Three estate agencies have been ‘named and shamed’ by HMRC for paying employees less than the minimum wage or national minimum living wage.

Its latest list includes three property industry firm among some 518 companies across the UK investigated between 2015 and 2022, the results of which have now been published.

These are PK Sales & Lettings Ltd in Greenwich, London which HMRC says failed to pay £11,885 to five workers, Lutonestateandlettings Ltd which failed to pay £9,887 to four workers and Heminstone Estates Limited in Colchester which failed to pay £2,137. to ten staff.

All the companies in the list, including the estate agencies, have now repaid the money owed totalling some £7.4 million, and paid fines of up to 200% of the money not paid to employees.

No excuse

Minister for Employment Rights, Justin Madders (main image) says: “There is no excuse for employers to undercut their workers, and we will continue to name companies who break the law and don’t pay their employees what they are owed.

“Ensuring workers have the support they need and making sure they receive a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work is a key commitment in our Plan for Change. This will put more money in working people’s pockets, helping to boost productivity and ending low pay.

Baroness Philippa Stroud, Chair of the Low Pay Commission, adds: “Underpayment leaves workers out of pocket and disadvantages the majority of employers who do abide by the rules.

“These naming rounds play an important part in ensuring that all workers receive their full wages and that they are aware there is support for them to ensure that they do.”

Employees working for an estate agency who have just left school must be paid the National Minimum Wage while those over 21 years old must get the National Living Wage. The current hourly rates are listed below:

• £12.21 (aged 21 and over)
• £10 (aged 18 to 20)
• £7.55 (aged under 18)
• £7.55 (apprentice rate)