A letting agent operating in Cambridgeshire has seemingly ‘gone to ground’, owing landlords and tenants thousands of pounds.

Frank Smart, who has been running Smart Residential in Newmarket for over a decade, closed his agency at the end of July and hasn’t been heard from since early August.

At the time, the agent said the reason for the closure was due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’ around a move to a new premises.

Smart posted a notice on the door and posted on social media, saying: ‘Yes I am still alive and no I have not gone on a cruise (sadly). However, I have had no choice but to close the office this week due to a major glitch with the planned move to the new office premises’.

According to local paper the Newmarket Journal, Smart is not responding to efforts to contact him and some landlords are now owed more than three months’ rent for properties he manages on their behalf.

A number of tenants have also expressed their concerns to the local press that their deposits have not been protected with a government-approved scheme.

A Facebook group has since been set up by disgruntled landlords and tenants, which now has over 60 members.

Those affected are being encouraged to contact Action Fraud. You can see the local press report here.