South Wales Quartet Banned From Estate Agency Work

Four south Wales people convicted of mortgage fraud have been banned from estate agency work, it has been confirmed. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The National Trading Standards Estate Agency Team have issued prohibition orders on the individuals. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Ben Pickering, Mark Cainen, Paul John and Emma Davey, all from south Wales, have all been prohibited from carrying out estate agency work after they were convicted of mortgage fraud in December 2014. They were part of a gang who falsified documents and applied for mortgages in various names. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Pickering was jailed for six years, Cainen for eight years and John for three year and four months while Davey was given 12 month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and 200 hours unpaid work. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The four will now be added to the Estate Agents Public Register, which provides details of individuals and/or businesses who are currently prohibited from engaging in estate agency work or who have received a formal warning under the Estate Agents Act 1979. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

James Munro, Team Leader for the National Trading Standards Estates Agency Team, said: “Whilst Davey was the only one who was involved in estate agency work when she was convicted, it was decided that there could be a risk that they may wish to engage in estate agency work in the future and that they would not be considered fit to do so given their convictions.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr John Powell, Powys County Council’s Cabinet Member responsible for Trading Standards, said: “Since April 2014, we have been the UK lead enforcement authority for the Estate Agents Act 1979 and our role is to prohibit or warn individuals and/or businesses who are deemed to be unfit to engage in estate agency work. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Section 3 of the Act allows the team to issue a prohibition where they are satisfied that a person has committed an offence involving fraud or other dishonesty, or violence. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This should serve as a warning to estate agents and potential estate agents in the country that if they commit an offence involving fraud they could be added to the public register and prohibited from carrying out estate agency work.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​