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Thorn Letting Services

EDM number 845 in 1993-94, proposed by Jeff Rooker on 14/03/1994.

That this House calls to the attention of all appropriate authorities the conduct of Thorn Letting Services operated by Mr James Poyner of 8 Austin Court, 64 Walsall Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, currently accredited as a property letting agent by Birmingham City Council; notes allegations that Mr Poyner has been cashing housing benefit giro cheques, due to the tenants for onward payment to the landlords, withholding sureties from tenants, charging both landlords and tenants ú70 for writing one letter and the same amount per hour for receiving telephone calls about his actions with their money, in one known instance charging the tenant ú23 for receiving a 20-minute phone call from the tenant and charging a landlord's account the sum of ú80 for responding to a letter from an elected member of Birmingham City Council making enquiries for the landlord; is concerned that Mr Poyner complains to tenants who do not obtain full housing benefit by writing them letters referring to their having proved themselves 'skilled in obtaining full rent benefit' in the past, and continues to charge the landlords commission on the basis of the full rent; calls upon all professional estate agents and landlords in Birmingham to report upon the actions of Thorn Letting Services where they appear to be abusing the housing benefit system; and believes there is abundant evidence that Thorn Letting Services should be removed from Birmingham City Council housing Department's accommodation agency list.

This motion has been signed by a total of 26 MPs.

MPDateConstituencyPartyType
Jeff Rooker14/03/1994Birmingham, Perry BarrProposed
Ernie Ross15/03/1994Dundee WestSigned
Eric Illsley15/03/1994Barnsley CentralSigned
Lynne Jones15/03/1994Birmingham, Selly OakSigned
Eddie Loyden15/03/1994Liverpool, GarstonSigned
John McAllion15/03/1994Dundee EastSigned
William McKelvey15/03/1994Kilmarnock & LoudounSigned
Michael Connarty15/03/1994Falkirk EastSigned
Jim Dowd15/03/1994Lewisham WestSigned
Jimmy Dunnachie15/03/1994Glasgow, PollokSigned
Paul Flynn15/03/1994Newport WestSigned
Harry Barnes15/03/1994North East DerbyshireSigned
Alan Simpson16/03/1994Nottingham SouthSigned
Mike Hall16/03/1994Warrington SouthSigned
John Gunnell16/03/1994Leeds South and MorleySigned
Eric Clarke16/03/1994MidlothianSigned
Alan Meale16/03/1994MansfieldSigned
John Hutton16/03/1994Barrow & FurnessSigned
Peter Hardy16/03/1994WentworthSigned
Bridget Prentice16/03/1994Lewisham EastSigned
Derek Enright17/03/1994HemsworthSigned
George Galloway17/03/1994Glasgow HillheadSigned
Martyn Jones22/03/1994Clwyd South WestSigned
Ken Livingstone23/03/1994Brent EastSigned
Andrew Faulds23/03/1994Warley EastSigned
Michael Clapham29/03/1994Barnsley West & PenistoneSigned

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