MAJOR help needed... typical LA

franklee

propertyman wrote: »

Applicants are far better to take a moment to educate themselves before plunging in and choosing agents with self regulation schemes, imperfect as they are, and just like any business, push the sharks out of the market by avoiding them.

This is a good point, as a tenant I try to do that as much as possible and there are certain agents I would not touch with a bargepole. However your comment is better aimed at landlords (who I suspect choose their agent mainly on fees and rent promises rather than service) as ultimately the tenant has to go with the agent that has a suitable property on their books. In my area the crap agents often have the most and best properties available at any one time (possibly as they aren't so great at getting them filled).

Having looked at the website of the agent under discussion in this thread I'm quite shocked at their behaviour. They are big enough and have been running long enough to know he rules yet small enough that it's he owners and directors of the business behaving disgracefully rather than some office drone. I would have thought the owners would have a vested interest in doing better. They should certainly know better.

marliepanda wrote: »

The more I think about t the more annoyed I am about how I let it trample on me. I am certainly contacting the TRO man and the ARLA and whatever EA body they are involved in.

Glad you are going to complain. The agent has the OFT logo on their website, someone else to write a complaint letter to?

Also your landlord is responsible for his/her agent's actions. Did you have trouble tracing your landlord? While you are a tenant you can write to the agent to get your landlord's name and address so if you want to do that you would need to do it while you are still a tenant.

marliepanda

franklee wrote: »

Also your landlord is responsible for his/her agent's actions. Did you have trouble tracing your landlord? While you are a tenant you can write to the agent to get your landlord's name and address so if you want to do that you would need to do it while you are still a tenant.

I googled the name of my landlady and it came up with one woman in York. (there were a couple elsewhere in the country)

I rang the business number of the person in question, she was initially very nice on the phone. I said that I believed she was my landlady and was I correct, and the tone changed very quickly to being very abrupt and stern and she simply said 'I don't have any tenanted properties' and then hung up.

So either it wasnt her and she was just annoyed to be bothered at work, or it was her and he was annoyed that a tenant had contacted her I have no idea.

I believe if I write and ask for their details they have 21 days to respond? I think they will delay it and by then I will no longer be a tenant as I have around 30 days left.

somethingcorporate

Give up and move on in terms of tracing the landlady. Just never use these rubbish companies again.

You probably got the correct woman - it sounds like this landlord and LA deserve each other!

Brb

Surname sure sums them up huh.

propertyman

franklee wrote: »

This is a good point, as a tenant I try to do that as much as possible and there are certain agents I would not touch with a bargepole. However your comment is better aimed at landlords


ultimately the tenant has to go with the agent that has a suitable property on their books. In my area the crap agents often have the most and best properties available at any one time (possibly as they aren't so great at getting them filled).

Well it is applicable to both.

The prepared tenant knowing their rights are
1: better able to deal with a dodgy agent,
2: ensure all is right before signing, and
3: then get the name of the landlord

See post 249

propertyman

marliepanda wrote: »

I believe if I write and ask for their details they have 21 days to respond? I think they will delay it and by then I will no longer be a tenant as I have around 30 days left.

:money:Your rights to landlords name and address;
always ask when you get the keys!!!


Landlord and Tenant Act 1985
Information to be given to tenant1 Disclosure of landlord’s identity.(1)If the tenant of premises occupied as a dwelling makes a written request for the landlord’s name and address to—
(a)any person who demands, or the last person who received, rent payable under the tenancy, or
(b)any other person for the time being acting as agent for the landlord, in relation to the tenancy,
that person shall supply the tenant with a written statement of the landlord’s name and address within the period of 21 days beginning with the day on which he receives the request.
(2)A person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with subsection (1) commits a summary offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale.
(3)In this section and section 2—
(a)“tenant” includes a statutory tenant; and
(b)“landlord” means the immediate landlord.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1985/70

propertyman

I just wanted to get post 250

franklee

somethingcorporate wrote: »

Give up and move on in terms of tracing the landlady.

I wouldn't.

If the agent fails to respond within 21 days it's another criminal offence to add to the list of complaints.

Having the landlord's details may provide someone to call the agent off should they play up again before marliepanda leaves .

If marliepanda needs to take action to get her deposit back this would need to be against the landlord, not the agent.

If the landlord turns out bad as well then knowing who they are gives an opportunity to dob them in. E.g. do they have consent to let? etc.

Another option to trace the LL is to buy the entry of the property from the land registry, done online it costs about four quid IIRC.

I forget your deposit history, marliepanda I take it your deposit is protected and you have been given the prescribed information. ( I'm not up on it's contents, is the landlord's address in that?).

marliepanda

I do have the landlords name and the address is c/o the LA.

I have never had any reason to contact the LL. Maybe I was lax in the beginning but I've been with this company for 5 years and they've only gone bat**** insane in the last week.

As stated they were fine with me rearranging viewings whilst I was still renting the place, as that equalled continuing management fees plus whatever commission from selling...

Since I handed in my notice, THAT is when the trouble started, as now they are facing a void period with no money rolling in, and no doubt the LL can't afford the mortgage alone hence the sale a mere 3 years after purchase. I am of the opinion that most BTL landlords do not go into it with a 3 year plan.... especially with the market then and the market now.

marliepanda

franklee wrote: »

I forget your deposit history, marliepanda I take it your deposit is protected and you have been given the prescribed information. ( I'm not up on it's contents, is the landlord's address in that?).

My deposit is held with TDS, and the check in and check out were and are being done by an independent check out clerk. I have checked out this clerk and I am happy that they are indeed independent and not yet another sister company (I am not paying for check in or check out so I dont care how much they are charging for their services)

According to my tenancy agreement and the info I was sent after I handed in my notice (but before all this ridiculousness) ALL deductions will be noted on the day if there is to be any and agreed upon. (ie they say that nothing can be brought up after I hand in my keys, so I simply see this as no surprises for me)

My plan is to claim my full deposit back from TDS as soon as I hand my keys back. If there are deductions I agree with then fine, but I will dispute any I am not happy with/feel are fair wear and tear.

I have an address for the LL but it is c/o the letting agency. I did ask for the LL address earlier in the tenancy as I was getting big a4 packs of info regarding ground rent etc, and then final demand after final demand which I kept returning to sender) The LL finally got a big bill with additional non payment charges on and I was 'complained at' for not forwarding the mail to the LA (I forwarded some and returned the rest to sender) I was probably arsey with them and said 1. why hasnt the LL gave them her address as she knew she wasnt going to live here, and 2. its not my responsibility to tell her when to pay her ground rent! but apart from that, no issues