Landlords can now go online to view a public register compiled by the OFT of estate agents who have been given warnings or been banned from estate agency work.
Under the Estate Agents Act 1979 the OFT can issue warning and prohibition orders against individual estate agents or agencies who have broken the law.
It can also be used to report to the OFT suspected breaches by an estate agent. 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;
• engaging in specified undesirable practices.
Mike Haley, OFT Director of Consumer Protection, said: “Under the law, estate agents must ensure they act in the best interests of their clients. The online register gives consumers direct access to important information explaining where we have taken action against estate agents.”
Paul Shamplina, Director of Landlord Action, said: “This is great news for the industry as there is no doubt that there is 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.”
The register can be viewed at www.oft.gov.uk/estateagentregister.
