Bad letting agents cheated a landlord and taxpayers for many thousands of pounds every month.

In a North London newspaper the landlord told the readers how she was led to believe by the agents that her home had been let out to a Swiss businessman and his family at a rent of £560 per week.

The letting agent told her that tenant’s employer was paying the rent but after meeting the tenant, two years later, the landlord found that this was far from the case and that he had been on benefits since arriving in England in 2004.

After the shock admission there was even worst to come. The tenant told her that Westminster City Council was paying a monthly rent of £4,550 for the property, so the agents were underpaying her by more than £2,000 per month.

The landlord took the lettings agent to court as she also found out that the Company’s registered address, who they had told her was paying the rent for the supposed employee,  was none other than one of the agency partner's home.

The court case was held in March of this year and Judge Seymour (sitting in the Queen’s Bench at the High Court) ruled in her favour.  The letting agents were ordered to repay her £67,559.56 in lost rent, as well as £25,000 in legal costs.

In all walks of life there will be greedy people and the innocent and trusting will be exploited. Landlords and Agents must protect their interests and consider due diligence appropiately