Problem with letting agency

tejero23f

My letting agency took it upon itself to have my tenants chimney swept and washing machine waste cleared without informing me then charged £120 for it!
I have informed them to refund the money immediately as they took a decision without my explicit approval. if they do not refund me I am considering dispensing with there services and making my own agreement with the tenant...thus saving me 10% agents fee.
Any thoughts on this one?

missile

Presumably the tenant asked for this to be done? What would you have done had they asked you?

If you don't need an agent get shot, but be prepared for the tenant's phone call on a Friday evening call on a bank holiday weekend.

tejero23f

Thanks Missile,.
I'm a hands on landlord who can do most repairs my self, anything complicated (gas problems) then I have my own plumber. I suspect the agency has a nice little agreement with it's own maintenance people...it's nice little side earner.

sandsni

Check the contract you signed with the agent. Is there a clause allowing the agent to undertake repairs and maintenance up to a certain cost?


Also check if there's a clause about them being owed their fee (or part of it) for the whole duration of the current tenancy even if you dispense with their services.

G_M

What does your contract with the agents say about maintenance........?

See


Letting Agents (Tips for selecting, and tips for sacking them)

martindow

Perhaps there ought to be some mention of chimney sweeping in the tenancy agreement. I've known of a tenancy where the LL initially got the chimney swept and the tenant was required to get it swept annually after that (at their expense).

whalster

missile wrote: »

Presumably the tenant asked for this to be done? What would you have done had they asked you?

If you don't need an agent get shot, but be prepared for the tenant's phone call on a Friday evening call on a bank holiday weekend.

The few phone calls you get though and the little bit of your time is not worth an annual 10% of your rent surely? And as an aside most of my tenants text me now if there is a problem

tejero23f

thanks for all your suggestions,
I have written to the agency asking them to refund me money they took from my invoice immediately.
The reason i'm so angry with them is that I have informed them before not to do any work before informing me. If I don't get satisfaction this time i'm considering ending the contract and letting the property without them even though it will mean more hands on work. at the moment the agreement is the called a statutory tenancy agreement which mean I have to give 2 months notice , the tenants 1 month. The agency even tried to charge me for a new set up fee after the initial 6 months until I challenge them-all crooks!

paddyrg

tejero23f wrote: »

I suspect the agency has a nice little agreement with it's own maintenance people...it's nice little side earner.

If it helps confirm your suspicions the builder the agency I rent from uses confirmed to me that he has to factor in a 10% kickback for every job he does for the agency.

jjlandlord

So-called 'secret profit' by an agent are not permitted.
If it was not agreed with the principal (the landlord) and as all money received by the agent is done on behalf of his principal, I would tell the agent that any 'kickback' are legally mine, and that they have 7 days to forward me the money...