TENANTS, landlords and maintenance men have been left out of pocket after a lettings agent closed.

A sign has gone up at Real Est-8 Property Solutions in Bournemouth’s Wimborne Road stating the business has ceased trading and those affected by the closure have been gathering outside hoping their rent money, deposits and pay will still be handed over.

Emma Taylor rents a house with her family in Throop and said she was not sure what had happened to her deposit.

The 27-year-old said: “There are quite a few people who’ve been affected.

“I’ve checked and my deposit has not gone into a deposit account. My landlady has been trying to contact them.”

Graham Thomas of Lynx Locks said he was owed £570 for work already done for the owner Clifford Wheatcroft.

He said: “There was a commotion outside with people wondering if they still have a home or not.

“It’s a shambles.”

And landlord Karl Baxter said he had been struggling to get hold of his rent money.

“We don’t know where all the money from the deposits has gone,” he said.

The Mark Liddle Partnership has been appointed by Mr Wheatcroft as a business adviser to manage the closure.

Mr Liddle said deposits had been used as working capital.

He said: “The business has closed and we’ve been asked to assist the owner of the business Clifford Wheatcroft.

“He is probably going to have to go personally bankrupt.

“He is a sole trader and not a limited company.

“We are trying to sort out the problems we’ve got with tenants and landlords.

“I think the money has been lost in the business.”