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08th September 2011

Martin & Co Cambridge Joins New 'Safe Agent' Consumer Protection Scheme

Cambridge-based letting agent Martin & Co has joined the SAFEagent scheme (Safe Agent Fully Endorsed), a new national campaign aimed at helping consumers identify lettings and property management firms who safeguard their customers’ monies with a recognized Client Money Protection (CMP) scheme.

 

The launch of SAFEagent, an initative devised by Letting Agents for Letting Agents, is a proactive step from the lettings industry to generate greater public awareness and help guide consumers when choosing an agent in what is still a largely unregulated sector.

 

Martin & Co Cambridge is already a member of the National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS) and the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA), and as such maintains and operates designated client accounts where clients’ money is held completely separate from the operating funds of the firm. The firm has also always safeguarded client money with a CMP scheme in place and greatly welcomes the SAFEagent campaign as it seeks to make consumers more aware of the issue.

 

Nick Diggle, company director for Martin & Co in Cambridge, said: “Landlords and tenants often make decisions based on cost, but it is important to ensure that potential customers also consider details of the member organisations agents belong to and are regulated by, such as ARLA, NALS, and SAFEagent. Landlord and tenants deserve peace of mind when it comes to their money, so look out for the SAFEagent logo”.

 

Across the UK, there have been a number of reported cases of landlords and tenants losing rents and or deposits, either as a result of unscrupulous agents absconding with client funds, or from agents going bust and leaving customers out of pocket with nowhere to turn for compensation.

The SAFEagent logo will appear in agents’ windows, on websites and on marketing literature, denoting that the firm has met the required criteria and is a current member of the scheme. Membership must also be re-qualified each year with up to date of proof of a CMP scheme in place.

 

SAFEagent is backed by industry and consumer organizations such as Shelter, CAB, NUS, the British Property Federation, the Trading Standards Institute, the Council of Mortgage Lenders and The Property Ombudsman.

 

For more information contact on the SAFEagent campaign, please visit www.safeagents.co.uk.

 

- Ends –

Notes to Editors

 

About SAFEagent

SAFEagent – Safe Agent Fully Endorsed – is a reliable mark denoting firms that protect landlords and tenants money through Client Money Protection schemes.  Set up ‘by the industry, for the industry’ it is supported by Shelter, NUS, Trading Standards Institute, Council of Mortgage Lenders, Residential Landlords Association, The Property Ombudsman and the British Property Federation.

 

About Martin & Co Cambridge 

The Cambridge branch of Martin & Co is a licensed member of the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) and the National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS) - a government-backed organisation set up to maintain proper standards of professionalism, best practice and compliance in the UK lettings industry. With a proactive team, and staff qualified in Residential Lettings and Property Management with the National Federation of Property Professionals (NFoPP), the Cambridge office is also registered with The Property Ombudsman and uses the government-appointed Deposit Protection Service (DPS) for all tenant deposits.