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Two rogue estate agencies expelled by The Property Ombudsman

Unrelated estate agencies in London are kicked out after failing to pay awards to landlords and tenants totalling nearly £9,000.

Nigel Lewis

rogue estate agencies

Two estate rogue estate agencies have been expelled from The Property Ombudsman (TPO) scheme after failing to pay awards due to their clients following separate investigations and both of which are now trading illegally.

The first concerns sales and lettings agency Chase & Co UK Ltd based in North London (pictured, above) which has been expelled from the TPO scheme after failing to pay an award of £8,319 to a landlord.

They successfully claimed that the agency had failed to pass on both rents and agreed refundable fees and was awarded the money plus £800 for the aggravation caused.

Chase & Co had also failed to inform the council that the tenant involved was exempt from paying council tax, an omission that cost the landlord £246, and had ignored the landlord’s requests for information and help about the tenancy.

Not only has Chase & Co not paid the TPO award but, it has also transpired, is not registered with a redress scheme nor is it a member of a Client Money Protection scheme.

Its business premises have now been replaced by a coffee shop and the company is also behind with its paperwork at Companies House and is facing being struck off the national register and dissolved. Its website is no longer available online and it has no up-to-date listings on any of the portals.

Tenant complaint

The second agency to be expelled by TPO is East London company Property 24/7, which has been told to pay a £500 award after tenants complained that it had failed to register their deposit with an approved protection scheme within 30 days, omitted to tell the landlord about their furniture and pre-tenancy repairs requirements and did not reply to their communications.

Like Chase & Co, TPO says Property 24/7 does not appear to be a member of a redress scheme or a Client Money Protection scheme. It is also behind in its Companies House accounts filing and the firm’s website is also no longer live online.

Read more about agents expelled by TPO.

September 19, 2019

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