Good news for Britain’s army of private tenants: from October 1, every lettings agent must be a member of an ombudsman-style scheme as the Government tries to clamp down on dodgy agents, high fees and unfair treatment of tenants. That will be too late for victims of Kieran Farrer, 35, who set up TFT Cumbria Property Rentals in Carlisle, Cumbria. His tenants were asked for a deposit, but their money was not returned to them when tenancies ended and their rent was not handed over to the landlords. Altogether, some £17,580 disappeared and Farrer was last week sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, and put on probation. Farrer’s case demonstrates the risks for tenants from an industry where there has been, until now, only voluntary regulation. But from the beginning of next month, all agents must join one of three schemes - the Property Ombudsman, the Property Redress Scheme or Ombudsman Services Property......Read more here