Help with Letting Agents

mojojoejo · 1 May 2008 at 21:45

Well, not sure if this thread is as much about venting as it is advice (although any of the latter which is sensible won't be turned down)

I rent a place which is very nice, but the letting agents aren't the best in the world. By this I mean they seem to pick and mix what they want to fix and what they don't want to fix when it comes to house maintainance, but today they took the cake. We had a letter through about 3 days ago asking for a meeting with ourselves and the chap from the agency, so we phoned up and advised no as we weren't in this evening. My flatmate comes home steaming mad because he had a phone call from the letting agents saying he turned up, let himself in to find no one home. Now we specifically told him on the phone we would need to reschedule and that no one would be home. I don't let much get to me but this has got me really mad at the moment - because not only do they not do any repairs to the place we need (electrics in the bathroom are unsafe, clogged up drain in the garden which we've tried to unclog and they won't do anything about) but they just let themselves into my home after we said no. When we signed for the place they also refused to give original copies of the contract either, instead we've got photocopies (which I'm sure isn't allowed either).

GAH! What's the point in paying rent when you have no rights and the letting agents seemingly nothing to make them honour their obligations?!

Van Hellseek · 1 May 2008 at 21:49

When will people learn that letting agents are all ****tards? Go with a private landlord every time - they're also usually idiots, but generally the lesser of two evils, at least in my own experience.

Wiggins · 1 May 2008 at 22:01

You will find that all maintenence, although through the letting agent is in fact paid for and organised by the Landlord themselves.

The agency will only play a middleman role with regards to repairs and maintenence and will charge stupid amounts of money to the Landlord as they will have a list of engineer's and so on that do the work.

Speak with your landlord and explain the situation to them. I agree they have taken the **** by letting themselves in without anybody there. They have in fact broken every rule in their own book and many more when it comes to Tenants rights and the law.

When the wife and I rented our property, we confronted the landlord about these issues before we even signed the agreement and although the house is rented through the letting agent, we call him direct with any problems and he or someone else comes out and sorts the problem out. Costs him less in the end!!

Kol · 1 May 2008 at 22:07

Meh, same happens with us. We paid the deposit and signed for our property last year. Fast forward to August (contract starts 1st September) and conveniently the young chap who did it all had left. October, we finally get our keys but were still expected to pay rent even though we weren't allowed our keys. Odd that. We paid anyway just because we needed to move in asap.

Recently, the young chap who had left turned up at our door with prospective tenants for next year, odd, but I was busy as my girlfriend was over so I let him in and left them to it... then a few weeks ago our shower exploded and now leaks. The leak has seeped through the wall, into the kitchen and has now completely absorbed the power sockets used for our fridge freezer. We informed the letting agent about 3 weeks ago and they have done nothing. I told them AGAIN on Monday and still nothing. We're having to run an extension cord from one side of the kitchen to power the fridge and freezer... the boiler also has a leak and they haven't sorted this either. We informed them of that well before Easter.

Will we be using them again? Nope. Would I recommend them? Nope. I would name and shame them though. So, unless they sort it out I'll happily tell people NOT to use Martin & Co for anything if renting in/around Nottingam.

Wiggins · 1 May 2008 at 22:13

Kol said:
So, unless they sort it out I'll happily tell people NOT to use Martin & Co for anything if renting in/around Nottingam.

They are about as usefull as a chocolate fireguard. All letting agents are tbh.

My friend had a nightmare with them in a property in Dorset and vowed never to use them again.

Werewolf · 1 May 2008 at 22:14

Kol if it's affected a wall socket I would give them one chance to make it safe, then report them to the relevent people (is it local council who can condemn a house as unsafe?)

Water into any electrics is a serious safety matter.

Surfer · 1 May 2008 at 22:18

Go with a private landlord every time

they're also usually idiots

hey!

Kol · 1 May 2008 at 22:18

Werewolf said:
Kol if it's affected a wall socket I would give them one chance to make it safe, then report them to the relevent people (is it local council who can condemn a house as unsafe?)

Water into any electrics is a serious safety matter.

