Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Newsroom from a report by Property Industry Eye. Read the original article for full details.
Midlands Letting Agent Faces Allegations Over Tenant Deposits
A Midlands letting agent has been accused of failing to return deposits to more than 100 tenants. Landlords have also claimed they are owed unpaid rent by the same agent, according to a BBC investigation reported by Property Industry Eye.
Tony Singh, whose company Morgan, Payne & Knightly (MPK) operates branches in Birmingham, Telford, and Wolverhampton, is at the centre of these allegations. The BBC reports that the claims involve hundreds of thousands of pounds. Several county court judgments have been made against Singh and MPK over unpaid sums, and both have been reported to Trading Standards.
Repeated attempts to contact Singh, whose full name is Amun Singh Judge, have not received a response.
Deposit Protection and Trading Standards
Wolverhampton Trading Standards told the BBC it had identified cases where MPK had not protected deposits through government-backed schemes, which is a legal requirement. However, the authority stated it took no action because the properties MPK advertised were located in neighbouring council areas. Telford & Wrekin Council said it had found no evidence of offences under Trading Standards legislation, while Birmingham City Council declined to comment.
Employee Concerns and Property Checks
The BBC spoke to six former MPK employees who worked across the three branches. They claimed they never saw Singh place tenant deposits into a regulated scheme. Several employees reportedly left the agency due to concerns about Singh's business practices. Three employees are said to have left after a landlord discovered tenants were using one of his properties as a cannabis farm. Questions have also been raised about the checks MPK carried out before letting that property.
Singh has not responded to requests for comment on the allegations.
Source: Property Industry Eye