Though a mention of ‘security’ usually calls locks and alarms to letting agents’ minds, it is computers which demand their attention as a wave of online cyber-criminals target the property industry. A majority of letting agents are self-employed, run their own small company and may own and rent out properties as a supplementary income.
Property Redress Scheme's Head of Redress, Sean Hooker, tackles the issue of widespread property industry acronyms. From DPS to NFOPP, Hooker argues the case for a return to simplistic brand names as seen by ARLA and the NAEA's recent rebrand as Propertymark.
The Government is currently undertaking a consultation on the offences that either a landlord or letting agent has committed that could result in the First Tier Tribunal issuing a banning order.
Rumble with the Agents is returning. It’s been 3 years since PRS Advisory Council member, Paul Shamplina, founded the biggest white collar boxing event in the property industry. Now a firm date in every local property professional’s calendar - this year promises to be the best yet.
Whilst the letting agent fee ban is unlikely to come into play until 2018, there is a great uncertainty of the knock-on effects it will have on the private rented sector.
Here at the Property Redress Scheme, we're looking for your thoughts on what might happen.
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Chancellor Philip Hammond has announced a ban on letting agent fees in England in his first Autumn Statement. A similar ban has been in force in Scotland since 2012, however, today’s announcement will not cover agents in Wales. Since last August, it has been compulsory for letting agents in England and Wales to display their fees.
During Landlord Action’s 16 years of trading, we have had the misfortune of dealing with a number of rogue letting agents. The most common scam is taking tenants’ deposits and rent that belongs to landlords and then shutting up shop, with no money protection in place. Having experienced the devastating effects it can have on the victims, I have always made it my mission to expose this problem.
Sometimes the “bleeding obvious” is not as clear as it should be and it is only in hindsight that people say “I can’t believe that this wasn’t done before”. I am convinced that this will be the case when, fingers crossed, mandatory Client Money Protection (CMP) is introduced.
