Which letting agent would you go with?

QTPie

When we last had an offer on the house (Dec), I didn't have a lot of time to find a rental house before completion (supposedly before 5th Feb: Christmas was in the middle of it, then we were away in the US for 3 weeks over New Year.

So I rang around a few agents (in mid-December), viewed a number of properties so that, subject to availability, we could pounce on one STRAIGHT AWAY we exchanged contracts (I even left limited "power of attorney" with my solicitor - to sign things in our absence).

Found one house that I loved, got my husband to see it too (agent kindly agreed to QUICKLY let my husband see the house on a Saturday - she doesn't normally work Saturdays). Agent was VERY reluctant to deal with me: since it was mid-December and I was looking for a rental contract to start at the beginning of Feb. She thought it was too long to wait and I couldn't give her a (non-refundable £550) holding deposit OR sign a rental contract until exchange of contracts (which was, at the time, expected by mid-Jan). Anyway, got her to put my suggestion to the landlord... I leave a cheque for the holding deposit with the letting agent (not to be cashed until exchange of contracts) for us to rent from 1st Feb. Obviously IF anyone else is in a position to sign and pay the holding deposit before we can (before we exchange) that we loose out. Sounds fair? Nobody looses out... Landlord agreed, so that was how we proceeded.

Whilst we were in the US, we were gazundered, we refused to negotiate and the sale fell through. One of the very first things that I did (I was literally on the ski slopes when I found out), that day, was send an email to the letting agent. I let her know what was going on, apologised for any inconvenience (although knew that I wouldn't have caused any to the LL - no-one was holding the property back for us) and asked her to please void and return the holding deposit cheque to me (by post). Well I never got one peep out of the Letting Agent. I did get the cheque posted back (voided), but not even a compliments slip with it. I didn't get an email or anything from her. Great, thanks, glad I took the time to make it a priority to let you know... and you obviously take your clients and business relationships seriously... :rolleyes:

Well fast forward to now, house is under offer again (supposedly to a well respected, "man of his word", straightforward well-known local businessman and cash buyer). He has promised not to mess us around and is happy to proceed as quickly as we are willing and able. So we are pressing for a quick exchange (so we can sign a rental contract).

As it so happens, the rental house that I LOVED (and tried to rent last time) is still available. It is now on with both the agent I dealt with before AND another agent. So ASSUMING we proceed to exchange of contracts quickly
and ASSUMING the same house is available in those (hopefully) 2/3 weeks time... which lettings agent would you go for? The one who I was not impressed with last time or the other one (who I have no experience with)?

Now my thoughts:
- really the first agent introduced me to the property and showed me round (and then my husband round) so TECHNICALLY does deserve the "introduction fee".
- in my mind, I don't like doing business with that first agent - was not impressed by her complete lack of responsiveness when I took the effort to tell her straight away (and not mess her around) that our sale fell through (and we wouldn't be renting). Ok, she did send the cheque back, BUT I think that she should have at least replied to my email (to say that she got it etc). I felt that she "burnt her bridge with me" and was incredibly short sighted. Ok, a little Karma here: I didn't appreciate how she treated me... (I know, I am evil)
- thirdly - and most importantly - I am really not convinced that I would want to deal with that letting agent going forward. ASSUMING (and this is an assumption) that the property would be managed by the same agent that lets it, then I would be incredibly surprised if her (or her agency) has any interest at all in the tenants after the contract is signed. Would the other agent be any better? Possibly not... :rolleyes:

Ok, so would you stick with the original agent (whose attitude I don't like) or would you go for the new agent. Would I be on any dodgy ground legally if I wnt for the second/new agent?

Thanks
QT

franklee

I would forget the past and simply look at the implications of having to deal with that letting agent going forward. You'd need to find out if the agent or the landlord will be managing the property.

The fees an agent charges a tenant vary a lot so phone both agents and ask for the fees, that is all fees to move in, plus renewals fees and checkout fees.

Why not arrange a viewing with the second agent and see if they seem any better?

I'd also ask to see the tenancy agreement, the agent probably supplies these, read them both and see which is more reasonable.

If you have a bad agent manage your life as a tenant is so much worse than if the agent is at least half decent. So I'd interview them both, by doing a viewing and asking them questions and to see all the paperwork upfront, with that in mind.

