"These expulsions reflect our zero-tolerance approach to non-compliance. Our aim is not only to protect consumers but to raise standards in the industry"
- Sean Hooker - Property Redress
Between May and October 2024, Property Redress, a government-approved independent organisation handling disputes between consumers and property agents in the UK, expelled 48 letting and estate agents from its scheme.
These expulsions followed unresolved consumer complaints, unpaid awards, and refusal to cooperate with the complaints process. While 12 agents were reinstated after meeting scheme requirements, many remain barred due to ongoing non-compliance.
The six cases below highlight agents who remain expelled, illustrating the reasons behind their removal. In each case, consumers suffered financial loss, faced risks, or received poor service. The agents failed to engage in the complaints process, pay awards, or meet professional obligations.
The Fountayne Group Ltd – block management repair issue
Expelled for not engaging in a complaint about a leaking roof, poor block management, and inflammatory communication. The case resulted in a £600 award for distress and inconvenience. The company has since gone into liquidation.
Renta Properties Ltd – rent collection and poor communication
Expelled despite agreeing to an early resolution. The company did not pay a £100 award for poor communication and provided insufficient evidence regarding missing rent payments. The Reading-based firm appears active.
Genesis City Ltd – rent collection, tenancy deposits, poor communication
Expelled after a landlord complaint led to the termination of the agent’s management of five flats due to poor service. The agent withheld outstanding rent, failed to transfer tenancy deposits, and did not provide valid deposit protection certificates. Since the agent did not participate in the complaints process, the decision relied solely on the complainant’s evidence.
Compensation of £4,202.06 was awarded for unpaid rent, plus £500 for distress and inconvenience. The agent was ordered to provide all deposit protection certificates and cooperate in transferring deposits to the landlord’s protection account, as required by tenancy deposit regulations. The company is active with a proposal to strike off.
Jigsaw Lettings (Spalding, Lincolnshire) – poor management
Expelled for poor management of 15 rental properties. The agent failed to carry out routine inspections and did not provide essential handover documents when the landlord appointed a new agent. Despite repeated requests from the new agent, tenancy agreements, gas and electrical safety certificates, and tenant contact details remained missing. An unexplained payment of £1,775 was also outstanding.
The agent did not engage with the process. Although claims related to deposits were not upheld due to lack of evidence, the complaint was upheld for poor service and non-compliance. An award of £3,000 was made for distress, inconvenience, and missing documentation, with instructions to provide all outstanding records and confirm payment.
YourGaff Ltd – rent collection
Expelled for withholding two months’ rent (£1,100) and ignoring requests for rent arrears proceedings and handover documents. A £100 compensation award also remains unpaid. The company is active with a proposal to strike off.
APX Estate Agents Ltd – tenancy deposit
Expelled after refusing to release a £1,700 tenancy deposit despite acknowledging the request and agreeing to pay. The award remains unsettled, and the company appears active.
These cases concern complaints closed between May and October 2024, though some issues date back further. Property Redress allows agents reasonable time to comply with decisions before confirming expulsion, then additional time to resolve matters before publishing names. Many agents who initially do not comply later settle awards, provide information, and pay penalties, which can lead to reinstatement. This approach balances consumer protection with fairness.
“Agents who do not engage in the complaints process, ignore their professional responsibilities, or withhold client money are not only breaking trust, they fall short of the service they owe the people their business is there to serve,” explained Sean Hooker (pictured), head of redress at Property Redress. “These expulsions reflect our zero-tolerance approach to non-compliance. Our aim is not only to protect consumers but to raise standards in the industry. We urge landlords, tenants, and homeowners to check that their agents remain members of a government-approved redress scheme and to report any misconduct immediately.”
Property Redress continues to collaborate with enforcement bodies and industry regulators to prevent expelled agents from re-entering the market without settling their responsibilities. The scheme’s disciplinary process offers opportunities for resolution, but expulsion remains a last resort when agents refuse to comply.
