‘I don’t know if I can trust anyone again’

A RETIRED house seller says she does not know whether she can trust anybody ever again, after an estate agent conned her out of £5,000.

Claire Ainsworth, 35, sold Jennifer Scott’s house on Whalley Road, Accrington for £85,000, but told Mrs Scott the deal was only worth £80,000. The two had formed a working relationship before, as Mrs Scott had bought and sell two houses through Ainsworth’s UK Online Agents business and trusted her to sell her house.

However, Mrs Scott felt distraught by Ainsworth’s betrayal as the estate agent was in a “position of trust” and knew about her financial problems.

Speaking after the court hearing, she told the Observer: “I cannot believe she was so pre-meditated about all of this. I thought I could trust her.”

Mrs Scott said she has lost weight and contracted shingles four times since the incident occurred.

Furthermore, she has become extremely suspicious of estate agencies,and said she rigorously interviewed an estate agent from another company before allowing them to sell one of her properties.

Although Ainsworth was found guilty of fraud by false representation and was absent during her scheduled trial, Mrs Scott was adamant she would not have reported the crime to the police if she had apologised.

“If she had come clean, phoned up and said she was sorry, that was all she needed to do. It is heart-breaking to me,” she said.

The former Samaritan added that she feels sorry for Ainsworth.