Lettings chain Leaders has said it will not be throwing its weight behind the SAFEagent scheme – but will continue to press home the message about the perils of rogue agents.
Leaders has issued a warning that landlords and tenants must protect themselves from rogue letting agents, following the Government’s confirmation that it will not regulate the industry.
The statement said that a ‘disturbing number’ of cases of agents in theft and fraud had come to light in recent months. Leaders had been among organisations long calling for the Government to bring in legislation to tackle rogue agents.
Leaders’ managing director Paul Weller said: “We are very disappointed by the Government’s refusal to act to protect landlords and tenants from unscrupulous and incompetent letting agents, particularly at a time when more people are turning to this sector than ever. Many are unaware that there is no proper regulation governing letting agents, despite the plethora of legislation that applies to letting itself.
“Over the decades we have been in business, we have seen countless landlords and tenants let down by incompetent and dishonest letting agents.
“Under the current system, there is no legislation in place to prevent letting agents from using their tenants’ deposits and landlords’ rents for their own purposes, and nothing that requires them to be qualified and understand the regulations that govern the practice of letting and property management.”
Leaders also drew attention to a new report published by the Gas Safety Trust which reveals that tenants in private rented accommodation are 50% more at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning than both home owners and social housing tenants.
Weller said: “The issue of unregulated agents is not only about money.
“If letting agents do not know and comply with the many regulations that apply to letting, properties can be unsafe and the landlord’s and tenant’s interests are unprotected during the tenancy.”
However, the press statement did not mention SAFEagent, so LAT asked why this was.
A Leaders spokeswoman said: “Leaders’ view is that as ARLA members our clients are protected by the ARLA money-bonding scheme and therefore we don’t see the need to join an additional scheme and have yet another logo which might confuse people.
“As long-standing ARLA members we have worked hard to get the message across about the importance of using an ARLA agent and are continuing to promote that. We don’t really want to dilute that message with details about additional schemes.”
Comments
The statement said that a ‘disturbing number’ of cases of agents in theft and fraud had come to light in recent months.
Who in NAEA, ARLA or RICS is keeping a note of which software is being used in each case. One software provider has a single database password for all its users.
Staff moving from one employer to another with the same system can manipulate data at will. Without a forensic accountant and several years investigation database manipulation is real hard isolate yet it is crime that anyone with key stage 3 computing is capable of.
SAFE is a good and positive thing but they need to have someone who knows about Client Cash accounting, and a robust authorisation scheme in place before they let any commercial company piggy back off their good name.
Always suspect the Caretaker!
Leaders is, in my extensive experience, not best placed to judge others. In fairness they did not mention SAFE and I am certain that ARLA would not have lined them up as an ally.
If they had - it would a serious error of judgment.
In the bottom 100 UK lettings agents Leaders rank 7th.
A great endorsement for ARLA?
@stonehenge "Don't criticise what you can't match."
That is frankly hilarious. They are THE worst agent in town with a terrible reputation. But at least they are consistent.
I would not want their support
Stonehenge - that would explain their stunning reviews!!
http://www.allagents.co.uk/leaders/ Do me a favour. They are a one stop shop - customers stop after one shop.
@confused Consumer - a SAFEagent is a member of a regulatory body and as such as Clients Money Protection, Professional Indemnity Insurance and is member of a redress scheme. No organisation can prevent rogues - but at least they afford protection.
The trouble is with many Leaders staff is that they are actually qualified to do the job, sadly something lacking in most letting agents. Don't criticise what you can't match.
So if I go to a SAFE agent I will be safe from a rogue letting agent ?
Or does it mean a SAFE agent can be a rogue if they want to act that way?
What is ironic about Leaders is they have little time or patience for ARLA either.
Mind they are the Right Move of the lettings industry in terms of arrogance and attitude thinking only they know best, only they can possibly protect Landlords and tenants from the unscrupulous partner on the other side.
So they don't particularly have time for anyone else at all.
They have been like that for donkeys years and probably always will be regarding themselves as superior to absolutely everyone else.
Whether that is an attitude justified by their performance for Landlords I do not know but I have heard plenty of stories over the years about how harshly they have treated tenants.
The fees they charge them are positively eye watering
In fairness - Leaders dont actually mention Safe - its just an 'anti everything that isn't ARLA' swipe which could be construed as being a dig at SAFE. But hey - everyone is entitled to an opinion.
We are all disappointed at the Govt stance - but it is what it is. Time to move on.
The ironically names 'Leaders' get left behind with the ARLA old boys network. I would have thought they would be more progressive and innovative.
For heavens sake. Leaders are hardly the bastions of consumer service. They are local to us and all we hear are moans about them yet they fly the ARLA flag of excellence? Unreal - makes me feel even better about joining SAFE