Is Estate Agent dodgy?

gino_76ph

Hi there!

Me and my wife were viewing a property in Colliers Wood today. after seeing the place we didn't liked it. We were just about to go home and we happen to come across an estate agent on the corner of a street near the tube station.

The Estate Agent's name is Cross & Prior. They had an available 2-bedroom property which we loved almost immediately after viewing. we agreed to take it and paid the deposit of more than £400+. also today.

They gave us the invoice and a "Tenant Application Form" to complete which include giving them our bank details. is this normal practice?

Also, the actual post code of the property was incorrect. we only noticed it when we went home and checked Google Maps. the post code given to us was actually almost a block away from the actual property. we couldn't ask the agent as it was saturday and they were closed when we arrived home.

it was a bit strange which left us wondering now.

Please can someone tell us what you make of these circumstances?

Thank you.

ruggedtoast

I only read the subject line of this but I think I can answer unequivocally and without any doubt, yes, your estate agent is indeed quite dodgy.

McKneff

Why is he dodgy, it's possibly only a typo that the postcode is wrong.

I would change you title from a statement to a question ie

'Is Estate Agent dodgy ?'

G_M

When you handed over your £400, what did you receive in return?
* a receipt?
* a breakdown of what the £400 represents?
* the circumstances in which part or all of the £400 is or isn't refundable?

By 'deposit' do you mean a 'holding deposit'? Or security deposit for the rental period? Was part it for tenant referencing? An admin fee?

As for the bank details - that is probobly for rferencing purposes and/or income checking. Did you sign anything authorising this?

Dodgy? Not much evidence of this from your post, but give us more details....
Is the agent a member of ARLA? Or similar?

chris_m

McKneff wrote: »

Why is he dodgy, it's possibly only a typo that the postcode is wrong.

I think ruggedtoast may well have been generalising

phill99

You can't rely on Google Earth for the postcode. They will tell you its only a best guess.

You need the post office to tell you the exact postcode

http://www.royalmail.com/postcode-finder

gino_76ph

G_M wrote: »

When you handed over your £400, what did you receive in return?
* a receipt?
* a breakdown of what the £400 represents?
* the circumstances in which part or all of the £400 is or isn't refundable?

YES to all the above questions

By 'deposit' do you mean a 'holding deposit'? Or security deposit for the rental period? Was part it for tenant referencing? An admin fee?

It is the holding fee plus the admin fee combined.

Went to the Royal Mail website to "look" for the post code but i can't get any clear or consistent answer.

As for the bank details - that is probobly for rferencing purposes and/or income checking. Did you sign anything authorising this?

The person did said that it is just for referencing but would still would be interesting to know if this is "normal" practice" as such.

Dodgy? Not much evidence of this from your post, but give us more details....
Is the agent a member of ARLA? Or similar?

It is a member of The Property Ombudsman and the OFT. (at least that's what the receipt says.



When i checked Royal Mail's website it did returned some addresses similar to the actual address in Collier's Wood but is still a few metres (and around 12 houses in-between) away. quite odd.


any advice please?

G_M

Originally Posted by G_M
When you handed over your £400, what did you receive in return?
* a receipt?
* a breakdown of what the £400 represents?
* the circumstances in which part or all of the £400 is or isn't refundable?

YES to all the above questions
Good. Not really dodgy then.


By 'deposit' do you mean a 'holding deposit'? Or security deposit for the rental period? Was part it for tenant referencing? An admin fee?

It is the holding fee plus the admin fee combined.
Glad it's been spelled out. Relative amounts?

Went to the Royal Mail website to "look" for the post code but i can't get any clear or consistent answer.
Not a major issue

As for the bank details - that is probobly for rferencing purposes and/or income checking. Did you sign anything authorising this?

The person did said that it is just for referencing but would still would be interesting to know if this is "normal" practice" as such.
Yes


It is a member of The Property Ombudsman and the OFT. (at least that's what the receipt says.

Good.

gino_76ph

And the issue of the post code? do you think it is a typo?

I have a feeling that it might be the real post code. the property is actually located on a street of a different name but may be a "catchment area" of the adjacent/parallel street hence it is coming up differently on Google Maps.

what do you think?

Emmzi

gino_76ph wrote: »

what do you think?

I think you are paranoid. Postcodes can cover 100 houses or more.

gino_76ph

I'm not paranoid. i just need advice. and an assurance that an important letter or that order from Ebay does come to our address. that is all i am concerned about.