Letting agency STILL trying to inspect the wrong house!

dizziblonde

OK - first time it happened I greeted it with mild bemusement, now I'm cross (because of the attitude of their property inspector more than anything else).

Background to this one is - we rented a house (call it number A) for 2 years on a street via this letting agency... liked the area, finances finally allowed, so we bought the house a few doors down on the same street (call it number over a year and a half nearly ago. Letting agency had succeeded in doing things like losing their set of the keys - so when they were doing viewings etc (we overlapped the purchase and end of tenancy to allow for cleaning and moving leisurely) we did more than go the extra mile to help out in terms of being in to let people in, letting them come collect keys to do viewings, even doing viewings ourselves (drew the line at the one asking us to be available Xmas Eve was I think the only one we objected to).

Month or two ago, I come home from work to find a snotty letter with all the thinly veiled eviction threats letting agencies are so fond of complaining they'd tried to do a periodic inspection on number B (the house we own) but couldn't gain access as we'd changed the locks and there were dogs loose in the property. Ignoring the fact that it's actually a pretty horrid thought that someone's been trying to get into your house while you're out, and the tone of the letter - I called them up, explained there were wires being crossed somewhere and that they should have been trying to inspect number A... girl on the phone was most bemused by the error - and I was assured they'd sort it out. Made sure they knew that the house they SHOULD have been inspecting did NOT have dogs in - we get on well with the tenants who now rent it and didn't want them to be labelled as bad tenants or anything because of the letting agency's ineptitude and incompetence.

Fast forward to today and I'm at home (maternity leave and mobility issues mean I generally am now), not feeling well, finding it very hard to walk - the last kind of day where you particularly want to be disturbed. Door goes, and yep, my dogs woof at someone at the door - not massively, not aggressively, and they don't ever get to come to the door with me - there's a door between the lounge and the hallway that I shut behind me...

Anyway - the property inspector's back - demands I put my dogs out in the garden and is pulling the door back toward himself stopping me from opening it to talk to him properly. Basically starting off talking to me like I'm something I stood in and demands that he's here to do an inspection on the house. Politely I explain that I'm not discussing things through an inch gap in the door, the dogs cannot get out since there's a closed door in the way and he relents allowing me to open my own front door... and I explain, yet again, the situation - that I've already tried to get them to sort this once, that this is not, in fact, the house he's looking for - that the house the letting agency manage is that one over there, and that we own this house (and since he used to do the inspections when WE rented number A - it's not as if he's never seen the street before - he's been going there for at least three years). The tone he's speaking to me in is somewhere between utter contempt and disbelief - and I'm stood on my own doorstep having to convince this idiot that this is the house that we actually own - and being accused of lying - because this bit of paper says number B. I even explain how the confusion could have arisen (someone somewhere in the letting agency has obviously put the wrong house number from our forwarding address details in the wrong box and no one wants to bother correcting it).

Eventually the penny drops - he looks at the keys they have and our door lock - one's yale, one's mortice... and I point out that I know from our time renting there that they've lost the correct set of keys for house A anyway, but that the tenant's van's there so there's more than likely someone home to let him in... and off he goes.

OK - so that's the gist of it - the first time this happened I took it in the spirit of mistakes happen, this one's a vaguely bemusing one - with a side order of thank god I don't have to deal with numpty letting agencies again... this time - the tone of this guy has really got my back up, and I'm heavily pregnant so next time they try to do an inspection (and boy oh boy do this bunch do them every 3 months on the dot) there'll be a very small baby I don't want disturbed... and I want them to stop trying to gain access to our own flipping house! They can't physically open doors because they don't have the keys (they don't even have the keys to the house they're MEANT to be inspecting they're that disorganised - despite me dropping them a spare copy in back when we rented, in a sealed envelope with the house address written clearly on them)... but they can still come round the back garden, upsetting my dogs, worrrying me massively - and I want it stopped. I also don't want the current tenants getting backlash for US having dogs - he had a note on his inspection form asking him to look for evidence of them keeping dogs - it's going to strain neighbourly relations if they're taking flack for the fact that people up the road who are nowt to do with them happen to have mutts - and it ain't fair on the couple who currently rent the place for that to be happening!

So far I've phoned them up (when it initially happened and again today) - the guy on the phone couldn't find any records of house B on their system - so I think it must be on their inspection only database or something. I've also sent it in via an email which I'm waiting for a reply to - clearly stating the addresses being confused, and that next time I find some chap trying to get into my property at random - I'm quite likely to call the police and report it as a burglar - but other than starting to quote data protection at them (for they're keeping incorrect data that they've been asked to rectify somewhere on their system) - I'm at a loss over what else to do... if I don't get an email reply, I know I'll have to start laying a postal trail - but since I'm housebound at present because of mobility issues - that's difficult for me to do.

The whole tone of this inspector is what's really got my back up more than anything else to be honest. I'm not prepared to have him sniffing around this house - one of the whole blissful things about moving into home ownership was not having to deal with snotty letters from a letting agency that has a somewhat flexible approach to the law in terms of accessing people's homes anyway (I regularly found blokes in my back garden when we rented from them) and not having to deal with this guy sneering his way around our home every three months... and I'm definitely not prepared to put up with it in a house they've got no jurisdiction over whatsoever.

