Council tax

kayleighali

lucyowen said:

The agent always threatened me
that I would be breaching the contract she never allowed me to inspect the property she said to me that she will take care of all the legal sides and notify the council about the tenants 

Do you have this in writing?

Was this an established Estate Agent or just someone who found you tenants? The Whats App communication is ringing alarm bells but that may just be me. Have you seen the tenancy agreements and signed them off as being to your approval? Do you have a legal agreement between yourself and the Estate Agent?

MaryNB

kayleighali said:

lucyowen said:

The agent always threatened me
that I would be breaching the contract she never allowed me to inspect the property she said to me that she will take care of all the legal sides and notify the council about the tenants 

Do you have this in writing?

Was this an established Estate Agent or just someone who found you tenants? The Whats App communication is ringing alarm bells but that may just be me. Have you seen the tenancy agreements and signed them off as being to your approval? Do you have a legal agreement between yourself and the Estate Agent?

The whole scenario is ringing alarm bells. If the OP isn't sure of her council tax liability and is as dependent on the agent as she implies she is, what about all the rest of her legal obligations as landlord?? How sure is she that everything else was done correctly? How sure is she that the tenants are actually gone? 

ETA: I'd nearly go as far as saying it sounds like that the OP is being scammed by someone who is pretending to be a letting agent so they can gain access to the property to use as a grow house (I may have watched too much Nightmare Tenants Slum Landlords during the first lockdown...)

Skiddaw1

MaryNB said:

kayleighali said:

lucyowen said:

The agent always threatened me
that I would be breaching the contract she never allowed me to inspect the property she said to me that she will take care of all the legal sides and notify the council about the tenants 

Do you have this in writing?

Was this an established Estate Agent or just someone who found you tenants? The Whats App communication is ringing alarm bells but that may just be me. Have you seen the tenancy agreements and signed them off as being to your approval? Do you have a legal agreement between yourself and the Estate Agent?

The whole scenario is ringing alarm bells. If the OP isn't sure of her council tax liability and is as dependent on the agent as she implies she is, what about all the rest of her legal obligations as landlord?? How sure is she that everything else was done correctly? How sure is she that the tenants are actually gone? 

ETA: I'd nearly go as far as saying it sounds like that the OP is being scammed by someone who is pretending to be a letting agent so they can gain access to the property to use as a grow house (I may have watched too much Nightmare Tenants Slum Landlords during the first lockdown...)

That's exactly what I thought when I read the thread. Mary, we're obviously lockdown binge-watching twins!

kayleighali

MaryNB said:

ETA: I'd nearly go as far as saying it sounds like that the OP is being scammed by someone who is pretending to be a letting agent so they can gain access to the property to use as a grow house (I may have watched too much Nightmare Tenants Slum Landlords during the first lockdown...)

Wow I hadn't even considered that but it's not outwith the realms of possibility! I've definitely seen worse on that programme and that's all real life!

Adsta

MaryNB said:

ETA: I'd nearly go as far as saying it sounds like that the OP is being scammed by someone who is pretending to be a letting agent so they can gain access to the property to use as a grow house (I may have watched too much Nightmare Tenants Slum Landlords during the first lockdown...)

Now I know what I will be watching next.... lol  

GDB2222

Council tax - that's all you are worried about? I take it that you haven't been inside the property yet?

leonj

GDB2222 said:

Council tax - that's all you are worried about? I take it that you haven't been inside the property yet?

YEah the place is probably trashed, they don't like paying for electricity for one thing and usually need some custom ventilation!