As a Landlord, can you request Tenant details from Letting Agent?

im4gine3

im4gine3

im4gine3

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I'm currently renting out my flat which is being fully managed by the Letting Agent.

I'm also in a position where the current tenants have put in a notice wishing to vacate fro mthe property at a set date, which is fine by me and i have issued a formal notice of the same to them.

However i have come across a pickle where the letting agent is citing 'Data Protection' and/or GDPR, that they cannot provide me with the tenant contact details.

I checked online and there's several articles suggesting i as the landlord am able to get these details, and if they say otherwise, it's usually something to do with them potentially hiding something.

This is becoming an issue because i am wanting to use an alternative agent to provide the letting/managed services, and have set up a block meeting on Saturday to allow potential tenants to view the property.

Any advice on what i can do to get them to release the details, or who i should approach if they fail to act?
 
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I have the tenant names but no contact detail.

I was thinking of going to the property directly and talk to the tenants but wasn't sure if i was 'allowed' to.. as technically you are not supposed to disturb the tenants
 
Diddums said:
Hang on, are you wanting to ask the tenants to do block viewings this Saturday? And you're asking them today? Think you're pushing your luck a bit with that one tbh.
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radderfire said:
I'm not sure how it stands with just ringing the doorbell to speak to them, but you certainly shouldn't enter the property without them having notice and their prior agreement.
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rG-tom said:

Accessing the property | Housing Rights

www.housingrights.org.uk www.housingrights.org.uk

If your tenancy agreement does not have a term about viewings, you should:

ask tenants to allow limited viewings
check if they have a preferred time for viewings
ensure you give at least 24 hours notice of a viewing
confirm that the tenants agree before going ahead


today is absolutely fine?
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I managed to get hold of the tenants details by contacting them direct through the property manger/conceirge on site. The block viewing is for Saturday, however the agent was notified about this late last week, and yet they only notified the tenants about it yesterday.

I have a feeling the agents have been delaying the process as much as possible as i am leaving them for another one who is giving me a better deal.. and so they could be potentially be obstructing the viewing happening on the day.. i dunno
 
rG-tom said:
If you've already served notice to leave the place then it's hardly unexpected that viewings will take place is it?

They don't need to be home for the viewing, just be aware of it. Hell they don't even need to tidy :D
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According to the tenant.. he prefers it not to be the saturday as he will be at work and not in the flat.. it seems because he is still currently living there, until he vacates in September, he wants to be in the flat while the agent is doing a block viewing. Shouldn't matter if he is in or not right? or do agents prefer the flat to be empty?
 
my main concern about it is more related to potential and disruptiveness.

I can't speak for all tenants, or even this one, but i have had some pillocks in the past be 'uncooperative' to put lightly where viewings have taken place and they would bad mouth or become a nuisance, which in turn could turn away potential tenants. Not something i or the agents have caused but more that they are being evicted, they become troiublesome.

I'm just hoping the current tenant don't do the same.
 
dlockers said:
Why did you make the thread today then?

I am confused
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basically i was at a loss of what to do since we had been chasing for tenant details since Monday, and the agent seem to be ignoring my emails/responses.

I knew my window was closing and needed advise on whether i was allowed to contact tenants direct.. as i remember in the contract that technically i wasn't allowed to disturb them.

And because i already gave them notice, i decided to bypass them anyways as i needed a response asap
 
slinxy said:
some estate agents are just the pits.... I was renting a place where the estate agents just got in the way of everything, so the owner and I just called each other when we required anything. It helped that the downstairs neighbour was good friends with them too.

Once the washing machine was leaking water, I didn't notice as I was just put in on a timer left for work, and come back to the washing was done.
The neighbour contacted the owner as water has been leaking down, I got a knock on the door in the evening. They just explained that the washing machine was broken and they get me a replacement first thing on Saturday as they didn't want me taking a day off work or waste my time on Saturday waiting in... did I want a normal one or an integrated one?

