Nightmare agent

[drhouse]

Originally Posted by kingjamesuk

It wasn't meant to offend. I am sorry if it did. I was actually joking about paying installments and making them clean.

However, I MUST admit that of all the flats I have rented, each one has been a nightmare to live in and the agencies seem to do absolutely nothing about even the most basic problems.

At this very moment I am moving out of a horrible end of terraced 1920's flat because of a number of problems. The flat is not soundproofed as I was told by the agency - in fact every sound (including coughing and the sound of a kettle boiling) can be heard through the floor. The 17 year old teenager below is completely anti-social and makes all the noise you can imagine. The agency says it "isn't their department" and the landlord doesn't deal with it either. The agency will not do anything about the leaking toilet as it "isn't their department" and the landlord just can't be bothered either.

When I moved in the agency had arranged for the previous tenant to move out only one hour before - the flat was dirty and I had to persuade them to get in a cleaner. The cleaner never came but mysteriously someone had been in to take a load of food from the stash that was left by the previous tenant - yuk. When I asked the agency to get rid of the piles of rubbish outside they told me that "it isn't their department" even though Environmental health had been on to them. I got rid of it.

When I asked the agency to fix the door (someone had attempted a break-in and the lock is half smashed and a huge crack is defacing the door) they said they would "get on to it with the landlord". Over a year later the door is still cracked and my toilet still leaks (I turn the water off to save on bills). I could go on and on but it all gets boring and predictable.

I called the Police about my abusive landlord and the environmental health have been on the case about the noise. The Agency have let me down on all fronts. Then there are all the previous properties...

One day I hope to have a good experience with an agency so that I can restore my faith in them. They look good in their freshly ironed suits and they say all the right things. It's just a shame that (in my own experiences) once the standing order has been implemented and the fee's have been paid, there is no further assistance.

Apology accepted - sorry I got my knickers twisted !!

I think you may have a point about letting agents though I have heard a lot of complaints about some of them. I think it is an added problem just now as a lot of residential agents went into this when sales fell away and they had no experience of this before - which was why I have never diversified into lettings.

Sorry to hear about your problems though and hope things turn out better in the future.

[kingjamesuk]

I think they do. I think it's about 10 to 15 percent, but I don't know for certain. If they do get this percentage then what does the landlord or myself get in return? I paid the original fee's which came to about £170 even though I found the property through an ad myself - otherwise I would have had to pay the whole £300 fee. The agents seem to have known the landlord for some time and I remember them saying "not to get on the wrong side of the landlord". I get the feeling that they are afraid of him. This may be why all my contact with the agency never got passed on to the landlord. The landlord just gets angry and abusive if a job needs doing. He has only ever turned up once, but left a job half finished. It seems that landlords just don't have any time for their tenants, as there is always the feeling of 'one sidedness' i.e. the landlord is doing us all a favour and the agencies always seem to be 'too busy' to deal with anything. Maybe I should pay less rent and say "I am doing you a favour Mr Landlord by paying you, so I will pay a bit less from now on" or "Sorry Agency, but I was too busy to pay this month and anyway it's not my department". It's all very frustrating, esspecially as I am a very considerate, clean and respectful tenant.

[kingjamesuk]

Thanks for accepting my apology.

[fallauk]

I have an issue that is ongoing with an agent - we gave 2 weeks written notice and after we sold with another agent they claimed that we were still in contract with them - Well the day we sold. This had to be after the original contract ended.. So that in its self seems wrong....

They then sent us a bill for multi-agency fees and now it looks like it is going to court - with them claiming we owe them when they did nothing to sell our property.

Our selling agent seems to think they are trying it on...

[EPalmer]

I had problems with my agent who did very little during sole agency and they after 6 months still wanted two weeks notice. The original contract I think you will find says the agency runs on until receipt of 2 weeks written notice. They are standard documents and unfortunatly we never read them properly.... You should wait until after that before you instruct another agent. Did the new agent advertise it at the same time as the old agent as I wonder how there was an overlap?
It is a common pitfall and to be honest they should have released you from the contract without notice as they had not done anything. However, they did not.
Good luck with it, I hope it goes your way!
Have you tried complaining to the Property Ombudsman?

Also,

[Tim Newbury]

I agree with you Estate Agents can be absolute nightmares sometimes. It is hard to tell whether when on your phone talking to them that they have got ear wax in their ears and just choose to ignore you that you want to sell now not later.

[kingjamesuk]

I am now trying to get the landlord to pay back my deposit. I phoned the agency who told me "it isn't their department" and to call the landlord. So, this particular agency does absolutely NOTHING what so ever regarding their tenants. What on earth do we pay them the initial fee's for if everything is the responsibility of the landlord? It's a complete con.