Customers have been left baffled after their estate agent shut up shop with no notice.

Farrells, a sales and letting agent in Goldstone Villas, Hove, closed its doors earlier this week without explanation.

There is no notice in the shop window or on the firm's website telling customers what has happened.

Those in the industry appear to have little clue about the sudden closure either.

Hugh Tucknot, chairman of Brighton and Hove Estate Agents Association, said; "I'm as much in the dark about it as anyone else.

"I knew they had closed the other day but I've not heard why.

"There are likely to be vendors, buyers and landlords out there who have been left somewhat in the lurch."

While refusing to speculate directly, Mr Tucknott added that estate agents which went bust were subject to the same rules as any other company in terms of going into administration.

He said: "They are just the same as any other firm. It is normal for a sign to be put up either in a window or website telling customers and giving them a number of the administrator to contact."

Farrells was established in the early Eighties and specialises in properties in the Poets Corner area of Hove.

The firm's website lists Mary Hodgson as the current managing director and Gary Vincent the head of lettings.

The Argus spoke to a woman who said she had been left in the lurch by the closure.

The tenant, a mother of one, who lived in Hollingdean, Brighton, said her roof was leaking at had tried to contact Farrells in a bid to get it fixed.

However none of her calls had been returned - but her £700 a month rent had still been taken out of her bank account.

She said: "It's pretty bad really. You would think they would at least put a sign up saying what the situation is.

"I assumed at first they'd just changed their number because nobody was answering.

"But now I've come down (to Farrells' office) that's obviously not the case.

"I don't really know what I'm going to do. My next thing is to go to environmental health because the roof is leaking really badly."

Another said he had paid an £850 deposit to the agent and has heard nothing from the firm since.

He has reported Farrells to trading standards bosses and is consulting lawyers.

Another customer, who is selling their flat, is concerned that Farrells has disappeared with a set of his front door keys.

Calls to Farrells went unanswered yesterday and nobody was available at its office in Goldstone Villas.

Neighbouring businesses also said they had no idea what had happened.

Have you been affected by the closure of Farrells? If so contact the Argus newsdesk on 01273 544530 or tell us your story at theargus.co.uk/news