The Property Ombudsman
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Features
Performance fees
If an agent intends to charge a ‘performance fee’ it must be clear before he goes on stage, says Katrine Sporle, The Property Ombudsman.
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Features
Are redress schemes working?
The ‘regulation lite’ system brought in by the Government for sales and lettings agents got cheers all round in 2014. But does it still deliver? Nigel Lewis reports.
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Features
A buyer changes her mind, must she pay the buying agent’s fee?
A buyer changes her mind, must she pay the buying agent’s fee?
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Latest property news
The Property Ombudsman expels two Southampton agencies
Consumers are being warned by the UK’s largest property redress scheme about the actions of two lettings agents based in Southampton. Both agencies, trading as ‘The Flat Agency & Michael Browns Ltd’ and ‘Property Vibe Ltd’, were expelled from lettings redress membership of The Property Ombudsman (TPO) scheme for a minimum period of three years. Without registration these companies cannot legally trade as letting agents, and other redress schemes will not allow previously expelled agents to join. Landlords who lease their property with an agent that is not registered with TPO will not be entitled to have their dispute reviewed by the Ombudsman, and nor will any tenants renting through an unregistered agent. The decision to expel The Flat Agency & Michael Browns Ltd follows complaints made against it from local landlords and tenants. The complaints were independently reviewed by the Ombudsman and all were upheld. Cases against this agent were all similar in nature, relating to delay and/or failure in paying money owed to the complainants and several flagged serious concerns with the Ombudsman, who described the agents’ practices as “dishonest and deceitful”. The Ombudsman ordered payment of the money owed together with compensation. When the agent failed to…
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Features
Selling retirement property
Take great care when selling retirement property, to avoid accusations of neglect, says Katrine Sporle, The Property Ombudsman.
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Features
Moving in
Moving in: make all the arrangements crystal clear or it can reflect badly on you, says Katrine Sporle, The Property Ombudsman.
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Features
When is a flat not a flat? When it’s afloat…”
"When is a flat not a flat? When it’s afloat…” says Katrine Sporle, The Property Ombudsman.
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Features
Be clear on selling fees
Selling a property to a tenant? Be very clear about the fees,” says Katrine Sporle, The Property Ombudsman.
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Movers & Shakers
Mark McLaren joins TPO Council
The Property Ombudsman (TPO) has appointed Mark McLaren to the TPO Council. He joins following nine years with Which?, the consumer body. The role of the TPO Council is to ensure the Ombudsman’s independence, set the Ombudsman’s Terms of Reference and approve the budget. Part of Mark’s role also includes working on the Disciplinary and Standards Committee (DSC) to help deal with the small number of member agents who breach the scheme’s CTSI-approved Codes of Practice and/or fail to meet their obligations as TPO members. At Which? Mark was directly involved in the work that led to estate agents (2008) and letting agents (2014) being required to join an independent redress scheme. Mark is now a freelance Policy and Public Affairs Consultant and he will be taking over from Noel Hunter who left his role as Vice Chairman of the TPO Council.
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Associations & Bodies
All change at The Property Ombudsman Scheme
After 13 years with The Property Ombudsman (TPO) – 12 as TPO Board Chairman of TPO, Bill McClintock stands down on 1st January 2016 and Gerry Fitzjohn, currently Vice Chairman, takes up the position. At a reception at the House of Lords, hosted by Lord Richard Best, guests, including The Negotiator’s Editorial Director, Sheila Manchester, celebrated Bill’s achievements of and those of Christopher Hamer, The Property Ombudsman, who is also retiring, having served the maximum nine-year term as Ombudsman. With 50 years experience in estate agency, Bill joined TPO as Chief Operating Officer in 2003, becoming Board Chairman in 2004. Bill (left) said, “When I joined, there were 769 firms with 4,251 offices registered with TPO. Figures now sit at 14,400 sales and 13,500 lettings offices – a significant change. One of my main achievements was encouraging the government to enact the Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Act 2007, which required all estate agents to register with an Ombudsman Scheme and to get the TPO Scheme approved by the Office of Fair Trading, considerable developments in the industry.” Gerry joined the TPO Board in 2000, from starting as a Sales Negotiator for Taylors in Stony Stratford in 1974 to National…
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