Well, what I'm worried about is if the wall is wet (internally) and the water then makes contact with the electric socket, what is to stop the electricity shooting back and into the shower where the leak is, whilst we're using it? It could be fatal, surely?

Thanks for your advice Werewolf. I'll get one of the guys to ring again tomorrow. This will be the third time, we've also signed a maintenance form at their office because of the issue...

Morba · 1 May 2008 at 23:29

letting agents have a habit of doing things you dont want, especially when they have a key.

ours was meant to come check our place over recently, i had a phone call from my wife who arranged to be in. a letter was popped through the door saying unable to gain access.
Now, the wife was in, upstairs playing with Jake (my boy), the letting agent has a key. So I rang them and asked why they did not get in, I was told that unable to enter through front and also went around back and could not gain access (back door was unlocked (its a double sliding door)), now this part really annoyed me... the stupid ***** left the rear gate open. Thank god my wife actually looks out the back before just letting our boy out to have some fun!

Muppets.

Van Hellseek · 1 May 2008 at 23:33

Surfer said:
hey!

Not all of them, but you have to admit there are a lot of morons who are trying to make a quick/easy profit with no concern for their tenants quality of life.

But then I have had a couple who were really great, and bent over backwards to make sure the tenants were happy. Much Kudos to all landlords who are prepared to go that extra mile.

However ALL letting agencies should die in fire.

Damnations Fury · 2 May 2008 at 00:01

Kol said:
Meh, same happens with us. We paid the deposit and signed for our property last year. Fast forward to August (contract starts 1st September) and conveniently the young chap who did it all had left. October, we finally get our keys but were still expected to pay rent even though we weren't allowed our keys. Odd that. We paid anyway just because we needed to move in asap.

Recently, the young chap who had left turned up at our door with prospective tenants for next year, odd, but I was busy as my girlfriend was over so I let him in and left them to it... then a few weeks ago our shower exploded and now leaks. The leak has seeped through the wall, into the kitchen and has now completely absorbed the power sockets used for our fridge freezer. We informed the letting agent about 3 weeks ago and they have done nothing. I told them AGAIN on Monday and still nothing. We're having to run an extension cord from one side of the kitchen to power the fridge and freezer... the boiler also has a leak and they haven't sorted this either. We informed them of that well before Easter.

Will we be using them again? Nope. Would I recommend them? Nope. I would name and shame them though. So, unless they sort it out I'll happily tell people NOT to use Martin & Co for anything if renting in/around Nottingam.

I'm also with Martin & Co and must admit they prety useless, though not the worst experience i've had. Moved into an apprtment in the city centre and as of when moving in around Novemeber time, 2 of the heaters (the major lounge one and the in the bedroom) did not work. So basically just coming up to christmas and it was freezing. Now I fixed them myself as I found it was actually due to some dodgy wiring on the plug sockets that I randomly worked out and so they just needed replacing, but before that I told them 3 times and until this day have heard nothing (have not updated them otherwise).

My worst experience was with Countrywide Residential Lettings who I left before moving into my current place. Up until this day they have not been able to gain me access (after speaking to them well over 10 times) to meter cupboard to gain access to the electricity to gian a final meter reading. I ahve gone into them with not only red bills but debt collection notices and they basically did nothing. The electicity company tired to cut the flat off, but due to them not having access I don't think they could either. Thankfully in the end the electricity company allowed me to close the account with an estimated reading.

So yes prety much all letting agencys are rubbish in my experience.

Morba · 2 May 2008 at 00:44

Heh, its martin & co that ours is with (though in west sussex), nobody i know with them think they are actually worth anything that is paid to them.

clv101 · 2 May 2008 at 00:50

seek said:
When will people learn that letting agents are all ****tards? Go with a private landlord every time - they're also usually idiots, but generally the lesser of two evils, at least in my own experience.

The truth!! I rent and take a lot of trouble to find a decent private landlord... never want to get involved with some numpty letting agent.

-Ad- · 2 May 2008 at 09:34

The letting agent I use in London is pretty damn good so far. Get things done when we ask, let us know when there are problems etc etc, and just found out that the water is included in the £150 one off fee we paid them.

