An online estate agent who is bidding to become a police commissioner was previously sacked from his job at the former Serious Organised Crime Agency for gross misconduct.

The Liverpool Echo and BBC both report that David Burgess-Joyce, a candidate for the £85,000 a year job of being Merseyside’s police and crime commissioner, was sacked in 2013.

Burgess-Joyce runs a franchise for Open House Estate & Letting Agents.

The Serious Organised Crime Agency’s successor, the National Crime Agency, confirmed that Burgess-Joyce had been “dismissed by SOCA for gross misconduct”.

A spokesperson said that it was in the “public interest” to reveal his sacking.

According to Burgess-Joyce’s Linked In profile he launched Open House Wirral in February 2014.There is a YouYube channel called ‘The truthful estate agent’ which is run by Open House Estate Agents – Wirral. It does not, however, have any content.

Burgess-Joyce, who is also a local Tory councillor, is now facing claims to resign from the local authority and to withdraw his candidacy in Thursday’s election.

Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson, who is on Merseyside’s police and crime panel, said Burgess-Joyce had “no option” but to resign as a councillor and from the police commission elections.

He also said serious questions needed to be asked about how the Conservatives came to choose him as candidate.

Local MP Maria Eagle, Labour, also expressed concerns.

Burgess-Joyce visited Downing Street in January and posed for pictures with home secretary Theresa May.

Burgess-Joyce issued a statement saying: “I did leave employment with SOCA on October 4, 2013, when my contract was terminated, the day before it became the NCA, but totally refute any allegations of untoward expenses claims on my part during my time working with the agency.

“I can confirm that I have no criminal record, have never been arrested or investigated by police or HM Revenue and Customs and retired from the Merseyside Police Special Constabulary in February 2014 due to health reasons.”

Open House franchises were being advertised this weekend for £4,995, with 25% discounts possible.

The offering is described as a local online estate agency, with earnings of £1,000-plus per week possible.

As a network, it has local agents operating from Plymouth to Edinburgh. Yesterday, there were 253 available sales properties on Rightmove and 90 rental properties.

Its website says that its online estate agents are members of the “OFT Property Ombudsman Scheme”.