ARLA powers against letting agents that have mislead tenants

sian37_2

Hi,
I've just rented a property with a letting agent registered with ARLA. To cut a long story short they told us we would be getting a manged let with them however when we came to get the keys today it turns out it's a private let with the landlord. We told them we're not happy and they should have let us know earlier if the landlord had pulled out of a managed let so we could have reconsided whether to let the property. They told us if we weren't happy we could pull out, however it was too late for us to do this as we've given notice on our current property. We asked for a refund of our admin fees as we were now essential getting the services of a private let but paying for a managed let they refused.

We'd like to complain and try and get our admin fees back. Had a long discuss with letting agent today and we're obviously not going to get anywhere with them. Does anyone know where I should go first to complain? Should I take it to ARLA and do they have powers to refund our admin fees?
Thanks Emma

clairet707

not sure why you want to complain..

You would be paying the same no matter which route the landlord chooses

There are three routes to chose
Fully managed
Finders fee only
Fully Self managed

The only way you would pay differently is if the landlord goes fully self managed, where there is no agent involved

Sounds like your landlord has gone the 2nd route where the agent finds the tenant and then the landlord looks after the property on their own

I dont think you would have grounds on which to complain and I dont think ARLA would do anything about it

ncooper1974

are you trying to say the EA charges a different admin fee [to the tenant] for a managed let compared to a let only service?

clutton_2

ARLA looks after the interests of the agent - not the customer - complain if you want - but i doubt you will get anywhere

in any case you have paid for an agent to find you a house - you have a house.... what is the REAL problem here - dont you like the LL ?

littlemisslettings

Its is the landlord who is paying the management service, you have paid the agency an administration fee for finding you a property and arrangin referencing and contracts. Agents are paid by landlords to represent them and not tenants (even if tenants do end up paying fee's - this is seperate).

Unless you specifically requested from the agent a property which they manage and this was written in the terms and condtions with agent (normally signed when paying the agency fee and before signing the tenancy agreement) then you don't really have a complaint to make.

You have not lost out financially and this change does not prevent you from living in property.

sooz

Unless you know the LL personally, & have problems dealing with him, I'd say dealing direct rather than through a third party is a good thing. Why would you want a third party screening all your problems, & deciding whether it's worth bothering their client about, or easier just to fob you off?

tbs624

A strange post - perhaps the OP liked the use of the term "managed", as in LAs "manage" a property, a LL is just ..well.. a LL.;) I'm with Sooz.

Sian37 , don't make the mistake of believing that a property let under an LA is preferable to property rented out via a LL who self-manages. Many such LLs are far more diligent than any LA would be.