettings strategy.