A NEWPORT letting agent has been banned from trading until it repays £5,000 it owes a landlord.

Pinkmove Lettings Newport Limited - which is a separate company from Pinkmove Ltd estate agents - has been expelled from The Property Ombudsman (TPO).

This comes after a landlord who was a client of the letting agent made a complaint to The Property Ombudsman after not receiving rent of £450 per-month for ten months.

It emerged Pinkmove Lettings Newport Limited had failed to serve a Section 21 notice to evict a tenant who had not been paying their rent. The company had also told the landlord they had registered him with Rent Smart Wales, as is a legal requirement for all landlords operating in Wales - but had not.

The Rent Smart Wales scheme is in place to offer protection for both landlords’ and tenants’ money.

By not registering the landlord with Rent Smart Wales, it meant the Section 21 issued was invalid. The landlord then registered himself with Rent Smart Wales and made a further request for the agent to serve a Section 21, but he did not hear back from Pinkmove Lettings Newport Limited.

The Property Ombudsman had regular contact with Pinkmove Lettings Newport Limited and a deadline for providing their submissions was set, which they did not meet.

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The Ombudsman awarded £5,000 in the landlord’s favour, to cover the £4,500 in missing rent and a further £500 in recognition of the distress, aggravation and inconvenience caused.

But the letting agent failed to pay the amount required, and The Ombudsman referred the agent to the scheme’s independent Compliance Committee, which ruled the firm should be expelled from The Property Ombudsman scheme. This means the company cannot legally trade until the full amount is paid.

Pinkmove Lettings Newport Limited is not currently registered with a redress scheme, which is a requirement of every sales and letting agent in order to trade legally.

They also do no not appear to be a member of a Client Money Protection scheme, also a legal requirement, do not have any professional memberships or advertise on the any of the main property portals, Rightmove, Zoopla and OnTheMarket.

Pinkmove Lettings Newport Limited has been referred to Trading Standards and Rent Smart Wales.

Gerry Fitzjohn, non-executive director and chairman of TPO’s finance committee, said: “As a member of TPO, agents are obliged to comply with awards made by the Ombudsman, which Pinkmove Lettings Newport Limited has failed to do.

“This is also a reminder to anyone looking to instruct an estate or letting agent to also ensure they are a member of a redress scheme (The Property Ombudsman or The Property Redress Scheme) and hold Client Money Protection.”

A Pinkmove Lettings Newport Limited spokesman said: “This is an unfortunate and isolated situation. It is the first and only formal complaint raised with the TPO since Pinkmove Lettings Newport Limited began trading in November 2016.

“Pinkmove Lettings Newport Limited will be working with the TPO and the Landlord to ensure the award of £5,000 be paid in full.

“Pinkmove Lettings Newport Limited has no further comment on this isolated incident.”

Paul Cleverly, director of Pinkmove Limited estate agent, said: “I am appalled that Pinkmove Lettings Newport Limited have been expelled from the TPO.

“Pinkmove Ltd, who own and operate the Pinkmove brand, had licensed the brand to Pinkmove Lettings Newport Limited in November 2016 for use with lettings.

“That agreement came to an end in Spring of 2018 and Pinkmove Lettings Newport Limited was going to transfer all customers to a new non-related company.

“Pinkmove Ltd which is a separate company specialises in homes sales operates from Bridge Street. They are currently one of the highest-selling high street branches in the UK and have been graded as Exceptional by the Best Estate Agency Guide.”