Landlords are reported to be angry at feeling betrayed and cheated after the closure of a New Malden letting agency.
A letter from the director of Giraffe Residential, Chandra Patel, told landlords and tenants that the firm had to cease trading due to large financial difficulties and that no payments can be made as unfortunately there are no funds or assets and the company is now taking steps to be dissolved.
The Kingston Guardian local newspaper is reporting that trading standards officers and police are currently investigating the company.
A Kingston Council spokesman told the paper: We are aware and are currently investigating to see whether there are breaches of the law that need enforcing.
The paper has been unable to contact Patel despite several attempts.
Giraffe is just the latest Kingston agent to go bust. In 2009, both ABM Compass and Kim's Lettings closed without returning hundreds of tenants' deposits.
And in 2012, Kingston Hill estate agent JeJe Barons shut unexpectedly with an estimated £500,000 worth of deposits going missing.
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