Landlord no longer wishes to use the Agency

amy104

Our landlord has expressed wishes to no longer use the letting agency and deal with us directly.

Does this have any implications for us I should be aware of? What happens to the deposit, will it stay in the current scheme or will it be repaid and the put in a scheme again?

theartfullodger

Ask for him to put his request in writing... Your existing tenancy will continue, same terms, except he may ask for payment direct. Do nothing unless you are sure he is LL (Ask for proof of ID & ownership of property) and in writing..

Current deposit continues.

Expect later squabbles between agent & LL - LL will probably still be liable to continue paying agent their back-hander..

Caveat_Mortgagor

Landlord is trying to save the cut he gives the agent out of your rent.

Tell him you will agree if you also see some of the benefit.

clutton_2

landlord may also be sacking utterly incompetent agent who never deals with repairs, who takes weeks to pass on the rent and who doesn't inform landlord of his legal obligations....... and who treats tenants badly....

Yorkie1

Caveat_Mortgagor wrote: »

Landlord is trying to save the cut he gives the agent out of your rent.

Tell him you will agree if you also see some of the benefit.

This does not make sense.

The LL is deciding whether to continue his contract between himself and his LA.

The T is not a party to this contract and has no right of veto or even comment. The decision is legally irrelevant to him. He remains bound by the terms of the tenancy and the LL remains responsible for the deposit, even if it was initially lodged by the LA on behalf of the LL.

If the address for serving notices on the LL is c/o the LA, or the deposit is in a LA's insurance based scheme, then the LL will need to update these matters and inform T - and T should check that this information is updated.

G_M

Caveat_Mortgagor wrote: »

Landlord is trying to save the cut he gives the agent out of your rent.

Tell him you will agree if you also see some of the benefit.

What a load of rubbish! The landlord's relationship with his agent is none of the tenant's business. Some LLs prefer to spend time managing their properties, some prefer to buy the services of an agent and save themselves the time stress and effort.

Nothing to do with the tenant.

The tenant's contract, rent, obligations and rights do not change one iota!

Obviously if the tenant is asked to pay his rent to a different person/bank account etc it is important to
a) check the person telling him this is genuine (ie the landlord!) and
b) get that instruction in writing

It is also sensible to get a contact number fo reporting emergency issues (boiler breakdown etc) AND to ask if the official address for the serving of official Notices is changing (the LL's address may have been given as c/o the agent - if so this needs updating).

The LL was, and still is, responsible legally for the deposit, though he may choose to move it to a different scheme. If so, the tenant should be told.

edit: 'agree'? The tenant has no choice! He cannot agree or refuse.

Hammyman

Caveat_Mortgagor wrote: »

Landlord is trying to save the cut he gives the agent out of your rent.

Tell him you will agree if you also see some of the benefit.

It is none of the tenants business whether or not the LL goes through an agent. The tenants sole interest is that they pay the rent on time and the LL complies with the law.

If my tenant tried that stunt, I'd just get shut of them and get a new one as it is not their place to tell me how to run my business.

theartfullodger

Hammyman wrote: »

It is none of the tenants business whether or not the LL goes through an agent. The tenants sole interest is that they pay the rent on time and the LL complies with the law.

If my tenant tried that stunt, I'd just get shut of them and get a new one as it is not their place to tell me how to run my business.

Any tenant is perfectly at liberty to advise LL on how he runs his business: e.g.
- not to come barging in any time..
- to be available for complaints & notifications of repair needs
- to provide gas safety cert, evidence of Consent2let, valid insurance cover
- incompetence or lack-of-response of LL's agent
- has the agent or LL protected the deposit, if so where, has prescribed info been supplied..
- need for HMO licence
- Smoke alarm problems (blimey, I'd want to hear about that very sharpish...)
etc etc etc etc etc etc...

Similarly surely you'd think LL is perfectly at liberty to advise Tenant how to behave as Tenant (no smoking, no subletting, not running a brothel etc etc etc etc...)

Both are at liberty to ignore the advice.. both at their peril...

Your response was a little strong: Bad evening??

Cheers!

Caveat_Mortgagor

Looks like I hit a nerve with a few landlords there.

This is a site for saving money. The OP is a tenant. I alerted a tenant to a possible opportunity to save a bit of cash. So why get so upset? What did I do to upset some of you guys. Times must be hard!

I did exactly as I suggested a few weeks ago. I knew my landlord would be saving a big chunk of the rent I pay by not paying the rental agent, and I cheekily asked for a reduction of £25. And got it.

If you dont ask, you dont get. Of course, technically you are all right. LL could have said none of my business etc. But I asked a question, and phrased it in a way that made it seem like I was losing an agent, a point of contact and an expert in making sure that everything runs smoothly (all b/s of course); whilst he was gaining about £75 a month. The facts were presented to be very one-sided. He was too embarrassed to say no to me.

And if any of the dissenters on this thread were my landlord, yes I would have got away with it with you as well.

jjlandlord

Caveat_Mortgagor wrote: »

If you dont ask, you dont get. Of course, technically you are all right. LL could have said none of my business etc. But I asked a question, and phrased it in a way that made it seem like I was losing an agent, a point of contact and an expert in making sure that everything runs smoothly (all b/s of course); whilst he was gaining about £75 a month. The facts were presented to be very one-sided. He was too embarrassed to say no to me.

Nice move. And you're right that everything's negotiable, there's no risk in asking.

Hammyman

theartfullodger wrote: »

Any tenant is perfectly at liberty to advise LL on how he runs his business: e.g.
- not to come barging in any time..
- to be available for complaints & notifications of repair needs
- to provide gas safety cert, evidence of Consent2let, valid insurance cover
- incompetence or lack-of-response of LL's agent
- has the agent or LL protected the deposit, if so where, has prescribed info been supplied..
- need for HMO licence
- Smoke alarm problems (blimey, I'd want to hear about that very sharpish...)
etc etc etc etc etc etc...

Your response was a little strong: Bad evening??

Cheers!

Which part of what I posted contradicts what you've said? None of it.

Bad evening? Yeah..read Discussion Time and all the whingers on the dole complaining about those who dare make something of their lives from having more than they do.