A landlord is claiming that both she and her tenant are owed money by an agent apparently still trading after being thrown out by both its redress service and the tenancy deposit scheme it had used.
The landlord said that she has been owed £3,300 in rent by a firm she names as Carter Stones since last October.
She says her tenant has not had her £2,400 deposit back.
The landlord told EYE that Carter Stones continues to operate from the same office and with the same people.
Last September, the Property Redress Scheme announced that it had expelled Carter Stones, of Ilford, Essex, after it failed to make awards totalling £15,406 to four complainants.
However, as EYE reported at the time, while Carter Jones had been expelled, a firm called CarterStones Practical Living was trading.
The landlord who contacted EYE last week wrote to her MP Mike Gapes, whose caseworker wrote back, saying: “Mike has made Trading Standards, Action Fraud and the Metropolitan Police aware of Carter Stones following contact from a number of landlords and tenants.”
Despite being promised – on February 14 – that her money would be paid, the landlady says she is still waiting.
EYE rang the agents at their office in Ilford, Essex, and asked to speak to the person in charge. Despite giving details of our inquiries – including what redress scheme the firm is registered with and which tenancy deposit scheme it is using – no one called us back.
We have also tried emailing, without response.
Tim Frome, managing director of The Property Redress Scheme, told us: “Carter Stones were expelled from the PRS following a breach of the Scheme Rules. Trading Standards have been notified and are actively investigating them.”
Eddie Hooker, CEO of mydeposits, said: “Carter Stones were found to be operating outside of the mydeposits scheme rules and expelled from the scheme after they failed audit and financial checks.
“We can’t comment on individual cases that are progressing, but we are pleased to speak to any tenants of Carter Stones directly and discuss their situation.”
According to Companies House, Mohsin Alum Tahir, of Ilford, is director of Carter Stones. We could not find any company information for CarterStones Practical Living, but the internet does throw up old listings for last year, including on Rightmove and Zoopla, in the name of CarterStones Practical Living or CS Practical Living.
There are some appalling reviews on Allagents for Carter Stones, including recent complaints of missing money.
www.allagents.co.uk/view-branch/carter-stones/ilford-london/
“She says her tenant has not had her £2,400 deposit back.” – It is a bummer, but the tenant should not be put out. When does the landlord intend to return the tenant’s deposit I wonder.
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