Can a tenant bypass letting agent?

freeride

Hello all, I'd appreciate any advice and opinion.

We've just fallen out with our letting agent and given them the required notice. We signed up for a fully managed service but getting alot less then what we are paying for.
Anyway, We are thinking about asking our tenant to pay the rent directly to us and bypass the useless agent....

Does anyone know if it is legal to ask the tenant to bypass the agent and pay directly into our bank account?.

Has anyone else been in the same situation?.

Thanks in advance....
Freeride

missrlr

check the T&C's - there may be a rider in there for paying, if you are going to manage yourself then consider becoming a member of the National Association of Landlords (google it) - I have just become a member and have found thier advice team VERY helpful - and it is claimable against tax.

Or take the contract to Citizen's Advice Bureau

Without seeing it I am not sure, but I think if the contract is cancelled, there is not much they can do - after all you could go to another agent ....

seek professional advice anyway on the specifics of your contract.

ciano125

I've done something similar. When we got our rented house I managed to persuade the landlord that the letting agent should be sacked (they were shockingly bad and I just refused to deal with them). The landlord did fire them, they threatened to sue her (a solicitor, and me, a Chartered Surveyor). They didn't get very far!

Read the T&C's though, if they're in breach of contract, tell them where to go in no uncertain terms. There's no place for shoddy agents in this market, end of.

freeride

ciano125 wrote: »

I've done something similar. When we got our rented house I managed to persuade the landlord that the letting agent should be sacked (they were shockingly bad and I just refused to deal with them). The landlord did fire them, they threatened to sue her (a solicitor, and me, a Chartered Surveyor). They didn't get very far!

Read the T&C's though, if they're in breach of contract, tell them where to go in no uncertain terms. There's no place for shoddy agents in this market, end of.

Yeah, they're in breach alright, no doubt... that is why I want to deal with the GOOD tenant and not the useless agent.
cheers

barnaby-bear

freeride wrote: »

Hello all, I'd appreciate any advice and opinion.

We've just fallen out with our letting agent and given them the required notice. We signed up for a fully managed service but getting alot less then what we are paying for.
Anyway, We are thinking about asking our tenant to pay the rent directly to us and bypass the useless agent....

Does anyone know if it is legal to ask the tenant to bypass the agent and pay directly into our bank account?.

Has anyone else been in the same situation?.

Thanks in advance....
Freeride

The tenant can bypass the LA no probs. the LA is the agent of the LL - the LL entered a contract with them - the terms and whether breached sufficiently to cut out the middleman is between the LL and LA, the LA has an argument in law their initial fees reflect the value of the on going relationship so if that is terminated unduley a penalty / compensation is due but that's between the LA and LL.

SouthCoast

I deal direct with my landlord who I have never met.

I refused to deal with the lazy, incompetent, greedy letting agent.

Private tenants are being badly let down by a system that allows letting agents to operate completely unchecked, routinely ripping off tenants by imposing unjustified and excessive charges and providing a poor or non-existent service, a new report from Citizens Advice says today.

http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/press_20090521


P.S. The survey above was posted on this Board and I contributed!

socrates

SouthCoast wrote: »

I deal direct with my landlord who I have never met.

I refused to deal with the lazy, incompetent, greedy letting agent.

Nasty Nick?

or

Mr. Sudan?

SouthCoast

No, but my landlord does appear in the local media!

freeride

SouthCoast wrote: »

I deal direct with my landlord who I have never met.

I refused to deal with the lazy, incompetent, greedy letting agent.




http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/press_20090521


P.S. The survey above was posted on this Board and I contributed!

That reminds me.... What about the tenants deposit?.
I registered with a tenants deposit scheme today. Has the lazy agent got any grounds to refuse to transfer my tenants deposit to my deposit scheme.?.

freeride

socrates

SouthCoast wrote: »

No, but my landlord does appear in the local media!

Intrigued now

freeride

socrates wrote: »

Intrigued now

a.........?