Estate agent stole my parents deposit.

[pajg76]

My parents used a local estate agent when we moved into our last property in 2007, deposit and rent was paid in cash which we still have the receipts to. In 2009 he was prosecuted on 5 counts of fraud his company went bust too and he was given a suspended sentence my parents received nothing at all I have since learned that this man is now working full time and living back in the area and is using social media showing pictures of him enjoying foreign holidays etc to be honest it makes me sick when my parents are both pensioners i am wondering if there is any way my parents can get their money back? any help will be gratefully received.

[king12345]

If he was trading using a limited company there's nothing much you can do.

I think, and experts might correct me if I'm wrong, that there are very few cases of courts awarding compensation using limited company director's assets.

Unfortunate story

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Members of my family had exactly the same experience with a letting agency that demanded all payments in cash deposit 1st 2 months rent, search and admin fees nearly 2K they did this a large number of families the director(s) were barred from running limited companies for 10 years, no money recovered and they continue to live in a very large property seemingly with out a care.

[The Carpet Cleaners]

The deposit is the responsibility of the Landlord and not the estate agent.

 

When you parents come to leave the property it is the Landlord who will legally have to return the deposit, and then claim it back from the agent if he can.......

 

If the Landlord does not wish to pay it back claiming he never saw it... your parents should take him to court for the return and the judge should find in their favour..

[Steve__M]

As the carpet cleaner said.

 

I expect I am about to be involved in helping sue a landlord in a similar scenario (Iamnotalawyer though).

[pajg76]

we no longer live in that property we moved in 2008 before his court case, The landlord at that property made threats to us as he didn't get the money that we paid.

[The Carpet Cleaners]

all you can do is sue the former LL then. If he threatens again tell the police, but he is the only one that you have recourse with for the deposit. As I said it is then up to him to sue the former agent.