Providing notice at end of contract

nicola1982_2

I possibly have the dodgiest letting agency ever and coming to the end of our contract we want to hand in our notice of termination. We're obliged to give one months notice prior to the contract ending which we can do, however I'm concerned the letter will be ignored as previous e-mails sent requesting final payments invoices have been ignored already.

What can I do to ensure that they cannot claim to have 'not received' my notice? My partner thinks faxing the letter would be the best option as we'd not only have proof of receipt but the fax machine will print out a copy of what was sent with the receipt.

clutton_2

remember that you need to give a months notice from the start date of the agreement - i never hold my tenants to this - but a nasty agent might. Send it special delivery which requires their signature.

Edna_Bucket_2

If they are reasonable local to you, why not just take in the letter and get a copy signed to confirm their receipt?

itsakidsworld

Get a letter sent by recorded delivery that they will have to sign. Follow all procedures correct and then leave as you stated, making sure you confirm deposit returns.

It sounds like it would also be a good idea to take photos of how you left the property as if this agency are as dodgy as you say then they might start holding back your deposit.

However, it would be very strange for an agency to be dodgy as they have to earn a living and the best form of advertising is to be recommended.

Sybarite

My experience is that agencies (esp the larger ones & especially the lovely Foxtons) alll try it on regarding the deposit. After all it's 4-6 weeks rent over which you have very little say other than to threaten to take them to court if they don't return it.

A friend moved out of her flat which was mediocre(ish). The agent never really did anything in the way of repairs/maintenance etc even when requested. After 2x sets of parents + tennants cleaning for a couple of days the agent's inspection still claimed that it wasn't clean - basically they wanted as much of the deposit as they could & some new curtains out of it as they needed refreshing.

3 hrs of arguing between the (forceful) parents & agent ensued - they still walked off with some of the deposit claiming it needed to be 'professionally cleaned' - unsurprisingly by their appointed cleaner (they wouldn't accept an alternate firm) - basically they were either on a kickback or were going to charge for cleaning that wasn't going to take place.

I don't for the life of me understand how the inequalities of the rental market are allowed to continue. As a tennant, if my rent isn't available for my direct debit I'm financially penalised. Yet letting agents seem to make up their own timescales for repair/maintenance & require constant pressure if you want anything carried out - they aren't penalised if repairs take longer than say 28 days. I can't think of any other situation where I, as a customer who has paid for a service, has to pay regardless of the level of service given.

It's outrageous that at present (it's set to change) interest is earnt on your deposit but isn't returned to you - this isn't the agents money after all, it's the tennants.

Reputation is certainly a factor for recommendations of new business - but some firms simply don't care much about this - their sales targets are too important. I wouldn't ever go through foxtons irrespective of how nice the property is. Friend of a friend used to work for them and would never recommend them, but common sense dictates that someone has to pay for those nice offices, plasma screens and trendy cars & I know exactly who that someone is going to be - me.

At my old university Foxtons had such a bad reputation that foreign students were warned about the firm & the horror stories of what the agent had attempted to exact from people they perceived as easy targets were truly staggering.

Edna_Bucket_2

Sybarite wrote:

...At my old university Foxtons had such a bad reputation that foreign students were warned about the firm & the horror stories of what the agent had attempted to exact from people they perceived as easy targets were truly staggering.

Exactly - the "admin fee" they try to charge tenants springs to mind.

I can't think of any reason why anyone would want to touch Foxtons..., well other than maybe disgruntled customers taking a boot to the side of one of their naff Mini Coopers if you come across one

Tassotti

clutton wrote:

remember that you need to give a months notice from the start date of the agreement

I disagree with this.

If the tenant has come to the end of a fixed period agreement, you can legally leave without any notice whatsoever. Unfair on LL, but true nevertheless.

clutton_2

nichola says she is ""coming to the end of our contract"" - so, if she is still inside the original period, then, she still needs to give a months notice (sorry Tassotti, it is the landlord - not the tenant - who has to give notice coinciding with the start date, thanks for clarifiying that). But, once outside the original term, a tenant is then on a periodic contract, and it is my understanding that those terms are the same as those signed on the first written contract, and that tenants must give a months notice also.