Mystery surrounds a company trading as London Short Let Flats which is displaying a number of industry logos, including TPO.

The National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS) whose logo is also displayed has a warning about www.londonshortflats.co.uk and two others – www.london-citieslodge.co.uk and www.london-holidaylets.co.uk – on its website.

The warning says that consumers should exercise “extreme caution” in dealing with these websites.

NALS chief executive Isobel Thomson told Eye: “We reported the original site to Action Fraud and also to Trading Standards.

“We have advised anyone contacting us about the site to also report their concerns to Action Fraud.

“We also wrote to the registered office address of Londonshortflats and sent it recorded delivery but the letter was refused.”

A spokesperson for the Tenancy Deposit Service confirmed that the site was using the TDS logo falsely.

Yesterday a poster, Martin McGrath, on the landlord forum Property Tribes said that he had received a letter from TDS informing him that London Short Let Flats was using the logo when not entitled.

The poster had never heard of the site and was confused, and so rang TDS to be told that the firm was trading from his home address.

McGrath said: “I phoned TDS and was informed that they had receive several complaints from clients who had used the company and this led to them starting their investigation, which in turn led to the letter sent to me.

“Doing my own research, I found the company’s website … and on their ‘contact us’ tab they have used a company name that I own (but is dormant) and have listed my dormant company number and my home address as their registered details.

“There is a contact number listed, which when called goes straight to voicemail.”

McGrath goes on: “I have reported the issue to Action Fraud as well as Trading Standards, but my concerns are obviously numerous.

“Not only is my dormant company name (and company registration number) being used fraudulently, but as that company is registered at my home address, I’m worried that it could affect my credit rating.”

On the London Short Let Flats website, it says that the business is run by “short let estate agents”.

Eye had no success in trying to make contact. If anyone is able to shed any light on this firm, please contact the editor.

The NALS warning is here

The full post on Property Tribes is here