Trading Standards Investigations into Lettings Agents and Property Managers

The request was partially successful.

Dear Ealing Borough Council,

Would you please supply the following information under the Freedom of Information Act.

The number of trading standards investigations carried out in relation to letting agents and property management companies in the past 5 years. If the number of investigations is less than 15, please extend the period to 10 years.

With the data please expand using the following criteria:

What was the exact nature of those investigations and outcome on a case by case basis and who were the alleged offending agents involved in those cases. With this in mind please clarify the investigations using the following format taking note of the examples.

Date: xx/xxxx
Company: ABC Agents
Offence/s: Breach of section xx of xxxx Act /Reg xxxx
Nature of Offence: Misleading action/Omission/Money Laundering/Failure to Register for Redress Scheme
Action Taken: Warning Issued/Court Proceedings Taken (Outcome)/ Referred to Police/SFO/CMA/ Or Relevant comment

Date: xx/xxxx
Company: (Under Investigation)
Offence/s: Breach of section xx of xxxx Act /Reg xxxx
Nature of Offence: Misleading action/Omission/Money Laundering/Failure to Register for Redress Scheme
Action Taken: Under Investigation/Proceeding With Court Case/Referred to Police/SFO/CMA/Or Relevant Comment

It is understood that disclosure of any company’s details is not covered by the DPA and therefore cannot be withheld unless there is a current ongoing investigation against the company. In stating this exception only applies to ongoing investigations and does not preclude the company being named relating to previous investigations. If there is an ongoing investigation then please indicate the investigation and omit the company’s name.

Finally, the release of this information is in the public interest and appreciate your cooperation in this matter.

Yours sincerely,

M Doyle

foirequests, Ealing Borough Council

2 Attachments

 

 

Dear Mr Doyle,

 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 - INFORMATION REQUEST (ACKNOWLEDGEMENT)

 

Thank you for your request for information.

It has been allocated the reference number of 17/1618; please keep a
record of this number.

 

Requests can take up to 20 working days to complete.  If we require some
further clarification in order to complete your request, we will contact
you to inform you of information we require.

 

Yours sincerely,   

 

Cynthia Muir

Corporate Information Governance Officer

Ealing Council Freedom of Information

 

[1]cid:image001.png@01D320DC.13A4AE90

 

 

 

 

From: Mark [mailto:[FOI #442833 email]]
Sent: 03 November 2017 14:49
To: foirequests <[Ealing Borough Council request email]>
Subject: 17-1618 Freedom of Information request - Trading Standards
Investigations into Lettings Agents and Property Managers

 

Dear Ealing Borough Council,

Would you please supply the following information under the Freedom of
Information Act.

The number of trading standards investigations carried out in relation to
letting agents and property management companies in the past 5 years. If
the number of investigations is less than 15, please extend the period to
10 years.

With the data please expand using the following criteria:

What was the exact nature of those investigations and outcome on a case by
case basis and who were the alleged offending agents involved in those
cases. With this in mind please clarify the investigations using the
following format taking note of the examples.

Date: xx/xxxx
Company: ABC Agents
Offence/s: Breach of section xx of xxxx Act /Reg xxxx
Nature of Offence: Misleading action/Omission/Money Laundering/Failure to
Register for Redress Scheme
Action Taken: Warning Issued/Court Proceedings Taken (Outcome)/ Referred
to Police/SFO/CMA/ Or Relevant comment

Date: xx/xxxx
Company: (Under Investigation)
Offence/s: Breach of section xx of xxxx Act /Reg xxxx
Nature of Offence: Misleading action/Omission/Money Laundering/Failure to
Register for Redress Scheme
Action Taken: Under Investigation/Proceeding With Court Case/Referred to
Police/SFO/CMA/Or Relevant Comment

It is understood that disclosure of any company’s details is not covered
by the DPA and therefore cannot be withheld unless there is a current
ongoing investigation against the company. In stating this exception only
applies to ongoing investigations and does not preclude the company being
named relating to previous investigations. If there is an ongoing
investigation then please indicate the investigation and omit the
company’s name.

Finally, the release of this information is in the public interest and
appreciate your cooperation in this matter.

Yours sincerely,

M Doyle

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foirequests, Ealing Borough Council

3 Attachments

Dear Mark Doyle,

 

Please find attached response to your recent Freedom of Information
request.

 

Kind Regards

 

Stuart O’Brien

Information Governance Officer

 

Ealing Council

Freedom of Information

3rd  Floor, North East

Perceval House

14-16 Uxbridge Road

London W5 2HL

Tel: (020) 8825 5000

 

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you can request
an internal review. 

Details of the Freedom of Information complaints process can be found at:

 

[1]http://www.ealing.gov.uk/info/200640/fre...

 

Your request for an internal review should be submitted to us within 40
working days of your receipt of this response.  Any such request received
after this time will only be considered at our discretion.

 

If you remain dissatisfied by the outcome of the Internal Review you have
the right to submit your complaint to the Information Commissioner at:

 

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Cheshire SK9 5AF

 

 

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