As a tenant would you like this?

Zelie

I think it's a great idea.

I had a leak which unfortunately caused damage to my downstairs neighbour's flat. We've tried to deal with this correctly but the agent who manages their property is ignoring the problem and saying it's up to the owner of my flat to deal with. From this I assume that they want the owner to pass over a bunch of fifty quid notes. They are not providing any details of the damage or any quotes so repairs can be made and have made no efforts to contact the owner of my flat. It's quite frustrating for everyone concerned because we'd all like to just sort this out and get on with our lives.

I'm actually at the point that I'm thinking it would be worthwhile paying the land registry to obtain the other owner's details and writing to them to advise that their property has been damaged and that their agent is pants and how would they like to proceed. I know that they've ignored concerns from these tenants before and also from the previous tenant. If you can find out from the tenant how responsive your agent is then you'll have a good idea if it's worth keeping them or not.

sealady

zaphod_beeblebrox wrote: »

When using an agent, the tenant should have no communication whatsoever with the landlord

Why on earth not! We are renting through an agent but still have lots of communication with our landlord.

Going back to the original post I think it's a brillant idea! At least the tenant will see that you care.

pinkshoes

I think it's a great idea sending them a questionnaire to find out what the letting agent is like. I've renting through so many rubbish agents, that were rude, took ages to do stuff etc... and would have loved to been able to tell the property owner how their property was (or wasn't!) being managed.

Perhaps a few tick box questions, so it doesn't take AGES to fill in, with a box at the bottom for their own comments.

Also include a self addressed envelope with a stamp on, so they can return it free of charge, without having to address the envelope.

DitaBombita

Going to go against everyone here -Im a tenant through an agent and I would hate this. I dont think I would reply to a letter unless I was very cheesed off at the letting agent and would not like a phone call. I hate having inspections on the property.. not that anything is wrong. But it is my home, I think people forget that. I might feel different if there was a problem or our agent was rubbish, but I doubt it.

TFD_2

emmacrute wrote: »

Going to go against everyone here -Im a tenant through an agent and I would hate this. I dont think I would reply to a letter unless I was very cheesed off at the letting agent and would not like a phone call. I hate having inspections on the property.. not that anything is wrong. But it is my home, I think people forget that. I might feel different if there was a problem or our agent was rubbish, but I doubt it.

I understand your point - I don't appreciate inspections, and always ensure I am home when they come - I don't want a stranger wandering around my home (and it is my home even if not my house!). However I've dealt with various letting agents over the years, and some have been pretty crap, and a phonecall from my landlord is always fine by me - it shows he's bothered about giving good customer service...

LydiaJ

As a tenant, I'd be happy to let the landlord know what I thought of the letting agent, but I might be a bit suspicious of a letter or phone call coming out of the blue. How would I know you were really the landlord, and not just pretending to be the landlord to get info out of me for some kind of scam?

My own experience is this. The house is 5 1/2 years old and I've been here 3 1/2 years. It was obviously thrown together quickly and cheaply by the developer, and has had loads of problems (as have others in the same street). The letting agent are usually reasonably helpful about problems (and occasionally absolutely brilliant, as I posted last week) but could sometimes be better.

A while ago, the front door lock started playing up, and I sometimes couldn't get the key to work properly. The guy next door said his had done the same, and it had needed a new cylinder. I phoned the LA. They phoned the LL. The LL wondered if perhaps it could be sorted cheaply by lubricating it or something, and asked if she could come round and look at it herself. I said yes, of course.

There was nothing that could be done for the lock, and she agreed to pay for a locksmith to replace the cylinder. While she was there, I introduced her to the bloke next door, and got him to tell her about the problems he's had with his house, so she'd know that when I report problems it's because the house really is rubbish, and not because I'm trying it on. After that, I asked her if she'd like to see some other things about the house that I'd reported to the LA but they hadn't done anything about, and she said yes.

