Spicerhaart has dismissed allegations that its lettings staff are being pressured to sell insurance products.

The Neg was contacted by an employee from the office of one of Spicerhaart’s brands in London saying that he and colleagues were being driven to offer insurance products to customers.

The anonymous staff member says: “I’ve now worked at one of the London Spicerhaart brands for many years. Sadly lettings isn’t about making pound notes anymore or the family values or observations of behaviours and incentives, it’s about connected selling of insurance products to tenants and landlords under the new regime that was installed.” This was following the departure of former Operations Director, Paul Sloan.

“Something needs to be done for the benefit of all the workforce and tenants who we force insurance on, as we are heavily targeted on it, we get undermining angry screaming calls about insurance sales from the top. We are leaking staff like a sieve,” he adds.

Company operations chief Paul Sloan left Spicerhaart last year after 10 years with the business.

‘Extremely baffled’

Spicerhaart was quick to deny all the allegations. Sat Basi, Managing Director of Spicerhaart Lettings, (pictured left) says: “We’re extremely baffled by this comment as we’ve always offered other services in order to protect the landlords who let their properties through us, and also tenants.

“It’s the same for most other lettings agencies. It would be wrong if we didn’t! We have been offering insurance, as well as legal protection and alternative deposit schemes, for many years,” he adds.

“This is never at the expense of our core lettings business and our customer service. Nor are we aware of anyone leaving our lettings business because of this.”