A SOUTHAMPTON-based estate agent has been told to pay £350 by industry watchdogs after a complaint was partially upheld.

CE Property Ltd, trading as Charles Carr, has been expelled from The Property Ombudsman (TPO) scheme, which means it cannot operate until an award of £350 is paid to a landlord.

But TPO says the Bitterne-based estate and lettings agent has gone into liquidation, which means the sum is unlikely to be paid.

The ombudsman received a complaint that no inspections of a rental property took place in the final two years of a tenancy and the property was not up to standard as a result.

Daily Echo:

"The ombudsman was not satisfied the agent had carried out any inspections of the property in the last two years of the tenancy and therefore supported the complaint with regard to this.

The Ombudsman made an award of £350 to the landlord for the breaches made."

Gerry Fitzjohn, chairman of TPO’s finance committee: “As a member of TPO, agents are obliged to comply with awards made by the Ombudsman, which Charles Carr has failed to do.

"Although the company has gone into liquidation and has therefore ceased trading, a new company trading under the same name but with no linked directors is trading from the same address."