RESULT.

Good luck, hassle them, go down in person if you can, contact council as well if poss.

Stinky · 2 May 2008 at 09:39

mojojoejo said:
Well, not sure if this thread is as much about venting as it is advice (although any of the latter which is sensible won't be turned down)

I rent a place which is very nice, but the letting agents aren't the best in the world. By this I mean they seem to pick and mix what they want to fix and what they don't want to fix when it comes to house maintainance, but today they took the cake. We had a letter through about 3 days ago asking for a meeting with ourselves and the chap from the agency, so we phoned up and advised no as we weren't in this evening. My flatmate comes home steaming mad because he had a phone call from the letting agents saying he turned up, let himself in to find no one home. Now we specifically told him on the phone we would need to reschedule and that no one would be home. I don't let much get to me but this has got me really mad at the moment - because not only do they not do any repairs to the place we need (electrics in the bathroom are unsafe, clogged up drain in the garden which we've tried to unclog and they won't do anything about) but they just let themselves into my home after we said no. When we signed for the place they also refused to give original copies of the contract either, instead we've got photocopies (which I'm sure isn't allowed either).

GAH! What's the point in paying rent when you have no rights and the letting agents seemingly nothing to make them honour their obligations?!

reading that i would assume that the property has been let out on a FUll management basis from the landlord. You should have been given contract details for the landlord. have you ??

as for the photocopies, the original is usually kept within the agents office, however you should not be refused a copy for yourself!!

Samtheman1k · 2 May 2008 at 12:28

Wiggins said:
You will find that all maintenence, although through the letting agent is in fact paid for and organised by the Landlord themselves.

That is completely wrong. It depends on if the letting agent manages the property or not...if they do, then they manage all the repairs and subcontractors with the only input from the owner being the approval to go ahead.

Sic · 2 May 2008 at 12:30

Don't even get me started on lettings agents. Scumbags.

JamesM · 2 May 2008 at 12:43

I work for a lettings agent.

1. Providing we give the tenants 24 hours notice we can let our self into the property. Its in the contracts the tenants sign, whether your there or not, we can enter the peroperty with the keys we hold. We obviously don't normaly do this and try to sort out a time thats convenient with the tenant however sometimes a time cannot be made and we will say we are going on a certain day at a certain time. Tenants pay the rent yes and you have rights but the property isn't yours and as managing agents we are required to do inspections, etc..

2. When a tenant phones up with a problem, we conact the landlord and ask them which route they want to take, either they deal with or we can contact our contractors to do the work. 9/10 most landlords are easy to get hold of and give you an answer however there are occasions when you cant get hold of the owner. For example one landlord who owns 10+ properties NEVER does any work when we conact him with problems, we chase him, send emails, phone and still he doesnt repair issues or it takes weeks, even months for him to sort issues out. Yet we are the ones to blame becuase "we arent doing anythig".

Im not saying this applies in your case but its quite annoying when people assume we're all alike

Stinky · 2 May 2008 at 12:50

Samtheman1k said:
That is completely wrong. It depends on if the letting agent manages the property or not...if they do, then they manage all the repairs and subcontractors with the only input from the owner being the approval to go ahead.

100% correct.

and on the photocopy question, just had the exact same thing today. we keep the original on file here, and send the landlord and tenant a photocopy. therefore if it ever goes to court, we know exactly where the originals are.

mojojoejo · 3 May 2008 at 18:39

JamesM said:
I work for a lettings agent.

1. Providing we give the tenants 24 hours notice we can let our self into the property. Its in the contracts the tenants sign, whether your there or not, we can enter the peroperty with the keys we hold. We obviously don't normaly do this and try to sort out a time thats convenient with the tenant however sometimes a time cannot be made and we will say we are going on a certain day at a certain time. Tenants pay the rent yes and you have rights but the property isn't yours and as managing agents we are required to do inspections, etc..

And if someone calls up advising that that time and date for a meeting is not suitable and cancels it (because you are allowed to do that as standard in these contracts arent you?) and then the letting agents ignore it and just turn up anyway.

Just annoying that we seemingly have no rights to privacy in our own home.