A RESIDENTIAL letting agent in York is playing a key role in a national drive to prevent tenants being scammed.

Linley & Simpson has become an inaugural member of a ground-breaking client money protection scheme – after playing a national role in its creation. The SAFEagent kitemark – awarded to its Micklegate offices – has been launched to help landlords and tenants eliminate the risk of falling victim to fraud.

The idea was shaped by a small group of leading players in the sector following a Government U-turn on long-awaited plans to regulate the industry, and a spate of theft cases involving unscrupulous agents. New research by Shelter has shown that as many as one million private renters have been the victim of scams.

Will Linley, director of Linley & Simpson, said the initiative was a big step forward: “Nobody books a holiday with a travel agent who is not properly accredited and registered – but, as ever-increasing numbers are finding to their cost, this isn’t always the case in the rental market, where the stakes are far higher.

“The kitemark now makes it far easier for landlords and tenants to differentiate between the good, the bad and the plain ugly among letting agents.”