This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-england-london-14103999
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Estate agents 'flouting tenant laws' BBC investigation finds | Estate agents 'flouting tenant laws' BBC investigation finds |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| By Guy Lynn BBC London News | By Guy Lynn BBC London News |
| Some estate agents are prepared to flout critical laws that are designed to protect tenants from abuse, a BBC London investigation has found. | Some estate agents are prepared to flout critical laws that are designed to protect tenants from abuse, a BBC London investigation has found. |
| One rental manager was secretly filmed explaining he could harass problematic tenants by changing locks, calling them all day and lying to the police that they were running a brothel. | One rental manager was secretly filmed explaining he could harass problematic tenants by changing locks, calling them all day and lying to the police that they were running a brothel. |
| The housing charity Shelter and the National Association of Estate Agents have condemned the "shocking" practices uncovered by the undercover investigation and are calling for tougher regulation. | The housing charity Shelter and the National Association of Estate Agents have condemned the "shocking" practices uncovered by the undercover investigation and are calling for tougher regulation. |
| Under the Housing Act of 2004, which applies to England and Wales, the majority of deposits on a rental property must be protected in one of three official schemes. | Under the Housing Act of 2004, which applies to England and Wales, the majority of deposits on a rental property must be protected in one of three official schemes. |
| The law tackles abuse of tenants' rental deposits by unscrupulous operators. | The law tackles abuse of tenants' rental deposits by unscrupulous operators. |
| It also facilitates independent mediation by a third party over disputes such as cleaning costs and damage, at the end of a tenancy. | It also facilitates independent mediation by a third party over disputes such as cleaning costs and damage, at the end of a tenancy. |
| Surge in complaints | Surge in complaints |
| The BBC has spoken to numerous tenants suffering problems with agents and landlords over deposits, and Shelter has revealed a surge in complaints in the capital in the past year. | The BBC has spoken to numerous tenants suffering problems with agents and landlords over deposits, and Shelter has revealed a surge in complaints in the capital in the past year. |
| Several letting agents spoken to by a reporter in the Edgware Road area, posing as a landlord, revealed they were prepared, in theory, to break the law. | Several letting agents spoken to by a reporter in the Edgware Road area, posing as a landlord, revealed they were prepared, in theory, to break the law. |
| "We don't have to do this," said one agent who was secretly filmed. | "We don't have to do this," said one agent who was secretly filmed. |
| "There are ways not to do that - depends on the tenant," said another. | "There are ways not to do that - depends on the tenant," said another. |
| "The tenant, he doesn't want his deposit to be with the government scheme. Nobody wants that." | "The tenant, he doesn't want his deposit to be with the government scheme. Nobody wants that." |
| Another agent revealed he had to register the deposit but advised the reporter posing as a landlord to break the law. | Another agent revealed he had to register the deposit but advised the reporter posing as a landlord to break the law. |
| "I am telling you face to face - don't bother to do that scheme. Ninety per cent of landlords they don't do it. | "I am telling you face to face - don't bother to do that scheme. Ninety per cent of landlords they don't do it. |
| "Just keep quiet about it, you're wasting money." | "Just keep quiet about it, you're wasting money." |
| A reputable letting agent, the owner of Maida Vale properties Lucia Humphries told the BBC: "I feel upset, it gives the rest of us a bad name and I've been in the industry for 30 years. | A reputable letting agent, the owner of Maida Vale properties Lucia Humphries told the BBC: "I feel upset, it gives the rest of us a bad name and I've been in the industry for 30 years. |
| "The law says you have to protect the deposit, it's what you have to do." | "The law says you have to protect the deposit, it's what you have to do." |
| 'Crying a lot' | 'Crying a lot' |
| BBC London discovered tenants often suffered more serious problems when the landlord or agent broke the law on deposits. | BBC London discovered tenants often suffered more serious problems when the landlord or agent broke the law on deposits. |
| One woman from north London, who is in the middle of a deposit dispute and does not want to be named, said her letting agent had harassed her. | One woman from north London, who is in the middle of a deposit dispute and does not want to be named, said her letting agent had harassed her. |
| "At present, I have no accommodation. | "At present, I have no accommodation. |
| "I was evicted from the property. I was crying a lot, I had sleepless nights." | "I was evicted from the property. I was crying a lot, I had sleepless nights." |
| One lettings rental manager from Eurogulf, who was secretly recorded about deposits, outlined methods of harassment he can use to deal with problematic tenants who do not pay the rent. | One lettings rental manager from Eurogulf, who was secretly recorded about deposits, outlined methods of harassment he can use to deal with problematic tenants who do not pay the rent. |
| "I just like turn their lives like hell," he said. | "I just like turn their lives like hell," he said. |
| "We call them every five minutes, we send some people to knock on the door. We change sometimes the locks. To make them just hate the life here. | "We call them every five minutes, we send some people to knock on the door. We change sometimes the locks. To make them just hate the life here. |
| "Reports to the police, they run for business, just like prostitutes and stuff. Then the police come." | "Reports to the police, they run for business, just like prostitutes and stuff. Then the police come." |
| Campbell Robb, from Shelter, said: "We're seeing more and more problems emerge and we're seeing the emergence of some rogue landlords, and we've got to see the government take tougher action." | Campbell Robb, from Shelter, said: "We're seeing more and more problems emerge and we're seeing the emergence of some rogue landlords, and we've got to see the government take tougher action." |
| Peter Bolton King, chief executive of both the National Association of Estate Agents and the Association of Residential Letting Agents, said: "What this investigation has uncovered is really quite shocking - the concern is the tenant is being left open to total abuse. | Peter Bolton King, chief executive of both the National Association of Estate Agents and the Association of Residential Letting Agents, said: "What this investigation has uncovered is really quite shocking - the concern is the tenant is being left open to total abuse. |
| "It's horrifying some of the things we've seen." | "It's horrifying some of the things we've seen." |
| Four of the agents who were secretly recorded located in west London: Eurogulf, Ameen Lettings, Delta Lettings and In House Lettings, did not explain when approached why they said they were prepared to break the law on deposits. | |
| Sara Estates did not respond to explain why they had been encouraging landlords to break the law on deposits. | Sara Estates did not respond to explain why they had been encouraging landlords to break the law on deposits. |
| Eurogulf failed to respond to the BBC's approaches to explain why they said they could harass problematic tenants. | Eurogulf failed to respond to the BBC's approaches to explain why they said they could harass problematic tenants. |