A County Durham lettings agency and an estate agency with the same sole director have been expelled from TPO for flagrant breaches of the Code of Practice and non-payment of the Ombudsman's award.
A County Durham lettings agency, and an estate agency with the same sole director, have been expelled from The Property Ombudsman Scheme (TPO) for a minimum of two years.
Organisations with varied interests in the English lettings industry, including some of the UK's major lettings agents, have met at The House of Lords to discuss improving industry standards.
The event was organised by Lord Richard Best, chairman of the independent council overseeing The Property Ombudsman, following the completion of a report 'Regulating Residential Letting Agents: The Issues and Options' which TPO commissioned from leading academic Professor Michael Ball, of Reading University.
A Bedford lettings agency that kept more than £2,000 rent money due to a landlord has been expelled from The Property Ombudsman (TPO) scheme.
Town and Country Management Ltd (TCM), of 60, Harpur Street, Bedford, MK40 2QT, owned by Mr L La Mura and with an associate office in Ampthill, had been ordered by the Ombudsman, Christopher Hamer, to pay £2,243.52 to a landlord.
The Ombudsman's second Interim Report of 2012 is directed at the industry and specifically focuses on the commission-earning clauses used within estate agents' agency agreements.
Following The Property Ombudsman's renewed call for compulsory redress for letting agents in his Annual Report, his second Interim Report of 2012 is directed at the industry and specifically focuses on the commission-earning clauses used within estate agents' agency agreements.
'Proposed changes to the laws governing estate agency in Britain could see some homebuyers with no more protection than if they were buying a car in a private deal'.
The Ombudsman and TPO's Independent Council's full response to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) proposal to amend the Estate Agents Act 1979.
TPO Response to BIS Consultation to Amend the EAA 1979
A national event by estate agents to help the homeless has been launched with the help of the Ombudsman and the Chairman of the Board.
The Property Ombudsman, Christopher Hamer, and Bill McClintock, chairman of the company that operates the ombudsman scheme, borrowed a tandem from Hayball Cyclesport in Winchester Street, Salisbury, so they could show joint support for a 3,000 mile charity bike ride around Britain.
The Property Ombudsman Scheme (TPO) is canvassing member firms over the provision of Client Money Protection (CMP) insurance.
'Whilst membership of TPO requires all residential sales and letting agents to abide by the TPO Codes of Practice, have Professional Indemnity Insurance, and agents holding clients' money to deposit this money in a separate clients account, it does not currently require residential letting agents to hold CMP,' explains Bill McClintock, chairman of the TPO operating company who is circulating a consultation document to members.
Keeping adequate records can make all the difference whether or not an estate agent fails to counter a complaint made to The Property Ombudsman.
In his first Interim Report of 2012, the Ombudsman, Christopher Hamer, directs his attention to the industry and specifically focuses on how property transactions are recorded.
Lettings agents across the UK are continuing to show their support for The Property Ombudsman scheme (TPO), with more than 300 offices joining this year to take the total past 9,000.
'The Government continues to ignore pleas for residential letting agents to be regulated in the same way as sales agents, which we believe would raise standards across the industry,' says Gerry Fitzjohn, chief operating officer of TPO.
Letting agents, consumers and acceptable standards
Following another year which saw a further increase in letting complaints, The Property Ombudsman, Christopher Hamer, is renewing his call for standards to be raised across the lettings industry in his latest Annual Report.
Gerry Fitzjohn has become chief operating officer for the company running The Property Ombudsman Scheme with effect from January 1.
Fitzjohn became vice-chairman of the operating company in 2010, assisting chairman and chief operating officer Bill McClintock.
A party of 20 officials from the Chinese Government has called on the Property Ombudsman, Christopher Hamer, as part a fact-finding tour of the UK.
