The case of the letting agents banned from trading for three years by the Property Ombudsman has been raised in Parliament.
Property Vibe, and the Flat Agency & Michael Browns, both owned by the same man, were expelled by TPO in March.
Both the agents, in Southampton, are said to have failed to repay deposits.
On Wednesday, during Prime Minister’s Questions, Southampton MP Alan Whitehead (Labour) raised his concerns, saying that tenancy deposit money had been retained and used for other purposes.
He asked George Osborne, standing in for David Cameron: “Letting agencies are almost completely unregulated, and it is pot luck whether Southampton residents actually get a fair deal.
“Does the Chancellor intend to do anything about that?”
Osborne replied: “We are looking at what we can do to make sure that people who rent have proper consumer protection, including protection from landlords who withhold deposits unreasonably.”
Comments (2)
Only applies in England.
It is clear this Government has nothing better than do than constantly attack the property profession. Sham they can get a handle on migration and the lack of social housing. They talk the talk but walk the walk like a man with no legs. I would not protect this type of agent, but as for Mr Whitehead letting agents “almost unregulated” he must have been asleep whilst in the House of Commons. There has been more legislation in this parliament than in the past few parliaments.