Rogue Traders Features LPNM of Lancaster
On Thursday 22nd October, the BBC Watchdog programme featured a Rogue Traders feature which focussed on the company Lancaster Property Network Management (LPNM), and its Director, John Sanderson.
John Sanderson has been trading as a students’ letting management agent, acting on behalf of private landlords, under various company titles for a number of years. It is likely that a number of UCSU members are customers of LPNM.
The Rogue Traders feature, which can be viewed on the BBC iPlayer here, makes a number of allegations against John Sanderson and LPNM, including;
- Not paying students’ deposits into appropriate tenancy deposit protection schemes
- Not returning deposits to students at the end of tenancies
- Having unpaid liabilities in excess of £2 million
- Not paying utilities bills on time as per the student package deal which includes the cost of utilities, leaving students to receive and respond to statements of demand from utilities companies
- Applying potentially unfair contract terms on landlords
- Not paying landlords money owed to them as per their contract terms
- Excessive charging of maintenance and repair fees
LPNM has now apparently ceased trading, though a new company, which employs John Sanderson, called One Stop Student Property Rentals has been established, and is operating from the LPNM office in Lancaster, and is using the LPNM contact details. The One Stop Student Property Rentals website is redirected from the LPNM web address, and features a statement regarding John Sanderson’s responses to the BBC allegations which can be viewed here.
If any of our members have concerns regarding their contracts with LPNM or One Stop Student Property Rentals, they can contact Lancaster Citizens Advice Bureau here.
