safeagent Accreditation Application Form

Accreditation requirements

Before you start

Applying to become safeagent accredited is a two part process.

Part 1 is completed online in the following pages and captures the relevant information we need to process your application. The application form should take no longer than 20 minutes.

Part 2 is where you gather information to send to us in order to progress your application.

Before you start it is important that you have read and understood the requirements for becoming safeagent accredited. As you progress through the application form, your information will automatically be saved.

The checklist below outlines the standards you will be required to meet in order to gain accreditation. Please Tick each box below to confirm you have read and understood the requirements.

Hold current Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII) meeting safeagent requirements
Belong to an existing Client Money Protection (CMP) Scheme or become part of the safeagent CMP scheme
Comply with safeagent Accounting Standards
Operate a dedicated client account*
Be a member of a Redress Scheme*
Adhere to the safeagent Service Standards
Acknowledge safeagent's Terms and Conditions

* If your firm does not currently have a client account or a redress scheme membership, please contact us on 01242 581 712 or email us at info@safeagents.co.uk and we can explain how we can progress your application.

If you need to come back to finish your application at another time, you can save at the bottom of each page.
Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*).

Firm details

Legal entity name*

Entity type*

Limited company registration number*

Trading name*

Additional trading names

Firm's trading address

Address*

Address Line 2

City*

County / State / Region*

ZIP / Postal Code*

Country*

How long has your firm been trading?

Years*

Months*

Information to be displayed on your safeagent website entry

Website address*

Email address*

Contact telephone number*

Maintenance / Emergency telephone numbers*

Additional offices of the firm

It is a strict requirement of safeagent accreditation that all offices of firms promoting their lettings and management services must be accredited.

Note: Additional offices must be part of the same legal entity.

There are 0 additional offices detailed in this application.

First Name

Surname

Trading Address

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E-mail address

First Name

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Surname

Trading Address

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E-mail address

Application contact

First Name*

Surname*

Job title*

Email address*

Telephone number*

Principals, Partners and Directors of the Firm

Personal details are required for all Principals, Partners and Directors, for credit reference check purposes. Please provide details of all Directors below.*

There are 0 Principals, Partners or Directors detailed in this application.

First Name*

Last Name*

Date of Birth*

Residential Address*

Postcode*

First Name*

Last Name*

Date of Birth*

Residential Address*

Postcode*

First Name*

Last Name*

Date of Birth*

Residential Address*

Postcode*

First Name*

Last Name*

Date of Birth*

Residential Address*

Postcode*

First Name*

Last Name*

Date of Birth*

Residential Address*

Postcode*

First Name*

Last Name*

Date of Birth*

Residential Address*

Postcode*

First Name*

Last Name*

Date of Birth*

Residential Address*

Postcode*

First Name*

Last Name*

Date of Birth*

Residential Address*

Postcode*

First Name*

Last Name*

Date of Birth*

Residential Address*

Postcode*

First Name*

Last Name*

Date of Birth*

Residential Address*

Postcode*

First Name*

Last Name*

Date of Birth*

Residential Address*

Postcode*

First Name*

Last Name*

Date of Birth*

Residential Address*

Postcode*

First Name*

Last Name*

Date of Birth*

Residential Address*

Postcode*

First Name*

Last Name*

Date of Birth*

Residential Address*

Postcode*

First Name*

Last Name*

Date of Birth*

Residential Address*

Postcode*

DECLARATION - THE COMPANY AND ITS DIRECTOR(S)

All Principals, Partners and Directors of the firm must sign a Declaration which you can download here

Details of other regulatory organisations

safeagent accreditation is available to all firms in the lettings sector, including those who can join through the firm's membership of another regulatory organisation (e.g. PropertyMark, UKALA or RICS).

safeagent recognises that the following requirements will be met through a firm's membership of other regulatory organisations:

Client Accounting Standards
Professional Indemnity Insurance
Client Money Protection Scheme Membership

Note: safeagent does not recognise the Client Money Protection Schemes operated by CMProtect or MoneyShield which are Client Money Protection schemes and not regulatory organisations.

Regulatory Membership

Is your firm currently regulated by one of these organisations listed above and part of their Client Money Protection scheme?*

Yes

safeagent Accounting Standards

Compliance with safeagent Accounting Standards is one of the key criteria of being a safeagent accredited firm.

Please tick to confirm you have read and understood the Accounting Standards*

Please enter your firm's Financial Year End date*

For firms trading for less than 12 months at the date of application, we require an Accountant's Declaration to be provided direct to us from your Accountant, confirming that you have appropriate bookkeeping procedures in place for handling clients' money.

Once your firm has been accredited for six months, we will require an Interim Accountant's Report confirming compliance with safeagent Accounting Standards.

For firms trading for more than 12 months at the date of application, we require an Accountant's Report covering your last Financial Year to be signed by your Accountant and sent to safeagent direct.

Note: Once you have gained safeagent accreditation, we will require a completed Accountant's Report to be provided annually on an ongoing basis.

