Letting agents slammed for 'ripping off' customers

Letting agents are routinely ripping off landlords and tenants, and making up administrative charges as they go along.

The accusation comes from Citizens Advice whose spokesperson Moira Haynes told the Daily Mail that charges by agents often bear little or no relation to the cost of the work involved.

She said: “Many letting agents routinely rip off tenants by imposing unjustified and excessive charges and providing a poor or non-existent service.

“In some cases letting agents appear to make them up as they go along.

“These charges can be a huge barrier for people on low and even average incomes who have no housing options other than the private rented sector. They should be banned.”

According to the article, Citizens Advice is particularly concerned about the lack of regulation in the lettings sector, with anyone able set themselves up as a letting agent without any need for professional expertise or experience.

Shock as agent tells Ombudsman to get lost

Tuesday 2nd August 2011

In what can only be described as a V-sign to the Ombudsman, the estate and letting agent kicked out of the scheme has told it to go f*** itself.

He has also told local agents worried about his ‘overnight success’ to go to the Samaritans for counselling.

Yesterday, on LAT’s sister site EAT, we reported that wli.uk.com agent had been expelled from the Ombudsman scheme because of convictions for fraud.

Amerjit Singh Dhuga, the owner of wli.uk.com which has sales and lettings offices in the Midlands, was fined £3,120 with £3,417 costs for 26 offences.

As reported, although Dhuga has been expelled from voluntary membership, the law as it stands means – that unless the OFT bans him – he must continue with the basic TPO membership.

As such, he can continue to trade, deal with the public, and cock a snook at both TPO and other agents.

Philip James are at it again!!

Despite agreeing in court on the 14th July 2011 to refund my deposit, this despicable company have sent me a cheque which is £30 short.

I have never agreed to this deduction and they made no mention of it in the court before the Judge. The whole case was recorded and therefore I am sure they must be slightly deranged if they think they can continue to with hold my money.

I have advised them that I will be issuing further proceedings to recover my money. I really believed they would comply with the agreement they made in court, however even if they had withheld £1 of my money I would still issue another civil suit against them.

They are again threatening to sue me for £5k plus costs for continuing to inform the world about their activities, and if that is what they do, so be it.

Customer fears estate agents £55,000 fraud

A fraud investigation has been launched into a suspected scam at an  estate agents which a customer fears has wiped out her life savings.

The first-time buyer fears she has lost the £55,000 she had put away for her children’s future.
West Midlands Police confirmed today officers were investigating two suspected frauds concerning the former Bairstow Eves Countrywide office in Darlington Street, which was being run independently by director Dalvinder Pannu and employee Manjit Gill.
The mother-of-two said she made three payments totalling £55,000 to buy outright a house in Bate Street, Lanesfield, when the franchise was trading under the Bairstow Eves Countrywide name.
She had been offered the house at the reduced price in return for a quick sale, completed in 56 days.
The Wolverhampton College lecturer, who asked not to be named, said she was assured she would be reimbursed in full if the sale did not go through.
She lost out to a higher bidder but says today she is yet to receive a penny back, around a year later.
The 36-year-old said: “I went to Bairstow Eves in the belief I was dealing with a big organisation — I felt safe and felt secure with them, and I am absolutely distraught.
“I was not aware the company was a franchise — this was not some small backstreet estate agents.
“I was putting my trust into what I thought was a professional company.
“Manny Gill even insisted I paid the money into a Bairstow Eves account which reassured me.
“I had saved £30,000 of my own money over 15 years and the other £25,000 was borrowed from family members. I will have to pay that back.”
Bairstow Eves Countrywide has completed an internal investigation.
It found the franchisee had claimed bogus company Crown Repossessions was conducting the sale, when in fact Crown Mortgage Management Ltd was the seller.
Ms Pannu and Mr Gill are named in a letter to the complainant which states: “Our view is that you have been the unfortunate victim of a professional scam.
“You have, quite rightly, reported the incident to the police. We will of course co-operate fully.”


Read more: http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2010/12/01/police-probe-estate-agent-in-fraud-claim/#ixzz1A0SU26pj

The complaints keep coming in

Even over the holidays we have been amazed by the number of people who have contacted us. Because of the sheer volume we are dedicating more staff and resources to assist you all. We are in the process of designing two brand new websites: trottersville.co.uk and philipjamesrentals.co.uk.

We aim to get these live as soon as possible, but in the meanwhile, please keep coming back here and using the "comments" section to get in touch. Some of your complaints have been forwarded direct to the relevant authorities.
For those of you with problems with Philip James, we hope to be having a "surgery" with our solicitor shortly.

Stay safe and take care