Are landlords generally happy with their letting agents?

alibongo42

I need to know if it's just me that feels this way?

I have just made a list of issues I need to discuss (again) with my letting agent (statements not being sent, inspection reports not being sent, general poor communication ....), and am feeling quite p'd off that I appear to pay them for doing not a lot.

We have been letting one property for five years now, and are on our second agent. We swapped from the first due to very similar issues. Both are well known, reputable agents in the area. Each time we interviewed the agents before appointing them, and spoke to others who had used them. I now think that even if we changed again, the next lot would be just the same (and we're running out of options!).

It's not like I hound them with queries. I contact them perhaps four times a year, and am very polite, even when they are being useless. I would manage it myself, but live too far away and wanted the tenant to have a professional to deal with.

Please say it's not just me?!

TroubledLandlord

My EA was absolutely awful, the total pits.

From a business POV as soon as you have an EA then you are putting yourself at a disadvantage to everyone else. The money that goes to the EA could be better invested into the property to make it more competitive and to give you a better choice of tenants.

I was handing the EA hundreds of pounds each month for them to do pretty much sweet FA. Anything, and I mean anything, that they did had a charge. Being part of a tennancy deposit scheme was £25 a month. Incredible, you can do it online for free.

They provided a parade of awful tenants who destroyed the house at the end of the letting.

Quite frankly I thought there was absolutely NO POINT in going with an EA. I recently joined the NLA (National Landlord's Association) which has provided far more information on what I needed to do than the EA ever did.

After several months of the house not being rented out, and me asking the EA on weekly basis why not, I posed as a "mature student" and visited a bunch of other rental properties. Within 2 hours it was painfully obvious why my property hadn't rented out, it was completely outclassed. I'm amazed a professional letting agent couldn't work that out.

I dropped my EA, do it myself. It's fractionally more work but it's actually better. The money I save I put straight into the property, refurbish bathrooms or anything else I can do to make it nicer. I have an old school friend, who lives near the property, who is the "front line", i.e. "do I need a plumber, electrician or builder?" who then tells me and I get the work organised. I live some distance away but it's far better. You probably know who the local "handyman" used by the EA is anyway, if nothing else you can send him around to take a look and advise. If you do that, even at a slightly expensive call out charge, it's probably miles cheaper than what a fully managed EA (and I use the term loosely) would be charging you.

Dropping the EA was the best move I ever made.

theartfullodger

I've a good one, no issues.

alibongo42

theartfullodger wrote: »

I've a good one, no issues.

Nice to hear that some of them are ok. I don't suppose they're based in West Central Scotland?!

Mrs_Z

We've just used a reputable local letting agent once to do the letting. They did a satisfactory job, but I resent the huge premiums they charge for everything. This time we've gone for it ourselves, and placed an advert via on-line Letting Agent. I often find that if you want to do something properly, do it yourself!

As we only have 1 property, i want to have a go at letting and managing it by myself - that way you stay in control.

theartfullodger

alibongo42 wrote: »

Nice to hear that some of them are ok. I don't suppose they're based in West Central Scotland?!

Nope: All my Scottish properties (Highlands..) I self-manage (mainly from Berkshire...)

Alias_Omega

I like mine, just done like the % we pay them..

Money for nothing..

sioban_2

I'm in Paisley, West of Scotland and am really don't care about the charges as long as job gets done well. I have equity in house and want to go to Australia so just want enough to pay mortgage and have enough to cover repairs - I'm looking for a good agent as I'm going to be so far away. I've been looking into local agents but have to say haven't been impressed so far...

starlight_xx

sioban wrote: »

I'm in Paisley, West of Scotland and am really don't care about the charges as long as job gets done well. I have equity in house and want to go to Australia so just want enough to pay mortgage and have enough to cover repairs - I'm looking for a good agent as I'm going to be so far away. I've been looking into local agents but have to say haven't been impressed so far...

Avoid Learmonts!

sioban_2

starlight_xx wrote: »

Avoid Learmonts!

My search isn't going too well so far - landlords have told me which agents to avoid, my only recommendation has been one agency which was recommended by a couple I know who are tenants.

starlight_xx

To be fair as a tenant Learmonts are ok but from my LLs perspective theyre appaling. Hes just lucky Im such a good tenant