I said whatever, I'm not fussed.. Saturday came, washing machine was replaced in under an hour and they got someone to repaint the neighbours walls..

When it was time for me to move, they were gutted... the estate agents kept messing about with when the house is official theirs again, saying that they need to do an inspection but can't do one till x days. The landlord just said that he inspected it himself (which he didn't), and to refund me the full deposit now and to give him the house keys back. The estate agents still changed us both for the inspection..

Having said that; I would never rent privately without an estate agents, just in case the owners are *****. lol
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The same can be said for the opposite. I prefer to go allow the agents to manage my property rather than go at it alone as i don't want to deal with the hassle tenants would/could potentially bring, whilst the agent can sort that out for me. Granted i may pay more for their services but it is a rrisk i'm willing to take for that extra assurance.

Having said that, i've been with this agent for almost 10 years so its been a first for me when trying to leave/opt out of their company to join else where. If they could match the competitors fees, i may have considered staying with them
 
[FnG]magnolia said:
Are these the same agents who are giving you what seems to be a problem?
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Yes.. and well these are the first agents i have been with since i starting letting my property out.. perhaps some naivety on my part for entrusting too much onto them
banja said:
Wait, are you suggesting that letting agents might be devious, dishonent, money grabbing shysters with the morals of a snake?
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ha aren't most businesses like that nowadays.. at the end of the day its 'just business', and they have to resort to some dirty tactics to get you to stay or disrupt you if you are committed to leave... had that happen with some ISPs.
 
Bald-Eagle22 said:
They probably think your trying to arrange a tenancy behind their backs . Just phone them and tell them, most of them are kids that hide behind emails and will probably **** themselves  when they have to deal with an adult on the phone . But hold on you haven't phoned them have you?
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Yeah i have been constantly chasing via emails and phone calls since last week. Half of the phone calls i may either come back with the typical 'leave your message adn we'll get back to you', or the other 'the person responsible for handling/managing your peropty is not available' ********.

It was only when i threatened them with possible legal action or citing TPO, that they seem to respond.

On a side note: weird my post count seems stuck.. probs made 30+ posts since yesterday and only moved 10 :S
 
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A2Z said:
So you rented out your property and didn't even get the tenants contact details? I mean how does this happen?

I've rented a couple of times and literally the first thing is swap numbers with the landlord, so can contact each other quickly if there are any issues.

And yea, don't use letting/estate agents, pointless and they exist just to take your money.
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tom_e said:
Pointless paying an agent if you're going to then have the tennant coming straight to you all the time.
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As @tom_e mentioned, i am not only using them as a letting service but i also use their managed service too.. that way, all issues etc will be handled by the agents.. and only critial stuff which requires my attention will come to me. It just helps reduce the hassle in case something goes wrong.

The only details transferred between each parties is usually just limited to full names and nothing else.. not even an email.. as the tenants shouldn't have to have any contact with the landlord whats-so-ever.

However had it just be the letting service, then what you are saying will apply
 
Diddums said:
Ooooooh viewing day today, keep us posted please. This is a very exciting thread.
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Will do!

And whilst i contacted the tenant direct.. i seem to be getting emotional responses from them now saying they will do this and that if i stay with the same agent. It would be nice if i can just get a second tenant to cover the second half of the rent, but both agents tell me that this isn't possible as it can get messy in terms of contracts, fees, incompatibilities etc.. it's a bit like leaving to look for a new job where you are second guessing yourself and can't make up your mind what you should do
 
Bald-Eagle22 said:
I used to live off the Burdett road . No doubt praying on the Canary Wharf set with a 2k rent price

Probably a few dead bodies In the Limehouse cut !
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Ha i've heard abotu that but always thought it was a silly rumour.. unless it isn't :eek:

Seems most of the flats around the area have been increasing their rental prices, so rather not miss out too.. even then i stil lfeel i could get more than the 2k asking
 
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