renting property through rubbish agency

simpywimpy

Got my second rent cheque through today but was only 3 instead of 4 weeks included. No explanation with it so I called and was asurred they would phone me back - they didnt.

Went into their office to be told that they are waiting for the tenant to make up the difference between their benefit and the total rent. Fair enough but couldnt they have put a note with the cheque or even on the system in the office for when I phoned?

Whilst in the office I notice that the tenants have to pay the agency an admin fee of £225. I know this is common practice but when I went in last month to ask about how much deposit they had taken I was told they didnt ask for deposits as the tenants couldnt afford to do it...

I didnt agree to no deposit being taken, neither have we signed a contract with them either. Could I therefore just drop the agency altogether?

I would rather drop the tenants rent by the charges incurred by using the agency than line their pockets for doing sod all.

socrates

Why on earth would you go to an agency to provide you with a tenant who is on benefits?

You could get them directly from your local authorities housing department and most of them provide rent deposit schemes.

These type of letting agents are getting money for old rope and I would not be surprised if they got a fee from the LA as well as you - its the oldest trick in the book.

Is there a guarantor?

franklee

Didn't you check the agent's terms and conditions before agreeing to use them? Any landlord would want to look at an agent from a tenant's point of view too as that affects how tenants are found and retained. Excessive agent's fees would deter me from renting from such an agent.

adg1

The council can provide you with tenants directly and they will either guarantee the deposit or make sure the tenants have one. Is this a normal lettings agent? or do they only deal with council tenants?

I'd be more worried about the lack of deposit taken by the lettings agent and the fact that they didn't tell you. What if the tenant messes up the property.

The council pay rents fortnightly, so there is no reason why she sould have been short one month - check with the lettings agent as to why it was short.

Speak to your tenant and see if they have a case worker at the council who could also tell you, with your tenants permission, why it was short.

By stating that you haven't signed a contract with the EA, is that a tenancy agreement of a 'we will let your property for you' contract? If they are not manageing your property for you you can insist that they stop taking the rent and get your tenant to give it direct to you.

Some local authorities pay the rent to the tenants and some to the lettings agent/lanlord directly. Find otu which way this one is done and you might find out why it was short. Sounds like it may be through the tenant and she has got herself short one month.

Hope that helps!

simpywimpy

Thanks. I read the contract with them and it mentions what they do with any deposit they take but apparently it is not their policy to take one - nowhere in their paperwork does it state that they werent going to take one. Neither does it mention the excessive fee the tenant paid to use them either.

I told the agency that when the tenant ws found by them, I would have expected a letter stating when the tenancy had started, the name of the tenant and rate of rent etc but Ive had nothing at all from them.

adg1

An agents fee is standard be it £75 or £400. It covers all their expenses etc. There will be no mention of that in your contracts as its the tenants responsibility.

You don't mention - is it a high street agency or a council specific one? All agents should take a deposit as it is in their clients best interests to have some collateral on the expensive house just rented to someone that they can only reference so far.

I've never heard of an agent where a deposit for a rental property is not standard, if not vital - it normally states that a tenancy is only confirmed when both contracts are in and the deposit and first months rent is paid.

The tenants move date, details, rental amount should all be somewhere on the rental agreement that you signed at the start of the tenancy.

I'd read that through and have a chat with the agency about what happens if the tenant leaves the house and there is work required - a deposit would cover that mostly, but if there isn't one?

What is the name of the agent? Maybe others have used them and had no deposits taken and been fine?

simpywimpy

The agency is a local one called 2let and is based in Burnley.The only agreement we have is the contract between us and the agency as owners which we havent actually signed.

I presume the agency has a signed agreement between them and the tenant.

Ive also never experienced an agency where a deposit of some level isnt taken and only after reading a thread on here about safekeeping of the deposit did I ask the agency about it, wanting to make sure the were keeping it in a safe scheme, not their own pockets - but found that they havent taken one!

Luckily the tenant they have found for us is mature and we have no worries particularly but the situation could have been different! The fixtures and fittings in there were of good quality as it wasnt originally for general renting.

socrates

simpywimpy wrote: »

The agency is a local one called 2let and is based in Burnley.The only agreement we have is the contract between us and the agency as owners which we havent actually signed.

I presume the agency has a signed agreement between them and the tenant.

Ive also never experienced an agency where a deposit of some level isnt taken and only after reading a thread on here about safekeeping of the deposit did I ask the agency about it, wanting to make sure the were keeping it in a safe scheme, not their own pockets - but found that they havent taken one!

Luckily the tenant they have found for us is mature and we have no worries particularly but the situation could have been different! The fixtures and fittings in there were of good quality as it wasnt originally for general renting.

Its the first month and already he is behind with the rent - he is mature and cannot get a deposit or his top-up together?

The agency is not doing their job properly - I think you need to contact the Local Authority in question and find out if there are any reasons why this tenant should not be having their rent paid to them directly i.e do they have a history of non payment of rent.

Find out if the Council did in fact give a deposit as part of a scheme.

They cannot divulge everything as there is Data Protection involved BUT if you make yourself enough of a nuisance its is possible you could get the rent paid to you directly.

This agency has a lot to answer for - its a bad tenancy with a bad agency.

simpywimpy

Thanks for that,I was starting to wonder if I was being difficult.

I think the lady is on a pension so she tops up next tuesday. She always goes straight in with the money the council send her though