I showed her round. She was very interested. She was particularly interested in the extractor fan over the cooker. It was right next to a hole in the wall, but not connected to it. She wanted to know if the kitchen got steamed up when I cook, etc. She was quite annoyed that the LA hadn't done anything when I reported it, and concerned that the condensation would be bad for the walls. I explained that I'd tried rigging up a temporary arrangement to divert the fan output to the hole in the wall, but she said she didn't want the steam going into the wall cavity either. A few days later, the LA sent a bloke to put a tube through the hole in the wall and connect it to the extractor fan properly.

I felt that the direct contact between me and the LL was good for both of us, so I'd say go ahead. I feel more confident reporting faults now I know that the LL sees fixing faults quickly as important to keep the house in good condition. But maybe you could get the LA to introduce you or tell the tenant that you'll be phoning, or something, so they know that you are who you say you are. You don't need to tell the LA that you'll be asking the tenant what they think of the LA!

Gingernutmeg

As I tenant I wouldn't mind this, provided that I knew a) who you were and b) what you were planning to do with anything that I told you. My main concern would be that if I made any critical comments about the agency and they were passed on, then that would affect their level of service to me. I've had that happen in the past - agency were rubbish, I told the landlord, the landlord threated to remove their business from the agency and then the agency got on the defensive and started telling the landlord lies about me (that I'd refused access, that I'd damaged the property etc - I definitely (and provably) had not done either, and the agency were dumb enough to put this in writing ...) so I'd probably hold back on being totally honest if I felt that it was going to jeopardise me or my tenancy in any way.

Perhaps if I met the landlord 'informally' - at an inspection or something like that - and you saw that I was human and I saw that you were human, and you explained to me about your concerns etc, then I'd feel that I could be 'honest' with you. Personally I'd be quite impressed with you as a landlord for going to so much trouble, as long as I knew your reasons for asking the questions. I'd much rather meet my landlord anyway - it seems to me that a lot of problems and frustrations in tenancies are caused by letting agents who don't do their job properly ... It's a bizarre situation whereby I report something that needs a repair, the letting agents don't pass that on, I get frustrated with you as a landlord for 'not bothering', you get frustrated with me as a tenant for 'not caring about the property' and so on and so on ...

zaphod_beeblebrox_2

If you’re suspicious of the agent or the tenant then get rid of them

Either way, you do not bypass the agent of whom you have assigned on your behalf and contact the tenant

Are you sure your cut-out to be a landlord?

ginvzt

Danjames90 wrote: »

I own a small property in a different city and have no idea who is living there, i also have no idea how effective my letting agent is, I mean in terms of customer service etc

As a tenant would you respond to a letter from your landlord asking for your comments tec about the letting agent.

I have no idea if they are doing a good job, yes the rent is being paid every month but the contract is up in a few months. If they are doing a bad job it maybe the difference between the tenant resigning and leaving.

If you are my landlord, I would be so happy to tell you what I think of the letting agent!!!!! I have no idea how our landlord chose the particualt LA, but they are so 'inefficient'!!!! If we have any questions, it takes them weeks (literally) to repond and a few phonecalls in between. Also, we need to quote the specific sections of the law to get the things (like landlord's address) which they admit in the end that they know of (the answer to the quote was 'Yes, I know that, but why would you need it?' - well, it is my right, and I asked you, so be so kind and give it to me!!!!).

Head-Out-Of-Sand

Lettings agents range in their service (in my experience) from excellent to woeful. I think it is reasonable (and commendable!) for you to want to know that the letting agents who are taking a fee for managing your property are behaving in a proper and professional way.

I would definitely keep it informal, just along the lines of, everything ok, any problems with the property etc - if they don't volunteer anything at that, I would doubt there's any need to probe any further.

"Either way, you do not bypass the agent of whom you have assigned on your behalf and contact the tenant

Are you sure your cut-out to be a landlord?"

I think your attitude is excellent for a landlord - nice to know that you are concerned for your tenants! If only there were more like you!! (I like to think of myself as one, however I'm a resident landlord so I have the ultimate motivation to keep the house in good order!!)