We will investigate any concerns that we believe warrant an investigation.
If we find that an estate agent or a letting agent has broken the law or estate agency standards, we can give them a warning. We can also give them a list of issues that they need to address going forward. If we discover serious irregularities, we can ban an estate agent or a letting agent from trading for a certain period of time or cancel their registration altogether, in which case they will be forced to close down their business.
If we find that an estate agent or a letting agent has failed to register and is therefore operating illegally, we can ban them from trading and threaten to fine them if they do not comply with the ban.
We cannot order estate agents or letting agents to pay damages or to give discounts or refunds on agency fees already paid. The Consumer Disputes Board can give recommendations as to how these kinds of situations should be resolved. The Consumer Disputes Board’s recommendations are not legally enforceable, but most businesses choose to abide by them.
General courts have jurisdiction in civil disputes.