Countrywide trying to overule Landlord!!!!!

aqua111

Rude man said we may be saying tenant leaving in order to take property from them.We will collect keys!!!!!

BitterAndTwisted

That may very well be the case but I expect that you have written correspondence between the tenant and you giving notice and making the request to use the deposit as the last month's rent. Plus yours back to them accepting this. Make copies and forward to the agent.

Then read your original contract VERY CLOSELY INDEED so you know how and when you can sack the shysters.

Can you please confirm the situation re the tenant's deposit? Which scheme, if any and who is physically holding their funds.

aqua111

Emails from Landlord and Tenant have outlined agreed terms. Written confirmation will follow. Deposits are held in a scheme.
Tomorrow we are visiting Agent to ask for keys to the house then they cannot enter.

BitterAndTwisted

Which scheme? Not all of them require the deposit-protection-scheme to physically hold the tenant's funds. If it's an-insurance-based scheme like MyDeposits Countrywide will still have the money in their possession. I supect getting hold of it without them trying to deduct their fees before handing it over to you will entail a battle and a half.

G_M

aqua111 wrote: »

Tomorrow we are visiting Agent to ask for keys to the house then they cannot enter.

And if you have trouble getting the keys back, just arrange with the tenant for the lock to be changed (£5 for a yale type or £15-20 for a mortice),so that only landlord and tenant has keys.

Put your instruction to the agent not to inspect in writing - as with all instructions.

When is the tenancy actually due to end? Are there anymore rentpayments due (apart from this last one)? If so, ask the tenant to pay you direct so that the agent doesnot hold it.

Then any dispute over fees (eg abortive inspection call-out!) will involve the agent having to claim off you, not deducting it from rent and you having to claim off them....

aqua111

No repayments due except November which will be deposit.
Countrywide do not hold deposits.
Brilliant idea to change the locks if we cannot get keys.
Even thought of calling Police as Countrwide are keeping keys that we require!!!!!!!!!!!

aqua111

Did not attempt to collect keys today as Partner just out of Hospital and could not face a confrontation today.
To make it worse Counrywide Emailed to say they had informed my Partner that an inspection was required!
As I always deal with them (They have this in writing and always speak to me) this is a lie as he was in Hospital.
Hope we can collect keys this week!!!!!!

aqua111

This is update on my original post .
Due to my Partner having further Hospital Admissions we now intend to collect the keys from the Local Countrywide Office on Monday.
Can they refuse to hand over the keys?
We will advise Head Office that we no longer wish to deal with them.

somethingcorporate

No, but that probably won't stop them anyway.

They refused to give our keys back as there was an outstanding invoice we hadn't paid (which hadn't fallen due as was on 30 days payment terms) but it didn't stop countrywide blackmailing us over it. We sent an absolute rocket to one of their directors, they are an absolute shower of morons.

I'd get as far away from them as possible when it's over, I have never come across such a poor excuse for a company before.

G_M

I would have forgotten about the agency-held keys long ago!

1) Just change the lock yourself.
2) write to agents instructing them not to inspect.
3) Also instruct them (in writing) to release the deposit.
4) Get tenant to also write instructing them to return the deposit.

Stop !!!!!footing and take control.