EYE has reported several times on the case of Timothy Shinners, the agent who stole £80,000 of tenant’s deposits and was jailed in 2017 for three years.
Stephen Laycock, Shinners’ co-director in Platinum Properties, found that the police did not have the resources to investigate the fraud and so he took the unusual step of taking out a private prosecution.
Shinners was found guilty and went to prison but Laycock ended up out of pocket to the tune of £277,000. The case made national headlines.
Yesterday Powys County Council, which operates the National Trading Standards Estate Agents Team, confirmed that Timothy Shinners’ name has been added to The Estate Agents Public Register.
The register provides details of individuals and/or businesses who are currently prohibited from engaging in estate agency work or who have received a formal warning under the Estate Agents Act 1979.
The entry is classified a ‘pending appeal’ as there is a formal period for an individual to appeal the prohibition order.
Prohibition and warning orders are valid indefinitely unless varied or revoked.
Under section 6 of the Estate Agents Act 1979 anyone who has received a prohibition or warning order can at any time, and on payment of a fee (currently £2,500), apply to Powys County Council for the Order to be varied or revoked.
Comments (2)
According to his LinkedIn profile – which of course could be incorrect – Mr Shinners appears to be currently “engaging in estate agency work”.
No doubt Powys are on top of the situation…
‘Delighted to welcome to the market this 6 x 10 bedsit with integrated chrome bathroom facilities and private security system. Regular patrols and gated entry system’