Short of eventually taking it to the press complaining of harassment from the largest letting agency in the area if it happens again (really don't want to have to do the mandatory "disgruntled local resident" misery pose for a photo on that front) - not quite sure where I can go from here.

G_M

Well, after ploughing through your post, I too, am

not quite sure where I can go from here.

* sue the inspector for your losses (electricity when ringing the bell?)
* release dogs next time he calls? (and accept the consequences)
* write to the agency?
* write to the local paper?

or forget it and focus on the baby.....

dizziblonde

G_M wrote: »

Well, after ploughing through your post, I too, am

* sue the inspector for your losses (electricity when ringing the bell?)
* release dogs next time he calls? (and accept the consequences)
* write to the agency?
* write to the local paper?

or forget it and focus on the baby.....

So he's meant to be allowed to try to get into my property every three months on the basis that they can't keep their records straight and I once rented a property from them?

Wyndham

I think I'd write a letter, and make sure it was sent recorded delivery. Make it clear that this is not acceptable, and that they need to correct their records at once. State that if you are visited again you will call the police, especially if the tone of the inspector is as it was this time, which was threatening and made you feel unsafe.

If that doesn't work, then you could try a solicitor?

But you're right, funny the first time, not funny the second, and really won't be if there is a third!

G_M

dizziblonde wrote: »

So he's meant to be allowed to try to get into my property every three months on the basis that they can't keep their records straight and I once rented a property from them?

He's not "meant to be allowed to try to get into my property.." but he is "allowed to try to get into my property.."

You cannot stop someone ringing your bell. You can decide who you let in.

Yes, I agree it's poor admin and clearly a poorly run agency - but short of explaining their error (which you've done) your options are as above.

SavvyStudentSaver

It may be extreme, but it could get them to sort their at out- would this come under harassment? It's causing you distress, as you feel threatened by the inspector. There need to have been two incidents, though I'm not sure the first one would count?

At any rate, it might be worth sending them a message that if they do attempt to inspect again, you will consider it harassment, and will be taking your story to the local press, etc, etc. It's not as if doing this could strain the relationship.

dodger1

You mention "we" in your post so I'm guessing you have a partner. If so and it's a "he", send him in person to the LA with a couple of friends on a Saturday, not to cause trouble but just take up space and chairs to discourage other people coming in to the agency. He then tells the LA they are not leaving until the problem is sorted and talk in a loud voice so that any customers can hear, just make sure they realise you mean business.

princeofpounds

It's not harrassment. It's combination of an administrative mistake, laziness and rudeness.

Personally, I would write to the agency to demand a written apology, not only for their *repeated* mistake, but also for the rude attitude of their inspector. Point out that establishing a bad reputation will not help their business in the area.

sooz

Do you have your old landlords's address?

Write to the agency, cc the landlord & the current tenants, & point out what a bunch of incompetent idiots the agency is.

Note down in your diary 3 months from today, & remember to leave a big note on the door saying 'agency x, !!!! off, new baby sleeping, & you want house a not house b'

dizziblonde

dodger1 wrote: »

You mention "we" in your post so I'm guessing you have a partner. If so and it's a "he", send him in person to the LA with a couple of friends on a Saturday, not to cause trouble but just take up space and chairs to discourage other people coming in to the agency. He then tells the LA they are not leaving until the problem is sorted and talk in a loud voice so that any customers can hear, just make sure they realise you mean business.

LOL - even more amusing when you realise my husband's 6 foot 7! (and wouldn't hurt a fly)

If it was an agency that actually respected their tenants' rights it would be better (they don't - over the years I rented from them I had them gaining access without notice a few times) - but I know the last incident he had at least been around into the back garden trying doors and doorlocks - because we were out, and the dogs are in the kitchen when we're out - so for him to have seen them he would have had to be trying his luck at the back door... which is the really horrible feeling - that this bloke is going to come round at random intervals (because the "we're going to do an inspection" letters DO go to the right address - we checked that one with the current tenants - who know there's this problem we're trying to get set right), and come right round the house trying all the doors to get in.

The one saving grace is that he's obviously terrified of dogs! (Granted ours would show you where the family silver is and help you pack it in a bag labelled "swag" for a gravy bone but still...)

Best bit is - the keys he was carrying - won't even fit the CORRECT house (I know what locks that house has on it from the time we rented it ourselves - and they're definitely completely the wrong type) so he ain't getting in to inspect anywhere at all!

franklee

Do you have the landlord's address? I would be wanting to write to the landlord pointing out what a mess the agent is making of looking after his property and pointing out to him sorting this address out is required for all your benefits so can he have a word with the agent too.

I would also write to the agent stating what happened and that you wish to make a complaint about their behaviour. Ask them what their complaints procedure is and follow it.

Also if they are members of ARLA I'd write to them as well explaining that you expect better from an ARLA agent and ask how to make a complaint there. Same for anything else they are members of.

Also I'd tell the tenants what happened so they are in the picture of how their inspections are being dealt with. I take it they were waiting in the the inspector? If the new tenants don't have the landlord's address they can write and request it, they may need it to get the landlord to call off the muppets if anything else goes wrong.