As Britain is apparently on the verge of becoming a nation of renters, renting is now a necessary choice for many people who cannot afford the deposit needed to buy their own home and for some it is a more flexible option than buying. It is critical, therefore, that that the Private Rented Sector is treated with greater seriousness by the Government, says ARLA

According to Ian Potter, Operations Manager for ARLA, many letting agents do not offer consumer protection by means of Client Money Protection or they fail to offer consumer redress through an Ombudsman Scheme.

"The threat posed by unlicensed agents grows more pressing as the market expands, placing both landlords and tenants at increased risk of financial loss. Until the time that the Government steps in to regulate, our advice to anyone looking to rent a property would be to use an ARLA-licensed lettings agent to ensure theyre protected against unethical agents. Once again an agent in the East Midlands has been reported to have disappeared with their clients funds. This type of behaviour cannot and must not be tolerated," said Potter.