Deposit supplier audit heavyweight joins Propertymark

Deposit supplier audit heavyweight joins Propertymark, beefing up compliance team, ploughing full steam ahead with expanding audit provision.

Darren Kitchenside, who has been at My Deposits for the past 12 years, has joined Propertymark’s Audit Team as they launch a compliance support service called Calm about Compliance.

Darren Kitchenside

Kitchenside managed agent memberships for My Deposits before helping shape their audit department, focusing on agents with high deposits pools as a Risk and Audit Officer.

Propertymark released details of the new service Calm about Compliance in December 2022. It is a service whereby members can choose to be visited by an experienced auditor who will provide support and advice to make sure agents are fully compliant.

Propertymark has said the pressure is on property agents to stay on top of compliance, specifically with the increased enforcement activity from Trading Standards.

Supporting member agents through checking a range of different compliance requirements ensures that any anomalies are identified and discussed, correcting anything that could lead to enforcement action or fines.

Darren Kitchenside comments:

“What I like about Calm about Compliance is that it shows the positive connotation of an audit, as many agents don’t think happy thoughts when being audited, but we are there to show members how they and their business can benefit from it.

“With legislation constantly changing, agents need to understand it and implement so much into their daily lives, and Propertymark is here to help them understand why regulation is in place and remain compliant.”

David Oliver, Head of Compliance, comments:

“We are delighted to welcome Darren to the Compliance Team and look forward to him becoming an active member of the Audit Team.

“He has brought a different perspective to the Team, given his employment experience, which has already proven to be a valuable asset for Propertymark.

“I am sure that members will benefit from Darren’s knowledge to help them ensure they are operating to the highest standards that we expect of our membership.”

Darren, along with the other auditors, will advise how the right provisions can be set in place, as well as make sure the highest professional standards are met and maintained by Propertymark member agents.

Kindly shared by Propertymark