SAFEagent Saturday 16th March 2013
Crawley based Inspire Estate Agents is urging all tenants and landlords in the Crawley area to make a resolution to look for a SAFEagent if renting or letting this year.
The company is inviting would-be tenants and landlords to the Crawley office by appointment this Saturday (16 March) to find out more about risk-proofing their rental experience.
SAFEagent denotes letting agents that subscribe to a Client Money Protection (CMP) scheme, which means that financial protection is offered should a letting agent fold or abscond with client funds.
More than 8.56 million households are now privately rented, up from 1.88 million in 2001.
Inspire Estate Agents, based in Crawley, signed up to SAFEagent in 2012. It is also a member of NALS.
Matthew Cousins said: “Rogue letting agents give the industry a bad name. They are an exception yet they dominate the headlines because of the financial nightmare and distress they cause. Landlords and tenants can protect themselves from this risk and carefully choose their letting agent. At Inspire Estate Agents we take every measure to protect our clients’ funds and this is highlighted by our commitment to SAFEagent.”
John Midgley, chair of the SAFEagent steering group, said: “The number of families and households privately renting their homes continues to rise, so it is of the utmost importance that they know how to ensure that their monies are protected and to avoid rogue landlords. SAFEagent Saturday is an opportunity for tenants and landlords to find out about industry best practice and what they should be looking for in a letting agent.
“The message is simple! Be SAFE – choose a SAFEagent from the growing list of professional firms who are placing hundreds of tenants into rental property in Crawley each year, and sleep easy in the knowledge that your rental funds and tenancy deposits have complete protection.”
Over 2,000 letting agents have now signed up to SAFEagent. In addition to Government support, key organizations in the industry including Which, Citizens Advice Bureau, Shelter, Crisis, The Property Ombudsman, Consumer Focus, National Union of Students, OFT, GLA and Trading Standards Institute have all allied themselves to the scheme. Key suppliers to the sector are also standing behind the campaign – for example, HomeLet, Imfuna and CFPwinMan have led the way in pledging their backing to it.
To find out more about SAFEagent visit www.safeagents.co.uk