If you want a covert look at the second agent you could ask to see a different property, so long as it's empty, I wouldn't bother existing tenants with a viewing if I wasn't really serious in that particular property.

Not that it should matter if you view the property you want with the second agent, it just may make negotiations harder if the landlord thinks there are two lots of people interested when in fact they are both you.

50plusabit

I think you have answered the question yourself. Go with your gut instinct, if the first agent was like that when you were looking to rent and make her money, what will her attitude be during the tenancy.
The landlord has obviously a need to rent the house, and they have not managed to do so since before Xmas ! In most areas there is a shortage of properties, none stay on the market for long, unless the property is bad or the agent is useless. A letting agent who does not work on a Saturday, that says it all.
I would book appointment to see an empty property and this property with the other agent, ask all the questions when going around on the viewings. If your still happy with the property make the agent an offer of the rent, if its been empty that long LL will want it occupied.

"Interviewing" the agent will get you nowhere, other that a blunt no and a will not help your search for a property. As an agent I would have been quite happy for you to come and talk to the staff in the office, and ask any question and look at a specimen tenancy agreement, but its a business, until the deposit is put down, and you intention is shown to be genuine, no agent will spend ages with you.
The other thought is why not approach the buyer to rent back the house for a few months, if he has brought it as an investment or BTL.
Good luck.

QTPie

Thank you very much, both of you.

50plusabit, you do have a very good point: attempting to rent back our own house WOULD be a very sensible and a cheaper option (the rent would be cheaper than the house I am looking at AND we would save a move). I think that - assuming that he doesn't already have someone lined up (which is possible) - we would make excellent tenants too (the house is immaculate and we would obviously keep it that way).

BUT I am looking for a bit of a clean break, if we can. But I will bear it in mind. If I can get the rental property that I want, I would like to go for it. If - for some reason - we don't, then I will try to negotiate with the buyer of this one...

I have already seen a copy of the tenancy agreement for the first agent: so I have that to compare with if I can get one from the second agent.

The point of pointing about forgetting the past and thinking about the future is very wise: I will do that. I certainly have HUGE reservations about that first agent, going forward. I appreciate that she is a business woman, BUT I also think that how you treat people in business is VERY important and she doesn't seem to get that. I dread to think how she treats tenants (whose money she already has).

I am HOPING that our exchange is going to go through very quickly - will get a better idea next week (when our solicitors start talking and, hopefully, when they schedule whatever survey they want done - I assume that they will, even though they are not going through a mortgage lender and the house still has 5 years of NHBC warranty to run...). One I get a better idea of the timetable and progress, I will arrange a viewing with the second agent - if they have a few in the same price range, I may see a few with them. I will try to get a feeling for how they operate. The properities that I saw in December, ALL of them were empty (bizarre!): so I shouldn't bother any tenants .

Thanks again
QT

franklee

50plusabit wrote: »

I would book appointment to see an empty property and this property with the other agent, ask all the questions when going around on the viewings. If your still happy with the property make the agent an offer of the rent, if its been empty that long LL will want it occupied.

"Interviewing" the agent will get you nowhere, other that a blunt no and a will not help your search for a property. As an agent I would have been quite happy for you to come and talk to the staff in the office, and ask any question and look at a specimen tenancy agreement, but its a business, until the deposit is put down, and you intention is shown to be genuine, no agent will spend ages with you.

A viewing is an interview in my book. As well as looking at the property I will be making a judgement on if the agent is one I'd be happy to deal with, and I expect they're doing the same with me.

Certainly I'll get them talking, ask about fees etc. If I'm the least bit interested I ask to see the tenancy agreement and list of all charges and have never has a refusal to see these.

This process has made me walk away from stunning properties simply because of the agent's contract being very unfair and oddly these also seem to be the ones with the highest fees.

I would not expect to have to put down a deposit before getting the above details.

Also I have occasionally popped in off the street into an agent's office to collect some details, again I ask for all fess, again I've never had anyone refuse. If they want to let to a tenant they do have to be prepared to answer initial queries IMO and the attitude they show matters a lot.

So locally I have my favourites and those I would not touch regardless of the properties they have advertised.