The Declaration/Report must be completed by a Chartered or Certified Accountant who is a member of one of the Financial Reporting Council's Recognised Supervisory Bodies (RSBs) and has a practicing certificate. The Accountant must not have any connection to the firm during the Accounting Period stated on the Report. i.e. is not an employee of the firm.

safeagent Direct Accounting Compliance

If your firm does not have an Accountant, you could use the services of safeagent Direct Accounting Compliance where a safeagent appointed Accountant can complete the Declaration or Report for you. For more information, please contact us at info@safeagents.co.uk.

Bank confirmation of your firm's client account(s)

When you apply to safeagent and also on renewal of your accreditation annually, we require you to supply a letter from your bank confirming that your Client Account(s) is/are set up correctly. Download the specimen letter and send it to your bank with the wording we require them to supply.

If you hold a client account(s) at more than one bank, you should supply the appropriate letter for each account. If your firm does not currently have a client account, please contact us on 01242 581 712 or email us at info@safeagents.co.uk and we can explain how we can progress your application.

Your Firm's Standard Documents

Terms of Business

All safeagent firms commit to offering defined standards of customer service. Please supply a copy of your firm's Terms of Business which should encompass the safeagent Service Standards.

Customer Complaints Procedure

All safeagent accredited firms must be part of a Redress Scheme operating in the sector and have a Customer Complaints Procedure which meets safeagent requirements. If you do not currently have a Customer Complaints Procedure, download the specimen format. Adapt it for your firm and forward to us a copy on your company letterhead. You will note from the specimen format that we require the final stage for complaint handling to be adjudication by a Redress Scheme.

There are two recognised Redress Schemes for agents operating in the private rented sector. Please indicate which scheme your firm is part of. If your firm is not currently part of a redress scheme, please indicate which scheme you are applying to: *

The Property Ombudsman

Property Redress Scheme

Redress Scheme membership number*

If your firm does not currently have redress scheme membership or cannot progress redress scheme membership without inclusion under a Client Money Protection Scheme, please contact us on 01242 581 712 or email us at info@safeagents.co.uk and we can explain how we can progress your application.

safeagent Accreditation Subscription Terms

One-off administration fee £50+VAT (£60) payable on submission of an application. Should your firm either withdraw the application or fail to meet the criteria to become accredited, the administration fee is non-refundable.
Annual accreditation subscription £180 + VAT (£216) for a single office firm. For firms with more than one office, each additional office pays £90 + VAT (£108).

For firms who are not currently part of a Client Money Protection Scheme, a fee will also be due as detailed in the Client Money Protection section of this form.

Payment either by BACS or forward a cheque when you submit your application.

BACS payments should be made to:

Account Name: Approved Letting Scheme Ltd
Sort Code: 51-50-14
Account No: 80162452

Cheques should be made payable to 'Approved Letting Scheme Ltd'.

Undertaking

The applicant undertakes to the Approved Letting Scheme Limited T/A safeagent that the applicant's office(s) as detailed on this form will:

Only offer and provide residential lettings and management services which at least meet the standards which have been prescribed (and which I have read) by safeagent and agree to provide clients with a written statement setting out the services our firm provides and the charges.
Maintain and operate an appropriate customer complaints procedure which meets the requirements of safeagent and the redress scheme of which you are a member.
At the request of the client complainant refer the complaint to a redress scheme once your firm's in-house complaints procedure has been exhausted and comply with any award so determined within the timescale prescribed by the Scheme.
Pay the annual subscription fee and Client Money Protection contribution within one month of the due date. In the event of a firm terminating their accreditation or having their accreditation terminated by safeagent, the annual subscription and Client Money Protection contribution is non-refundable.
Maintain Professional Indemnity Insurance to comply with the requirements described in this form.
Supply an Accountant's Report annually within 6 months of the firm's financial year end satisfying that the firm is complying with the safeagent Accounting Standards for the handling of Client Money.
Maintain membership of a recognised Client Money Protection Scheme.
Display the Scheme's logo where customers can see it and in the event of its withdrawal or removal from the Scheme, nonetheless fulfil the terms of the safeagent accreditation in relation to clients with whom terms of appointment for residential lettings and/or management services were agreed after the applicant joined the Scheme and discontinue use of all material relating to safeagent.
In the event of expulsion from safeagent, the applicant firm acknowledges and agrees that, in the event of ceasing to be accredited by the Scheme as a result of any breach by the applicant of the undertakings set out above, the Approved Letting Scheme Limited T/A safeagent may:
- Contact any relevant authority (including the Competition and Markets Authority and any Trading Standards Officer) of the fact of cessation of the applicant's accreditation and the circumstances surrounding such cessation; and/or
- Publish the fact of the cessation of applicant's accreditation (and the circumstances surrounding it) by such means as the Company considers appropriate.
- Inform the statutory tenancy deposit schemes and Redress Schemes of the termination of the firm's accreditation.

