Latest TPO updates:

Conference Webinar - 18 June 2020

Published on Tuesday, 09 June 2020. Posted in Media Articles

conferencewebinarnews

FREE TO JOIN * We are pleased to welcome Katrine Sporle, Property Ombudsman and Jane Erskine, Deputy Ombudsman who will present a slimmed down version of TPO’s national conference that was due to take place in Birmingham this year.

Deliberating Deposit Replacement

Published on Monday, 11 May 2020. Posted in Case Studies

A case that The Property Ombudsman was asked to review came from a tenant about the information she was given about the deposit replacement product (DRP) before the tenancy commenced; her attempt to change from the DRP to a regular deposit scheme and the agent’s handling of the same; as well as concerns about the arbitration process.

Badgered Buyers

Published on Monday, 11 May 2020. Posted in Case Studies

A case that The Property Ombudsman was asked to review came from buyers who stated that the agent had failed to provide them with all material information about the property, in this case failing to notify them of badger setts in the garden.

 

Basement Bother or Bonus?

Published on Monday, 11 May 2020. Posted in Case Studies

A case that The Property Ombudsman was asked to review came from a buyer who stated that the agent had failed to disclose that there was a basement beneath the property to which unauthorised alterations had been made by the sellers.

Incentivising Landlords or Letting Agents

Published on Monday, 11 May 2020. Posted in Case Studies

A case that The Property Ombudsman was asked to review came from landlords about the retention of a £2,500 landlord incentive payment paid by the Borough Council (BC).

Already well documented in the press, rising rents in the private rented sector combined with cuts to housing benefits following the introduction of Universal Credit, have made letting to councils a less attractive proposition for private landlords.

Stoke on Trent estate agent expelled from The Property Ombudsman owing a landlord nearly £5000

Published on Friday, 01 May 2020. Posted in Press Releases

Buyers, sellers, tenants and landlords in Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, are being warned that a local estate and letting agent, SSM2 Limited (formerly Samuel Makepeace Limited), at the time trading as Samuel Makepeace Bespoke Estate Agents, has been expelled from The Property Ombudsman (TPO) scheme for owing a buyer £5,000. The Property Ombudsman has been made aware that the trading name has since been purchased by another individual and would like to make it clear that this press release does not pertain to the legal entity Samuel Makepeace Milton Limited (t/a Samuel Makepeace Bespoke Estate Agents).

EIGHT AGENTS EXPELLED FROM THE PROPERTY OMBUDSMAN

Published on Thursday, 30 April 2020. Posted in Press Releases

Eight estate and letting agents have been expelled from membership of The Property Ombudsman (TPO) after failing to comply with parts of the TPO Codes of Practice*. All of the agents have ceased trading, five are in liquidation and all have been referred to Trading Standards.

Tonbridge estate agent expelled from The Property Ombudsman owing a tenant £1,400

Published on Thursday, 30 April 2020. Posted in Press Releases

Buyers, sellers, tenants and landlords in Tonbridge, Kent, are being warned that a local estate and letting agent, The Olive Branch Estate Limited (trading as The Olive Branch), has been expelled from The Property Ombudsman (TPO) scheme owing a tenant £1,400. This means that the agent can no longer legally trade until the outstanding award is paid, although appears to have ceased trading. 

Ilford estate agent expelled from The Property Ombudsman owing a landlord £2,830

Published on Thursday, 30 April 2020. Posted in Press Releases

Buyers, sellers, tenants and landlords in Barkingside, Ilford, are being warned that a local estate and letting agent, Residential Asset Management Limited (trading as RAM), has been expelled from The Property Ombudsman (TPO) scheme owing a tenant £2,830. This means that the agent can no longer legally trade until the outstanding award is paid.