The person whose entirely legitimate business name and address was used without his knowledge by a supposed short-lets company has spoken out.

Martin McGrath had registered the name ‘The Home Letting Centre Ltd’ in 2013, with the aim of launching a letting agency.

Mr McGrath is a private landlord and small developer, so extending his activities in the property sector was a logical step.

However, for one reason or another, the agency was not launched and the company has been dormant since inception.

But the company name was kept on for possible future use.

It was not until two weeks ago, when Mr McGrath received a letter from TDS informing him that he was using their logo on his website without authorisation, that he was alerted to what had happened.

The London Short Let Flats website was using Mr McGrath’s company name, company number and registered company address – which is actually his private home.

Mr McGrath immediately reported this to Action Fraud and Trading Standards – exactly as NALS has done. The Property Ombudsman has also reported the London Short Let Flats website to Trading Standards.

The NALS, TPO and TDS logos were all on the London Short Let Flats website, which asked prospective tenants for money upfront.

Mr McGrath told Eye yesterday: “The worrying thing is that I would have no idea that my company name and home address were being used in this way, had it not been for the letter from TDS.

“I suspect that a lot of scamsters target dormant companies – they are easy enough to find when searching through Companies House.

“I must make it clear that The Home Letting Centre has nothing whatsoever to do with any company or individual who trades as London Short Let Flats or any other property company offering accommodation on a short-let basis.

“Indeed, as I have explained, the company has never traded.”

We put Mr McGrath in touch with Scamwarners, who told him: “Scammers can, and do, claim to be anyone they please.

“They will use company registration  numbers belonging to others and often copy entire websites to prop up their schemes and you can do absolutely nothing about it.

“Action Fraud and Trading Standards will log your report but that’s about all.

“What can they do about someone in, say, Romania copying your details – absolutely  nothing!”

As we reported yesterday, the Londonshortflats.co.uk site is no longer operational, after Scamwarners reported it to the website hosts. The telephone line has also gone dead.

Mr McGrath yesterday afternoon took the decision to shut his dormant company.

He said: “I will close the company down to prevent further scam operations from using the name as a front.”