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Keith Russell

Senior Partner

3781 Profile Views

About Me

Have been an estate agent from boy to man. Have known nothing else, so one could say it runs through my veins.

my expertise in the industry

Old age & lots of experience.

Keith's Recent Activity

I am intrigued by where you say many letting agents do not need to be registered with HMRC for AML? are you saying some are exempt? my firm was fined several thousands for not being registered where I am not embarrassed to say this was through lack of knowledge. However, the annual fee payable to HMRC for providing nothing valuable to me just appears to be another stealth tax for the aspirational.

From: Keith Russell 13 March 2024 16:27 PM

"Not fully supervised by HMRC" I thought this was mandatory for letting agents?

From: Keith Russell 13 March 2024 08:19 AM

Here here to pretty much all of the above. you cannot YING without there being a YANG! The government legislated that tenants cannot be charged costs for setting up a tenancy, where this probably saved them around £400 or so. Instead the Landlords compensated this by increasing rents by £100pcm. You do the math? If they only capped what could be charged then agents would not have been able to charge astronomical rates to tenants and this would have never become an issue. Basically, these people making the decisions do not have a scooboo of an idea of how it works real world.

From: Keith Russell 08 March 2024 08:46 AM

what a delightful world we have created!

From: Keith Russell 12 February 2024 08:37 AM

More expense coming down the road. So, we have to pay an annual fee to HMRC for anti-money laundering, we have to pay an annual fee to a money protect scheme so as to protect client funds, we have to pay an annual fee to a property redress scheme, we have to pay annual fees for all sorts of insurance to cover our derrieres and now it seems we will have to pay more annual fees for organisations that are being suggested to deal with agents that probably subscribe to none of the above. There again it falls upon decent honest legitimate agents to cover the expense. This will simply destroy a lot of good genuine local community based agents and leave it to the corporates. Well done!

From: Keith Russell 19 January 2024 08:40 AM

"whilst staying committed to fair and sustainable pricing" Co star are not doing this for fair play to agents. If & when a leading market position is achieved I have no doubt that this model will replicate the strategy of rightmove......end of!

From: Keith Russell 05 December 2023 08:21 AM

Does this mean if we have tenants that are employed by the NHS that we can assume that this government run organisation has carried out their due diligence with the right to reside and indeed work within the UK has been undertaken? Or do we still have to spend funds and time in trying to establish this? Even though our AML platform rarely matches with most foreign nationals first coming to the UK.

From: Keith Russell 16 November 2023 09:01 AM

Better get your skates on Michael, time is ticking on with your ministerial position!

From: Keith Russell 24 October 2023 08:53 AM

Oh why am I not surprised! Me thinks this government has more salient aspects to deal with to save their Skins. Labour into government purely by default due to the recent muppets in the blue party shooting themselves in the head, let alone their feet. Even if the renters reform bill went through it is only as good as how long the party are in power who basically put in in place. Renting will never be right until such time as people in power consult and listen to the professionals that actually work and experience what goes on out there and that's Landlords and tenants alike......Period!

From: Keith Russell 21 October 2023 08:28 AM

I still find it incredulous that government believes it can influence free will. Perhaps if they had a rethink about stamp duty for first time buyers, this might actually assist with alleviating the current demand for rented properties, which would then have a contribution to how agents treat prospective tenants. Not charging what they want because they can, but actually having to provide incentives to tenants to secure them. Its all about supply & demand. Perhaps the government can turn their attention to capping the utilities companies, as this cost is now becoming a big factor in everyone's living on a continual basis, not just a one off cost that they seem hell bent on attacking.

From: Keith Russell 03 May 2017 09:05 AM

What do you think the near £1,000 application fee covers for the when you apply for a mortgage is for then?

From: Keith Russell 03 May 2017 08:58 AM

And this is News for what specific reason? just another hybrid agent that is suggesting they have something different to offer, when reality its same old same old.

From: Keith Russell 13 January 2017 11:41 AM

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