Letting Agent leaving Property Unlocked

MrTheMask

Yesterday 26 March 19

I agreed that the Letting Agent could arrange viewings and conduct them whilst I was not there.

I came home yesterday to find that the Letting Agent had failed to secure the house and garage. This meant the house would have been easily accessible for two days until the next viewing if I had not come home.

My first action will be telling the Letting Agent that they are no longer allowed in to the property unless I am present, which will be a blow for them as I work away.

What other action can I take against the letting agent?

babyblade41

I would do just that .. I'd be furious

Slithery

MrTheMask wrote: »

which will be a blow for them as I work away.

Surely you mean a blow for you as you will now get fewer viewings?

What other action can I take against the letting agent?

Ask them not to do it again.

OscarFoxtrot

MrTheMask wrote: »

Yesterday 26 March 19

I agreed that the Letting Agent could arrange viewings and conduct them whilst I was not there.

I came home yesterday to find that the Letting Agent had failed to secure the house and garage. This meant the house would have been easily accessible for two days until the next viewing if I had not come home.

My first action will be telling the Letting Agent that they are no longer allowed in to the property unless I am present, which will be a blow for them as I work away.

What other action can I take against the letting agent?

Nothing, you have suffered no loss.


Simply change the locks and get on with life

01afraser4

MrTheMask wrote: »

Yesterday 26 March 19

I agreed that the Letting Agent could arrange viewings and conduct them whilst I was not there.

I came home yesterday to find that the Letting Agent had failed to secure the house and garage. This meant the house would have been easily accessible for two days until the next viewing if I had not come home.

My first action will be telling the Letting Agent that they are no longer allowed in to the property unless I am present, which will be a blow for them as I work away.

What other action can I take against the letting agent?

I can imagine this would be quite infuriating but looking at it neutrally, removing their permission to arrange viewings without you there is really cutting off your nose to spite your face - the main person that impacts negatively is you.

Secondly, while they've no doubt made a mistake, no harm has come of it. I'd be inclined to contact the letting agent expressing your dissatisfaction - you may get a reduction in your fees as an apology, but that should be the end of the matter.

lvm

Slithery wrote: »

Surely you mean a blow for you as you will now get fewer viewings?

01afraser4 wrote: »

I can imagine this would be quite infuriating but looking at it neutrally, removing their permission to arrange viewings without you there is really cutting off your nose to spite your face - the main person that impacts negatively is you.

Sounds like OP simply rents the property so he loses nothing by not allowing viewings to take place apart from !!!!ing off the agent and possibly the landlord.

Slithery

Your correct, I misread the first post.


In that case just change the locks .

lisyloo

Are you allowed to just change the locks if you are a tenant?

Sounds overkill to me.
I would simply give them the instructions and not make any additional efforts to clean/tidy.

davidmcn

lisyloo wrote: »

Are you allowed to just change the locks if you are a tenant?

How are the agents going to find out, unless they disobey your instruction not to try letting themselves in?

OscarFoxtrot

lisyloo wrote: »

Are you allowed to just change the locks if you are a tenant?

Sounds overkill to me.
I would simply give them the instructions and not make any additional efforts to clean/tidy.

Yes, you can change the front door if you want.


As long as you return the house to the appropriate state when you move out

JuicyJesus

A friend of mine had this happen to her recently. Her solution was to insist directly to the agent that any viewings were to be conducted with her present by prior agreement, then on leaving the house padlock an internal door shut with a notice on it saying that if anyone was viewing the flat, she hadn't given consent.

This provoked quite a few frantic missed calls from the agent while she was out of the house and when they'd told her they wouldn't do any viewings, but it also (totally coincidentally I'm sure) stopped viewings from being arranged without her being there quicksharp.