A BRITISH property firm last night vowed to investigate claims that clients had been duped into handing over cash in the belief their homes would be sold to Hongkong buyers. Dozens of people paid hundreds of pounds to London Investment Property Services. But a year later none have sold their homes through the firm, a British TV show claimed. Last night, the company's client services manager Mr Nick Sinclair said from London any complaints would be looked into. According to the BBC's Watchdog programme, phone salesmen told clients that investors in Hongkong were queueing up to buy British property. They said the houses would be sold, in some cases, within 90 days. The success rate was 75 per cent - and sometimes better. Clients paid between GBP400 and GBP800 (HK$4,776 and HK$9,552) for marketing costs in Hongkong. According to Watchdog, some found that the promised ''international showcase advertising campaign'' amounted to a small advert for each house in a publication called the International Property Review, which is circulated with the Hongkong Standard. The Review asks potential buyers to call the advertisers directly or a publishing company Kowloon Publishing Group in Central. Mr Sinclair said senior staff within the firm would never promise a sale. ''We never guarantee we will sell every single propery we take up,'' he said. ''We explain the service we provide and if they wish to come on board the offer is there. ''A gun is never held at anyone's head to make them take the offer. ''We are not out to mislead anyone. If there are any complaints we will look into it closely.'' Mr Mike Bradley, Hongkong portfolio manager, claimed the company was the biggest advertiser in the territory. Commercial secrecy prevented him from disclosing the actual number of Britons hoping to sell property through the Hongkong market or the number of homes the firm had sold. ''Hongkong investors are taking advantage of current low property values in Britain and the enquiries we have received are overwhelming,'' he said.
