Effective Enforcement Day, 22 May 2018
Trading Standards teams across London are supporting ‘Effective Enforcement Day’ on Tuesday 22 May, part of SAFEagent Awareness Week, to highlight the work they do protecting tenants and landlords in the private rented sector (PRS).
Every day, trading standards keep renters safe and ensure letting agents are adhering to legal requirements. This vital work can often go unseen, so Effective Enforcement Day highlights their important role in the PRS.
Recently announced government measures designed to protect the consumer in the lettings market includes the provision for agents to be fined up to £30,000 if they fail to be part of a client money protection scheme. While welcome, this measure will place even more emphasis on trading standards teams who will be enforcing these new rules, along with the upcoming ban on letting agents charging fees to tenants.
Commenting on Effective Enforcement Day, Martin Harland, Chair of London Trading Standards’ Letting Agents Group said:
“Local trading standards departments look to ensure through our important work that renters are safe and secure from the minority of agents and landlords who flout the law.”
“There are many professional agents who provide an excellent service and effective enforcement is about creating level and fair conditions for them to thrive while stamping out the criminals.”
“If consumers are unsure about which letting agent to use, look for an agent who is a member of SAFEagent.”
SAFEagent Awareness Week
- SAFEagent – Safe Agent Fully Endorsed – is a reliable mark denoting firms that protect landlords and tenants money through Client Money Protection schemes
- SAFEagent Awareness Week is a week of raising awareness of where consumers can find a registered SAFEagent who is part of a recognised CMP scheme
- Set up ‘by the industry, for the industry’ and recognised by the Government, it is supported by Citizens Advice Bureau, The Property Ombudsman, My Deposits, TDS and DPS.
Read more about SAFEagent week here
Read more about the new government proposals here