Local Property Experts, who are self-employed but working for the likes of Purplebricks, should be individually registered for redress purposes.
The Property Ombudsman has also confirmed that all of Purplebricks consumers have access to redress.
EYE asked TPO whether Local Property Experts should be individually signed up, or whether it was enough for the over-riding company to belong and thus apparently offer its self-employed local agents membership.
Last year TPO fast-tracked a number of Purplebricks LPE applications, but after online speculation, it seems that a number are still not registered.
TPO’s policy adjudicator manager Peter Habert told us: “Purplebricks head office joined TPO on April 2, 2013.
“Last year, it was decided that Purplebricks’ self-employed Local Property Experts should have an individual registration, similar to branches of traditional agents, to allow consumers to search for the individual LPEs for their area on TPO’s website, as well as the head office.
“TPO’s membership department now has 360 LPEs on its system, in addition to the Purplebricks head office.
“Whilst any new LPEs will continue to be registered as quickly as possible, it is important to note that any consumers seeking redress from Purplebricks (and their self-employed LPEs) can do so and have been able to since April 2013.”
The figure of 360 appears to show the extent by which Purplebricks is ahead of its recruitment targets. It had told the City of plans to increase its LPE numbers to 300 by spring this year, but by October 31 last year it was up to 329 LPEs.
Comments (3)
“The figure of 360 appears to show the extent by which Purplebricks is ahead of its recruitment targets. It had told the City of plans to increase its LPE numbers to 300 by spring this year, but by October 31 last year it was up to 329 LPEs”
360 is not ahead of its recruitment targets to quote from 24-3-2-14
“Purplebricks.com also revealed ambitious recruitment plans in the investment pitch which we saw, with 125 staff anticipated this year, 355 recruits the year after, and 480 in the year ended July 31, 2016”
By my reckoning 360 is 75% of 480, that is quite a long way from being ahead of its recruitment target!
I can’t help but wonder if the whole shebang is being run by amnesiac goldfish who can’t remember what they promised 33 months ago
Redress numbers.
They have 360 registered. What about all the LPEs that have left PB?
I assume they are year memberships not monthly ones?
I.e. 30 lpes that do not make the promised 100k last year with maybe 4/5 months left to run on their redress leave because they earn more at the local Tesco their memberships are still active?
What we know from this statement.
All of Purplebricks LPEs’ were trading pre-IPO in 2013 and up to June of 2016 without membership of a legal redress scheme as required in law.
It is the stated specific contractual responsibility to agents and, by extension, their fiduciary responsibility to the public in general of the portals, to ensure all agents advertising with them (search for an agent in…) function are legally compliant for redress, HMRC, PI etc. This, we know now, has not happened.
The story regarding NTSEAT alleged investigation into the status of LPEs which was pulled late in 2016 from PIE and a similar story from its rival at the same time shows how highly sensitive Purplebricks were to the claims a few of us in the industry were making.
What we know from investigation.
Currently, without exception, of the thirty or so LPEs’ individual companies who have been checked by myself or other agents, not one is registered with HMRC for money laundering. It is illegal to trade as an estate agent without a recognised form of money laundering registration.
We also know that not one of these LPEs’ is registered for Data Protection with the ICO.