Estate agent sues former employee who set up as rival

A London estate agent is suing a former employee for more than £300,000 after he started a rival property company in the same area.

Emmanuel Aymes resigned as a senior negotiator in Foxtons' South Kensington office in January and set up London Asia Ltd. Foxtons claims he broke the "covenant" he signed which demands he remains "loyal" to the company for six months after leaving. The agency spends more than £3million a year on its "highly sensitive, valuable" client database and is seeking loss and damages.

A writ issued in the High Court claims Mr Aymes's business focused "in particular in the South Kensington area" and that he had "misappropriated confidential information" belonging to the chain. He is also accused of breaching his "duties of confidence" by "copying and retaining confidential information" without permission.

The company also claims Mr Aymes solicited three clients whose details he obtained while working for them. Mr Aymes, who is French, said he was shocked at the writ and had little knowledge of the English legal system.