A property management firm employee working in a sesaside town in East Sussex has won a £33,000 payout for unfair dismissal after ‘whistle-blowing’ at work.

Miss S Lopez, who worked for two companies operating within the East Sussex property market including in Bexhill-on-Sea, has won the payout after taking her former employers to an Employment Tribunal.

The judge backed Lopez’s claims of unfair dismissal after she made a ‘protected disclosure’ at work – official speak for whistle blowing – plus claims of harassment related to sex at work and a claim of unauthorised deductions from wages.

All were described as ‘well founded’ by Tribunal Judge Christabel McCooey although representatives of the two firms did not attend the tribunal hearing to make their own arguments.

The companies involved are Viva Living Property Limited which according to Companies House and other sources is involved in developing and running multiple HMOs, and The Easy2 Property Company Limited which is registered as an estate agency.

Trading estate

Both firms share the same registered address at a trading estate in Bexhill-on-Sea (main image) and both share connections with 54-year-old Michael Brankin-Frisby, who is or has been a director of 11 mostly property-related firms on the south coast.

The Tribunal claims (see link to full decision) launched by Lopez cover her employment at the businesses between 1 July 2019 to 1 February 2023.

Brankin-Frisby, who describes himself as a “property developer, investor, mentor and networking host” was one of just two directors of Viva Living Property Limited until resigning in October 2022. He was the sole director of The Easy2 Property Company Limited but resigned his position there also in October 2022. Both companies are flagged as being late posting their latest accounts at Companies House.

Read more about employemt tribunal decisions. 

Pictures: Google Streetview/Goldsmith Chambers.