MSE News: Rogue letting agents face Government crackdown 17 October 2013 at 2:38PM in House Buying, Renting & Selling 7 replies 1.4K views

Former_MSE_Darryl

"Letting and property management agents will be forced to join a redress scheme and sign up to a tenants' charter..."

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Rogue letting agents face Government crackdown



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Annabee

Good news. And about time too!

Pincher

Protect the tenants? What about the landlord!

One case, I negotiated for the letting agent to handle the deposit, because having an independent third party is mostly why I use an agent for, so everything is above board and recorded, none of that who said what business.

The tenants left things in a mess, and the agent just says I didn't pay for management, so tough, they don't want to lift a finger, when the deposit is with the DPS in their name!

ValHaller

Pincher wrote: »

I negotiated for the letting agent to handle the deposit, because having an independent third party is mostly why I use an agent for

As far as the tenants are concerned, an agent is not independent.

thelem

Pincher wrote: »

Protect the tenants? What about the landlord!

Landlords are free to shop around. Tenants get whatever letting agent the landlord has chosen. They are also usually wealthier and therefore can more easily cope with any financial losses (a few hundred pounds should be an inconvenience for a landlord, but it could mean a tenant can't afford to feed themselves properly).

That's not to say letting agents should be allowed to scam landlords, but tenants should be the priority.

Murphybear

Letting agents act for the landlord, not the tenant.

dimbo61

Heard it all before and I am sure as soon as any new rules come out clever people will be looking for ways around it.

Ulfar

How about following Scotland's example and making fees illegal. That would be a huge first step.