Oct. 31 (UPI) -- An upscale London real estate firm has apologized for failing to apply for local authority approval for Chancellor Rachel Reeves to rent out her familiy home in South London after offering to take care of it.
Gareth Martin, owner of Harvey & Wheeler, based in South London's exclusive Dulwich Village, said Thursday that the firm's then-property manager had promised to obtain the $1,250 "selective" permit required from Southwark Council, but the application was never submitted.
"We deeply regret the issue caused to our clients as they would have been under the impression that a license had been applied for," said Martin.
Martin said the manager unexpectedly quit the firm just days before the house was leased and nobody else in the office picked up on the fact the application to register the property as a rental remained outstanding.
He stressed the firm did not normally deal with the permits as compliance with housing codes was the responsibility of homeowners but the offer was made in this case in order to be helpful.
