letting agent Reference

Soniclord

GaryMaguire wrote: »

Is it illegal for a letting agent to give a bad reference?

Our LA is proposing to write the following:-

"we have not been provided access for viewings with prospective tenants and this is inevitably going to result in a financial loss to our landlord client. However, we are aware that xx and xx are expecting their first baby and understand that this is a difficult and busy time for them. Our landlord client has therefore agreed to waive this requirement"

Do you think this is quite negative?

regards

Gary

Personally I'd say yes it is quite negative and if I was given that as a reference (if I was an estate agent) I'd most likely turn you down.

My question is how did you find out what was going to be written in the reference? Do ea's have to tell you/provide a copy of the reference for you to read before they send it??

The_Palmist

I would copy that and send a letter to LA firm's manager. I would have said it was probably a fair reflection but reading your comments, I think LA is being a bit unjust.
There wasn't enough notice and you did advised to conduct viewing at a different date/time. So you should not be quoted as causing the LL any financial loss.

angelsmomma

Did you tell the LA that you had to be there for the viewing. If not why did they not just do the viewing while you were out doing your bits of shopping and looking at other properties.

I'm sorry I just don't understand why this is an issue.

mchale

GaryMaguire wrote: »

not a good position to be in.

regards

Gary

Why not offer 1 viewing per week on a day that suits you, in a 45 minute time frame, thats what I do with my tenants and have never had any probs.

DVardysShadow

GaryMaguire wrote: »

Is it illegal for a letting agent to give a bad reference?

Our LA is proposing to write the following:-

"we have not been provided access for viewings with prospective tenants and this is inevitably going to result in a financial loss to our landlord client. However, we are aware that xx and xx are expecting their first baby and understand that this is a difficult and busy time for them. Our landlord client has therefore agreed to waive this requirement"

Do you think this is quite negative?

regards

Gary

Highlighted test is false

GaryMaguire wrote: »

OK - I have never refused access. we were asked once on a thursday afternoon to allow a viewing on a friday afternoon. Unfortunately we could not do this as the last 3 weeks has been spent either viewing other properties or getting various bits for our new born. I did explain that we were very busy and fitting time in to be at home for viewings would be extremely hard but we would in no way be obstructive to the LA. I dont think the reference statement reflects a true happening of events and therefore could be looked upon as being untrue. Hopefully this does not jeopardise our move as our new letting agent has said that there is up to £500 fee if the contract falls through.

It looks like there was only ever 1 potential viewing, for which OP did not permit access at the required time. The strongest the LA could write is

We were unable to obtain access for a viewing with prospective tenants at our required time, although GaryMaguire was prepared to offer alternatives. This might arguably result in a financial loss to our landlord client.

RedwoodBrook

angelsmomma wrote: »

Did you tell the LA that you had to be there for the viewing. If not why did they not just do the viewing while you were out doing your bits of shopping and looking at other properties.

I'm sorry I just don't understand why this is an issue.

I agree. When the LL, well agent actually, asked to do viewings for our house I was more than happy for them to be conducted with or without us being in. It makes no difference to me, and it was obvious that the prospective tenants who did come felt very uneasy looking round our house whilst I was sat in the living room!

The only issue was our dog. She's as daft as a brush but I couldn't guarantee how she would react to strangers wandering around the house without myself or my husband being there. I tried to be as flexible as possible and give the agent times when I knew she could be out of the house.

It's interesting reading all these forums about experiences tenants and LL's have. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I've never had any problems despite my LL living out of the country and our letting agent only being open 3 days a week :rotfl::rotfl:

DizzyDasher

I agree - they surely can't say they have not been provided with access for "viewings" when they have only asked for access once and you happened to be out. I would insist that they correct it. Probably it will still sound negative, but will be technically correct. I would then give a cover letter to the prospective new agent making clear that in principle you have no problem with viewings, but in this case you were given [less than/around] 24 hours notice and were unable to make yourself available as you were preparing for your baby's arrival and your impending move. I wouldn't worry too much about the reference to a "requirement" - if anything leaving this in makes the LA/LL look rather unprofessional and should give less weight to the negative statement.

If you have always paid your rent on time and there have never been complaints from neighbours I would also request that the LA put this in the reference.

GaryMaguire

There is no way i would provide access to my house when im not about. I have a lot of valuable equipment in the house that I wouldn't feel happy with strangers potentially nicking (can a LA guarantee nothing would be nicked?). I also think that showing what could be a potential burglar around a house is not a great idea and im surprised that this can be done at all. Just today we had 2 work men in doing inspections so in no way have we restricted access to the property. At the time we were asked for the first viewing we still had 2 months of our tenancy, i would be very surprised if it took 2 months of viewing to let the property. what also surprises me is that with the spread of MRSA, TB Flu ect... I am also surprised that by law a LA or a LL can let people walk through your rented accommodation to touch and walk past potential areas that food may be eaten or being prepared. Just my own thoughts, i realise that this is also a real head ache for a LL but at the same time with rents being so high at the moment a couple of weeks hit on rent is not a massive price to pay for the rewards from renting your accommodation.

Regards

Gary