Problem with letting agent - advice required

AlwaysHappy

Evening, hoping for some advice . Back in September I had a letter from the letting agents that manage my property saying I needed a legionnaires certificate - I reluctantly sent my cheque together with a letter asking for a full report asking for full information after the report was done. The cheque was cashed and I have waited... I have in the last 8 weeks been in contact with the letting agency 3 times, the last time I emailed and said that if the report wasn't received by the end of last week - I wanted my money back.... and ... I haven't heard a thing.
What are my rights?? How do I complain?? Who else can I raise this with??
Many thanks ..:beer:

jimmy_cricket

Someone will be along with more knowledge but I think that this is an issue for the landlord rather than the tenant. Have you contact details of the landlord?

anselld

AlwaysHappy wrote: »

Evening, hoping for some advice . Back in September I had a letter from the letting agents that manage my property saying I needed a legionnaires certificate - I reluctantly sent my cheque together with a letter asking for a full report asking for full information after the report was done. The cheque was cashed and I have waited... I have in the last 8 weeks been in contact with the letting agency 3 times, the last time I emailed and said that if the report wasn't received by the end of last week - I wanted my money back.... and ... I haven't heard a thing.
What are my rights?? How do I complain?? Who else can I raise this with??
Many thanks ..:beer:

Agents must be members of a redress scheme. However you must follow the Agent's own complaints procedure first. Complain to the branch manager.

You don't need a "Legionella Certificate", in fact there is no such thing.

Check your agency contract. The other option is to sack this agent and employ one who knows what they are doing.

robatwork

jimmy_cricket wrote: »

Someone will be along with more knowledge but I think that this is an issue for the landlord rather than the tenant. Have you contact details of the landlord?

I think you have assumed the OP is a tenant. I would have assumed the exact opposite.

Here you go OP

http://www.hse.gov.uk/myth/myth-busting/2015/case357-consultants-letting-agents-exposure-to-legionella.htm

Letter Before Action I think. Or a letter before Letter Before Action if you're feeling generous.

G_M

Step 1) official complaint internal. Check the agent's process

Step 2) complaint to the relevant ombudsman for
a) poor advice (see post above) and
b) service paid for but not supplied

Step 3) Small Claims court (for cost of a service paid for but not supplied)

Step 4) (or in parallel), change agent

* Letting agents: how should a landlord select or sack?

saajan_12

I would write a formal letter before action requesting the return of the funds for a service not provided, giving ~7 days. If you hear nothing after this time, file a Money claim online for the same, enclosing their note and your agreement to getting the certificate, and your proof of payment, as well as your letter stating you haven't received anything.

You can complain through the agent's complaints process and then escalating to the redress scheme they belong to, but this would take time and as you have a straightforward claim, I would think that might be a more straightforward way to reclaiming your money.

AlwaysHappy

Many thanks to you all for your help. I have now written as suggested and hopefully the matter will be resolved shortly.

theartfullodger

I'd fire the agent.

And if you've not done similar already, do a how to be a landlord course with RLA or NLA. It will save you more in cost & time than it takes to do,

Miss_Samantha

Instruct your tenant to pay rent to you directly.