The two agents who paid the highest redress amounts to let-down consumers last year are still members of The Property Ombudsman (TPO) and cannot be named under the redress scheme’s rules.

The latest TPO annual report, which was covered on EYE yesterday, showed the highest single financial award over lettings was £16,291, while £25,000 was the largest amount paid in sales.

The sum of £25,000 is the largest that can be imposed by TPO.

A TPO spokesman told EYE that the case involved a buying agent who purported to find property deals but had misrepresented the value of a property, meaning the buyer had been misled and had consequently suffered loss.

The lettings case concerned an agent who had failed to pass on rent to a landlord.

However, neither of the firms or individuals in these cases can be named as it is TPO’s policy to only disclose the identity of members who are subsequently expelled from the scheme.

Had the TPO complainants decided to take the agents to court, they might have incurred costs – however, the agents would have been named.