Expulsion from safeagent

A firm's safeagent accreditation may be withdrawn in any of the following circumstances in order to uphold the Scheme's integrity and credibility:

If a firm does not comply with the prescribed safeagent Service Standards.
If a firm no longer has Professional Indemnity Insurance.
If a firm is no longer covered by a Client Money Protection Scheme
If re-registration fees have not been paid within one month of the due date.
If the firm fails to meet the requirement to provide an Accountant's Report within 6 months of the firm's financial year end or, for new firms, fails to provide an Interim Accountant's Report 6 months after joining the Scheme.
For firms becoming safeagent accredited through affiliation with another regulatory organisation, ie where the firm has a principal, partner or director who is a member of PropertyMark, UKALA or RICS - if membership of the body through which the firm joined safeagent has lapsed, been suspended, or terminated.
If a firm does not comply with any other safeagent accreditation criteria.
If the safeagent Board decides upon withdrawal of the accreditation following a referral by the safeagent Chief Executive in the following circumstances or any other circumstances the safeagent Chief Executive considers appropriate:
- Where there is evidence of a firm having a high number of complaints.
- Where a firm fails to comply with a request from the Board to give an undertaking to comply with the terms of the Scheme.
- Where a firm refuses to give an undertaking requested by the Chief Executive in relation to non-compliance with safeagent Service Standards following a random customer service audit.
- Where a firm has an unacceptable Accountant's Report showing failure to comply with safeagent Accounting Standards.
- Where there is evidence of a false declaration on the firm's application for safeagent accreditation or on any other material submitted to safeagent on an annual basis.

Acknowledgement

The applicant firm acknowledges and agrees that, in the event of ceasing to be accredited by the Scheme as a result of any breach by the applicant of the undertakings set out above, the Approved Letting Scheme Limited T/A safeagent may:

Contact any relevant authority (including the Competition Markets Authority and any Trading Standards Officer) of the fact of cessation of the applicant's accreditation and the circumstances surrounding such cessation; and/or
Publish the fact of the cessation of applicant's accreditation (and the circumstances surrounding it) by such means as the Company considers appropriate.
Inform the statutory tenancy deposit schemes and Redress Schemes of the termination of the firm's accreditation.

Declaration

I DECLARE that to the best of my knowledge and belief:

The statements set out in the application form are correct.
I have read and understood and agree to abide by the terms of safeagent accreditation as set out in the application form.

Download a copy of this Declaration for signature by a Principal, Partner, or Director.

I confirm I have read and agree to the above*

Thank you for your Application | safeagent

Thank you for submitting your application to become a safeagent accredited firm. Your application has been successfully received, and our team will review the information you provided.

You should receive email confirmation shortly. If you do not receive an email within 24 hours, please check your spam/junk folder or contact our support team at info@safeagents.co.uk.

We understand the importance of keeping a record of your application. You can download a PDF copy of your submission for your records by clicking the button below.

Download Application PDF

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safeagent Accreditation Application Form

Accreditation requirements

Before you start

Firm details

Firm's trading address

How long has your firm been trading?

Information to be displayed on your safeagent website entry

Additional offices of the firm

Application contact

Principals, Partners and Directors of the Firm

DECLARATION - THE COMPANY AND ITS DIRECTOR(S)

Details of other regulatory organisations

Regulatory Membership

safeagent Accounting Standards

Bank confirmation of your firm's client account(s)

Client Money Protection Scheme (CMP)

Deposit Scheme Arrangements

Your Firm's Standard Documents

Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII)

Terms of Business

Customer Complaints Procedure

safeagent Accreditation Subscription Terms

Undertaking

Expulsion from safeagent

Acknowledgement

Declaration

Confirmation

Thank you for your Application | safeagent

safeagent Accreditation Application Form

Accreditation requirements

Before you start

Firm details

Firm's trading address

How long has your firm been trading?

Information to be displayed on your safeagent website entry

Additional offices of the firm

Additional Office #1

Additional Office #2

Additional Office #3

Additional Office #4

Additional Office #5

Additional Office #6

Additional Office #7

Additional Office #8

Additional Office #9

Additional Office #10

Additional Office #11

Additional Office #12

Additional Office #13

Additional Office #14

Additional Office #15

Application contact

Principals, Partners and Directors of the Firm

Director #1

Director #2

Director #3

Director #4

Director #5

Director #6

Director #7

Director #8

Director #9

Director #10

Director #11

Director #12

Director #13

Director #14

Director #15

DECLARATION - THE COMPANY AND ITS DIRECTOR(S)

Details of other regulatory organisations

Regulatory Membership

safeagent Accounting Standards

Bank confirmation of your firm's client account(s)

Client Money Protection Scheme (CMP)

Deposit Scheme Arrangements

Deposit Protection Scheme 1

Deposit Protection Scheme 2

Deposit Protection Scheme 3

Deposit Protection Scheme 4

Deposit Protection Scheme 5

Deposit Protection Scheme 6

Deposit Protection Scheme 7

Deposit Protection Scheme 8

Deposit Protection Scheme 9

Deposit Protection Scheme 10

Deposit Protection Scheme 11

Deposit Protection Scheme 12

Deposit Protection Scheme 13

Deposit Protection Scheme 14

Deposit Protection Scheme 15

Your Firm's Standard Documents

Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII)

Terms of Business

Customer Complaints Procedure

safeagent Accreditation Subscription Terms

Undertaking

Expulsion from safeagent

Acknowledgement

Declaration

Confirmation

Thank you for your Application | safeagent