The PRS supports Camden Council’s 'Fair Lettings' campaign

Camden Council are leading the way with their ‘Fair Lettings’ campaign aimed at educating consumers about what they can rightfully expect from their property and letting agents. Camden is one of only a handful of councils in London that have issued fines to property professionals who do not comply with the law and are not a member of a consumer redress scheme ( see Sean’s blog: August 2015)

The Property Redress Scheme (PRS) is now over 4,000 members strong and between 40 and 50 property agents or professionals join each week. Over 95% of these are new to a redress scheme, so it is clear that a number of them must have been non-compliant before, even over a year since the legislation came into effect.

That’s why Camden Council’s #fairlettings campaign is a stellar example of what a council can do to educate consumers and help root out non-compliant agents.  This project, which culminates in a Twitter campaign on Monday 19 October, includes helpful information about legislation and advice for the consumer, which is available online.

The PRS will be retweeting Camden Council’s, who use the Twitter name @camdentalking and the hashtag #fairlettings, and, from 3 to 4pm there will be a live Q&A session with Councillor Callaghan, Camden’s Cabinet Member for Housing. The Councillor will give a wide audience the opportunity to ask any question they have about rules and regulations as well as advice on what to do when you find your agent does not comply.

The PRS supports this initiative and would like to encourage their followers, customers and affiliates to promote the scheme. Agents should clearly display which scheme they belong too and the PRS offer window stickers to their members for display.

Head of Redress Sean Hooker said: “Camden Council are doing a great job with the #fairlettings campaign. This campaign shows that councils can do a lot more than many of them are right now to make sure property professionals comply with the law. We always support councils who impose fines on property and letting agents who are not compliant. We all need to help in making sure the consumer can exercise their full right for redress.”