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Serious problem with West London letting agent....
JennyP
Posts: 1,072 Forumite
My letting agent charged me a fortune (nearly £1700) and managed to let my property to an illegal Chinese immigrant! She let the flat (2 bed) to up to six people, pocketing a tidy profit. She then returned to China for the New Year and was refused entry to the UK when she got back. My letting agent had told me that they had referenced checked her and that she was running a business in the UK quite legitimately. When all the problems came to light, they have now admitted that they never actually checked that she was actually allowed to be in the UK. Incredible!
The letting agents advised me to :
1. Just let yourself in and change the locks (hmmmm....great advice - if you want to be sued for illegal eviction)
2. Just get the other people to sign a new tenancy (again, dodgy advice without ending the first tenancy).
I am posting this as a word of warning to anyone who uses an agent - it just seems unbelievable to me as the first thing that I'd ask any new tenant who wasn't from the EU is "Can I see your visa/work permit?" ! If you must use an agent (and I had to last time because I was just too busy to deal with it myself), then check that they have done all the right checks, even if it seems obvious.
I've happily now managed to get all the people she had sublet to out of my flat and have got possession back. But the stress and hassle have been unbelievable. I could have been tens of thousands of pounds out of pocket in lost rent and solicitors fees. And it's thanks to a very good solicitor NOT my letting agent that I'm not.
If anyone out there rents property in West London and would like to know which agent was responsible for this fiasco, send me a private message.
The letting agents advised me to :
1. Just let yourself in and change the locks (hmmmm....great advice - if you want to be sued for illegal eviction)
2. Just get the other people to sign a new tenancy (again, dodgy advice without ending the first tenancy).
I am posting this as a word of warning to anyone who uses an agent - it just seems unbelievable to me as the first thing that I'd ask any new tenant who wasn't from the EU is "Can I see your visa/work permit?" ! If you must use an agent (and I had to last time because I was just too busy to deal with it myself), then check that they have done all the right checks, even if it seems obvious.
I've happily now managed to get all the people she had sublet to out of my flat and have got possession back. But the stress and hassle have been unbelievable. I could have been tens of thousands of pounds out of pocket in lost rent and solicitors fees. And it's thanks to a very good solicitor NOT my letting agent that I'm not.
If anyone out there rents property in West London and would like to know which agent was responsible for this fiasco, send me a private message.
0
Comments
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Jenny - its great to read that you got things sorted in the end.Must have been a huge relief. Maybe its worth offering your solicitor's name by PM too?
As I've said before LAs don't have to have any training, expertise or - it would seem in the case of yours - common sense before they can set themselves up "managing" other people's properties0
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