The Property Ombudsman (TPO) is on track to expel more members this year than in 2016 after three agents were expelled in one go yesterday.

Last year TPO kicked out nine agents but six have already been expelled this year following the latest expulsions, with just six months of the year gone.

The three agents are Shields & Co in Nottingham, LPC Lettings Ltd in Liverpool and Blackhorse Property Management Ltd in Bradford (all pictured).

Two were expelled after failing to pay awards totalling £11,000 to landlords following complaints to the ombudsman that were subsequently upheld.

TPO members are required to comply with any award or direction given by the Ombudsman and accepted by the complainants.

“It is important to point out that cases like these are extremely rare and concern the actions of a small minority of agents,” says TPO Chairman Jerry Fitzjohn.

“Taking into account the vast number of sales and lettings transactions that take place every year, only a small percentage of consumers contact TPO to complain about their agent, and our recent Annual Report reveals an even smaller number are referred to our Disciplinary & Standards Committee.”

Shields & Co had failed to pay a landlord rents totalling £2,657 owed on four separate properties, plus an award of £500 for the aggravation caused.

In a similar case, LPC Lettings did not pass on rents of £5,967, or pay an award given by TPO of £600 for the aggravation cause.

TPO says both cases highlight the need for agents to keep clients’ cash in a separate account and to transfer money promptly.

But while TPO expelled these two companies from its lettings redress scheme for two years, Blackhorse Property Management has been expelled from both its sales and letting redress schemes for three years after failing to obtain references for a tenant in one case and for various transgressions of TPO guidelines over one sale – including a lack of contractual transparency, lost viewings and poor complaints handling.

“I would have expected Blackhorse Property Management to have obtained proof of the tenant’s identity and proof of address, to have verified the tenant’s ability to afford the rent through income from employment and/or benefit entitlements, and to have sought a reference from her existing landlord,” says Property Ombudsman Katrine Sporle.