Banned estate agents named and shamed online
Wednesday, 17, Jun 2009 04:54
The Office of Fair Trading has launched an online register of estate agents who have been given warnings or banned from working.
The register allows consumers to search whether the OFT has taken action against firms under the Estate Agents Act 1979, against agents or agencies who have broken the law.
The online version of the public register was launched on Monday, and can be browsed by date or alphabetically.
Mike Haley, OFT director of consumer protection, said: "Under the law, estate agents must ensure they act in the best interests of their clients and that both buyers and sellers are treated honestly, fairly and promptly.
"The online register gives consumers direct access to important information explaining where we have taken action against estate agents."
The OFT can issue warning orders or take action with a view to banning estate agents where there is evidence that they have committed certain specified offences such as, offences involving fraud, other dishonesty or violence, discriminating on the grounds of race or gender in the course of estate agency work, engaging in residential estate agency work but failing to belong to an approved redress scheme, failing to comply with the requirements of the law, or engaging in specified undesirable practices.
Paul Shamplina of Landlord Action has welcomed the news. He said: "This is great news for the industry as there is no doubt that there are an increasing number of agents that the public should be warned about.
"This register should not only apply to sales agents but also to lettings agents. We are currently acting for a number of landlords who have become victims of lettings agents that have been instructed in good faith but have let them down by withholding rent for their personal gain and we are receiving daily complaints and requests from landlords who need assistance with debt collection from these agents.
"I would urge any landlord who has fallen foul of such an agent to contact the OFT to make sure they are put on this register."