A SALES and lettings agent in Hove has been expelled from The Property Ombudsman scheme for 18 months for not passing on more than £12,000 in rents paid by tenants to property owners.

The Ombudsman supported a complaint relating to non-payment of rent on three properties to landlords whose properties were managed by Wilkins Residential, of Goldstone Villas.

The complainants said that the agent had received rent monies from the tenants at three of their properties but had improperly retained funds which they calculated to £12,925.

The agent did not respond to requests from the ombudsman to provide a statement of accounts or their company file.

The Ombudsman found that the agent had emailed the complainants to confirm the accounts would be up to date as soon as possible, which also persuaded the Ombudsman that they had received funds from the tenants which were not passed to the landlords.

However, the Ombudsman found that the complainants’ calculation for rent due had not taken into account the agent’s commission (which is a contractual right).

Therefore, it made a total award of £12,739.30.