Problems with my Letting Agents -Tenant moved out

AlwaysHappy

Evening all, I'm just after some advice if I may. I am having problems with my letting agents that I use to manage my buy to let property. The tenant moved out over a fortnight ago, at the time she was in arrears by 6 weeks and the agents said that they would give me the bond when she moved out which would clear some (most) of the arrears. Since then, I have phoned 6 times, emailed 3 times and as yet....... nothing. I have asked for final meter readings and the companies to contact, I have asked for the bond. Twice on the phone I have been promised it will be the next priority, other than that my calls have gone unanswered and my emails unanswered as well. I was verbally promised the payment would go into my account today but when I asked for written /email confirmation they have gone unanswered, and you guessed it .... no payment, I phoned twice, left messages and nothing. I am at the other end of the country and don't know where to go next. My contract states that the bond come to me if there are arrears but doesn't state a timescale, it also states that final meter readings will be taken ( but doesn't mention they come to me), I want the keys back aswell - what course of action should I take next? Hlep.

Fire_Fox

Which deposit scheme is the money lodged? AFAIK you cannot simply keep the damage deposit, have you raised a dispute? Phone calls and e-mails are not formal communication, have you considered writing a recorded delivery letter to the agents or paying them a personal visit?

AlwaysHappy

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Which deposit scheme is the money lodged? AFAIK you cannot simply keep the damage deposit, have you raised a dispute? Phone calls and e-mails are not formal communication, have you considered writing a recorded delivery letter to the agents or paying them a personal visit?

I'm not sure which scheme the money is lodged with, it doesn't say on my agreement with the letting agency, just that they will keep a bond and return it to the landlord at the end of the tenancy agreement if any of the covenants are broken - two months rent arrears would appear to be in that category.
I will phone them again today and if not a recorded delivery letter will be sent tonight, a personal visit is a little difficult as there is a distance of 500 miles and work commitments, but I am getting to that stage.

N79

Where is the property and when did the tenancy start?

(If the 500 miles is not an exageration then there must be a Scotland / England border change in here somewhere.)

tbs624

AlwaysHappy wrote: »

I am having problems with my letting agents that I use to manage my buy to let property....... I am at the other end of the country and don't know where to go next. .

To the station, to get on a train and go sit in the LAs office until you get some answers.

sjcollett

What are you doing about the property now - is it empty? have they been remarketing? have you instructed another agent? IMHO you need to get someone to help you as you are so far away. If you are not going to use this original agency you need to get yourself a new agent asap, disinstruct the others (by letter) and get the new agents to collect the keys and get marketing the property! (then focus on getting the deposit off the others). where is the property? we have an agency in Staffs if that is any use? PM me if that would help