Help with letting agency

jinty54

Scottish Let. Can I ask for some advice please? This is the first time I have used a letting agent and am seriously disappointed in the service. I instructed the agent to let a house in Lanarkshire and they were very professional initially: thereafter very slow. I checked them out as far as possible. There were no adverse reports on them on any website and trading standards had no complaints lodged, and they had let in the area, so I progressed. The contract was discussed verbally then signed. A copy was promised by return but that took 9 weeks. There is an additional monthly admin fee which was omitted from the discussion and only noticed when the copy was received.
I asked for small amendments to be made to the contact within 24 hours of receipt but they continue to ignore my emails and calls plus I am still awaiting a statement for the first months rent less their deductions. They will not give any specifics on when the rent will be paid to me although they assured me verbally that it would be about 4/5 working days after tenant pays the rent. It was actually 12 working days and then only after serious hounding.
I have checked with trading standards and they suggested a letter stating a possible breach of contract but not to antagonise them too much as their contract is full of words like “reasonable time” and “endeavour to do”.
Despite phone calls and emails I waited almost 3 months for a receipt for marketing fees paid. There were other issues at the onset which annoyed me but I let them go due to my ignorance of the system. My main issues are the lack of response and paperwork because it is appalling. Had I had the opportunity to read everything in detail before progressing I would have called a stop to the let, not because of the admin fee but the other points which I required clarification for. However I have learned a valuable lesson
The initial contract is for 6 months, started June 2010, and I have no wish to continue with the agent but would like to rent out for longer than the 6 months. Any advice will be appreciated.