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industry news
Agent’s aims to ‘disrupt archaic letting
industry’ with tech appointments
Rentify, one of the UK's fastest growing
lettings agents, today reinforces its
position as a leading innovator in the
lettings market by announcing two
senior hires from tech giants Google
and Samsung to continue its mission
of shaking up the dysfunctional and
antiquated estate agency sector.
Promising customers a "fairer,
faster, smarter way to rent property",
Rentify uses cutting-edge technology
to improve the lives of tenants and
landlords. In 2015, the company will
build on its loyal database of 160,000
landlords, one of the largest in the
lettings industry.
Francisco Van Zeller, former Head of
Digital Marketing at Samsung, arrives as
Chief Marketing Officer, while Roxanna
Zea, former Head of Strategy and
Initiatives at Google EMEA, joins as Chief
Operating Officer.
On leaving his role at Samsung,
Francisco Van Zeller said: "I saw a
fantastic opportunity at Rentify to
disrupt the archaic lettings industry. We
bring technological expertise to make
renting a property fairer, faster and
smarter for everyone involved."
Van Zeller and Zea join CEO and
founder George Spencer, 28, as Rentify
looks to add pressure on the outdated
high street lettings market and establish
themselves further as the UK's number
one lettings service.
CEO and founder George Spencer said:
"The team we've assembled over the last
few months underscores our belief that
technology and service delivery are the key
to creating a transformative experience for
landlords and tenants in the UK.
"Francisco and Roxanna are world-class
operators and they join an outstanding
senior team who are passionate about
tackling an outdated industry. We're
proud that our team comes from a
technology background and that we
aren't just a bunch of estate agents
masquerading as digital experts. Estate
agents have proved time and time again
that they cannot offer a compelling
product for landlords or tenants."
Since 2012, Rentify has quickly
established itself as one of the largest
estate agents in the UK. An additional
10,000 landlords join its customer base
each month.
‘Landlord’ guilty over £100K Right to Buy fraud
A 60-year-old man has pleaded guilty
to fraud in relation to an attempt to
purchase a Lambeth Council property
under Right to Buy legislation.
Dr Enamuna Enobakhare applied
to purchase a property on Phil Brown
Place on the Heath Road Estate under
the Right to Buy scheme, when he was
not even living in London. Had the sale
gone through, he would have netted a
discount on the purchase price of the
property of £100,000.
The case was referred to Lambeth
Council’s Fraud Team as there
were concerns that Enobakhare
was subletting the property. They
established that he was actually living
in Romford at a property owned by
his wife, was registered to vote there,
and was also registered there with the
NHS, insurance companies, various
Government agencies and his employer.
Enobakhare claimed he was living
at Phil Brown Place and was therefore
entitled to purchase it at a discount
under the Right to Buy scheme.
However, interviewed under caution
by Lambeth officers, the weight of
evidence against him led to his Right
to Buy claim being refused and he was
ordered by the courts to give up the
Lambeth tenancy.
Enobakhare was charged with fraud
by false representation in relation to the
Right To Buy, in that Phil Brown Place
was not his only or principal home,
and with fraud by failing to disclose to
Lambeth Council the fact that he was
not living there.
Cllr Matthew Bennett, Cabinet
Member for Housing, said: “This is
another excellent example of the
work of Lambeth’s Fraud Team and
underlines the Council’s commitment to
14 Landlord & Buy-to-Let Issue 57 • March 2015
come down hard on cheats and frauds.
"This property could have been
used to house a family, not to line the
pockets of a crook like Enobakhare.
Not content with making money out
of subletting the property illegally, he
wanted to get £100,000 discount on
buying the house. I hope this sends
a very clear message to people who
think they can get away with this sort
of appalling behaviour.”
In court, Enobakhare admitted
failing to disclose to the Council that
he was not living at Phil Brown Place
and at Blackfriars Crown Court he was
sentenced to carry out 80 hours of
unpaid work and ordered to pay costs
of £3,000 and a victim surcharge of £60.
This is in addition to the £7,321 costs
awarded against him when the courts
ordered that he should surrender
possession of his tenancy.