 The SAFEagent scheme is to step up another gear this week with a meeting of heavyweight consumer groups. The meeting will be chaired by Lord Best, and its agenda is to discuss how the SAFEagent consumer mark can best be promoted to the public, following its launch to consumers in September. The organisations attending have already committed to the SAFEagent campaign and have announced their determination to drive instant, recognisable consumer protection around the use of lettings agents. The groups include Which?, Citizens Advice, Shelter, Crisis, The Property Ombudsman, Consumer Focus, National Union of Students, the OFT, Greater London Authority and Trading Standards Institute. John Midgley, chair of the SAFEagent Steering Group, welcomed the collaboration and co-operation of these respected consumer groups. He said: “It is a key element of the promotion of SAFEagent to work closely with consumer stakeholder groups to accelerate public awareness of SAFEagent across the UK and join forces to work towards a common aim. “It is through amplification of the message across all possible routes that we can successfully ensure our message is heard and understood. “The old adage of ‘together, many raindrops make an ocean’ is one that comes to mind, and it’s tremendously gratifying that we are all united when it comes to ensuring the highest levels of public awareness.” The announcement of this consumer stakeholder meeting comes hard on the heels of the reference by the Government last week to the SAFEagent mark in its new Housing Strategy for England. It cited SAFEagent as a key way of promoting consumer awareness of client money protection. Housing minister Grant Shapps MP has also encouraged lettings and management agents to sign up to the kitemark. |