renewal of contract with cowboy estate agents

amyp123

So my sister is in a shared flat, 2 of them are students the other one works.
They have been there a year no trouble at all. They received a letter saying that if they want to stay there for another year, they will have to reapply for their flat and pay £200 holding deposit each and a further £175 for admin costs.
They also stated on the letter that if they don't stay, they will have people turning up unannounced for viewings and they would have to show them around!
I went down to the agents with them, and the guy was a mess. I asked him where in the contract does it say they need to pay this crazy money. He said it is not there it's in their T&Cs. I asked to see that and he wouldn't show it to us.
Anyway an agreement would be made that they each give them £200 holding deposit and they will reimburse them £100 for admin fees.
We've asked for all this in writing and constantly chasing them up. Apparently the letter was in the post last week, now today we get they haven't got time.
This morning they put up a to let board out the front of the property, and there's an advert on their website. Apparently they are doing this solely for advertising purposes. Can they do this? Even if they have no intention of renting it to someone else? They are terrible, and they are mugging off so many people. Any advice would be great! thank you.

[Deleted User]

Sounds like the tenants need to get in contact with the LL fairly urgently, to explain what is happening, that they are willing to stay but not pay the holding deposit and admin fees to stay in the same property.

They do not HAVE to allow viewings and certainly don't have to show people around. But they may be served a S21. Do the EA have keys to get into the house?

I suspect they can probably also take the 'to Let' board down.., and leave it lying in the garden.

Guest101

amyp123 wrote: »

So my sister is in a shared flat, 2 of them are students the other one works.
They have been there a year no trouble at all. They received a letter saying that if they want to stay there for another year, they will have to reapply for their flat and pay £200 holding deposit each and a further £175 for admin costs.
They also stated on the letter that if they don't stay, they will have people turning up unannounced for viewings and they would have to show them around!
I went down to the agents with them, and the guy was a mess. I asked him where in the contract does it say they need to pay this crazy money. He said it is not there it's in their T&Cs. I asked to see that and he wouldn't show it to us.
Anyway an agreement would be made that they each give them £200 holding deposit and they will reimburse them £100 for admin fees.
We've asked for all this in writing and constantly chasing them up. Apparently the letter was in the post last week, now today we get they haven't got time.
This morning they put up a to let board out the front of the property, and there's an advert on their website. Apparently they are doing this solely for advertising purposes. Can they do this? Even if they have no intention of renting it to someone else? They are terrible, and they are mugging off so many people. Any advice would be great! thank you.

Literally ignore the agents and change the locks, today. Now.


Then write to the LL and explain the situation.


The Agent is literally nothing to do with the tenants.

Johnnytwostep

change the locks

jimbog

Find the address of the Landlord here for £3:
https://www.gov.uk/search-property-information-land-registry
and change the locks

Johnnytwostep

have they paid the £200 plus £175?

what happened to the initial holding deposit 1 year ago (assuming they paid one).
Dont show anyone around, unnanounced or not until sorted.

fairy_lights

Has their original deposit been protected?

G_M

Do all 3 have separate contracts, or do they all share a single "joint and several' contract?

Is this Eng/Wales?

If they stay without signing anything/paying anything, they will automatically have a periodic tenancy (statutory or contractual). See

* Ending/renewing an AST: what happens when a fixed term ends? How can a LL or tenant end a tenancy? What is a periodic tenancy?

Discussing with the landlord direct may also help.

As for the viewings, WRITE to the landlord at the address provided, and send a copy to the agent, saying unannounced viewings are not convenient (yeah - a polite word for sake of diplomacy).

Then change the locks just to be sure. Keep the old lock to replace when the tenancy ends.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA580cRHXDY

amyp123

Thanks for all your responses. Yes I think getting in contact with the LL is the way forward.
They have not paid the £200 yet until something is drawn up in writing that they will get £100 back. But still £100 each is disgusting, I asked for a breakdown of that and one of the things he said was to "reprotect the deposit money in the tops" which is an absolute lie.
Yes they all paid £100 each last year for a holding deposit.
All 3 of them have separate contacts, yes, this is in Brighton.

fairy_lights

amyp123 wrote: »

They have not paid the £200 yet until something is drawn up in writing that they will get £100 back. But still £100 each is disgusting, I asked for a breakdown of that and one of the things he said was to "reprotect the deposit money in the tops" which is an absolute lie.

They should refuse to pay anything at all. There's no reason for the agent to need to re-protect the deposit unless he un-protects it in the first place.

nkkingston

Agent is trying it on. They'll make more money off new tenants than the current ones going periodic (for which they don't have to pay anything at all), so they're trying to get the current tenants to behave like new ones. Contact landlord, replace locks, inform the estate agents they need at least 24 hours notice for a viewing, and tell anyone who does come for a look round about the games the agent is playing. In earshot of the agent, preferably.