http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1979/38/section/14Estate Agents Act 1979An Act to make provision with respect to the carrying on of and to persons who carry on, certain activities in connection with the disposal and acquisition of interests in land; and for purposes connected therewith.1980-07-01texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2025-05-29Expert Participation2025-04-06 Clients’ money and accounts Keeping of client accounts.141Subject to such provision as may be made by accounts regulations, every person who receives clients’ money in the course of estate agency work shall, without delay, pay the money into a client account maintained by him or by a person in whose employment he is.2In this Act a “client account” means a current or deposit account which—ais with an institution authorised for the purposes of this section, andbis in the name of a person who is or has been engaged in estate agency work; andccontains in its title the word “client”.3The Secretary of State may make provision by regulations (in this section referred to as “accounts regulations”) as to the opening and keeping of client accounts, the keeping of accounts and records relating to clients’ money and the auditing of those accounts; and such regulations shall be made by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.4As to the opening and keeping of client accounts, accounts regulations may in particular specify—athe institutions which are authorised for the purposes of this section;bany persons or classes of persons to whom, or any circumstances in which, the obligation imposed by subsection (1) above does not apply;cany circumstances in which money other than clients’ money may be paid into a client account; anddthe occasions on which, and the persons to whom, money held in a client account may be paid out.5As to the auditing of accounts relating to clients’ money, accounts regulations may in particular make provision—arequiring such accounts to be drawn up in respect of specified accounting periods and to be audited by a qualified auditor within a specified time after the end of each such period;brequiring the auditor to report whether in his opinion the requirements of this Act and of the accounts regulations have been complied with or have been substantially complied with;cas to the matters to which such a report is to relate and the circumstances in which a report of substantial compliance may be given; anddrequiring a person who maintains a client account to produce on demand to a duly authorised officer of an enforcement authority the latest auditor’s report.6Subject to subsection (7) below, “qualified auditor” in subsection (5)(a) above means a person who is eligible for appointment as a statutory auditor under Part 42 of the Companies Act 2006.7A person is not a qualified auditor for the purposes of subsection (5)(a) above if, in the case of a client account maintained by a company, he is prohibited from acting as statutory auditor of the company by virtue of section 1214 of the Companies Act 2006 (independence requirement).8A person who—acontravenes any provision of this Act or of accounts regulations as to the manner in which clients’ money is to be dealt with or accounts and records relating to such money are to be kept, orbfails to produce an auditor’s report when required to do so by accounts regulations,shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale.S. 14(6)(7) substituted (1.10.1991) by S.I. 1991/1997, regs. 2, 4, Sch. para.33Words substituted by virtue of (E.W.) Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48, SIF 39:1), s. 46 and (S.) Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975 (c. 21, SIF 39:1), s. 289G and (N.I.) by S.I. 1984/703 (N.I. 3), arts. 5, 6Words in s. 14(6) substituted (6.4.2008) by The Companies Act 2006 (Consequential Amendments etc) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/948), art. 2(2), Sch. 1 para. 8(2) (with arts. 6, 11, 12)Words in s. 14(7) substituted (6.4.2008) by The Companies Act 2006 (Consequential Amendments etc) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/948), art. 2(2), Sch. 1 para. 8(3) (with arts. 6, 11, 12)