Closing account with lettings agent: unreasonable documents request

Slithery

domyue said:

I definitely worry that they will come to ‘inspect’ (aka rummage) and be bullies and will not be courteous. Any advice on this aspect please?

Don't let them in?

HampshireH

domyue said:

They are just a very annoying company. They emailed back saying that they need to specify their internal processes to close the file. The lettings terms didnt at all specify what those processes are what extent they have to be ‘satisfied’. I definitely worry that they will come to ‘inspect’ (aka rummage) and be bullies and will not be courteous. Any advice on this aspect please? 

Thanks for your continued advice!

How would they get in?

Just give them their 14 day cancellation notice as per their agreement (looks like what it requires)

Check out inspection seems a valid request so that the former tenant can have their deposit released presumably you would be doing this anyway?

Slithery

HampshireH said:
Just give them their 14 day cancellation notice as per their agreement (looks like what it requires)

That only applies within the 14 days after first signing the contract...

domyue

Well if I don’t let them in, they threatened to go to court which is strangely aggressive!! And those specifics are not written anywhere in the terms! 

And the checkout is kinda meaningless now because I didnt do one when tenants left and now I’m kind of storing things there and using the flat sometimes during the week. So not empty anymore. 

HampshireH

domyue said:

Well if I don’t let them in, they threatened to go to court which is strangely aggressive!! And those specifics are not written anywhere in the terms! 

And the checkout is kinda meaningless now because I didnt do one when tenants left and now I’m kind of storing things there and using the flat sometimes during the week. So not empty anymore. 

Take you to court for what outcome?

That makes no sense.

steampowered

Just ignore them. 

If they want to take you to court (for what?) let them. 

domyue

To court to pay the renewal fee for the whole year. Unless they have ‘proof’ that tenants left 2 weeks ago. 

But if I’m staying there, they could still say anything they want. The toothbrush is not mine or underwear in the drawers are not ours… it could border on absurdity. 

So I was thinking of letting them see the place to get them off my back. But worried about their aggressiveness and what other demands etc. urgh such companies are terrible

canaldumidi

I really don't understand your ongoing concern. I repeat

canaldumidi said:

If they were to sue, exactly what evidence would/could they produce to convince a judge they were owed the money.......?

Ignore them. The more you respond the longer this drags on.

domyue said:

They are just a very annoying company. They emailed back saying that they need to specify their internal processes to close the file.

Their internal processes are their problem, not yours. Ignore them.

domyue said:

To court to pay the renewal fee for the whole year. Unless they have ‘proof’ that tenants left 2 weeks ago.

exactly what evidence would/could they produce to convince a judge they were owed the money.......?

Ignore them.

JuanBallOfWimbledon

What @canaldumidi said. The more you entertain this, the longer it’ll go on. As you said, the inspection won’t prove anything, therefore won’t get them off your back - so what’s to be gained other than stress and potentially another disagreement? From what you’ve said and shared, they have no proof you owe them anything, you said yourself ‘… those specifics are not written anywhere in the terms!’, so you didn’t agree to them, ergo you’re not bound by them.  They would need to prove you were liable for the fees, not the other way around. How could they? If you’ve not left any info out here, they couldn’t.

Decline the visit, ignore, and move on. 

TripleH

If it gets to court, just produce copies of bank statements, vehicle logbook or driving licence in your name showing the property's address.

If you have a letter fromthe DVLA with your new correct address driving licence go to the letting agents with it and show to them and say 'I live here now'.

Obviously harder if you don't drive.