Ripped off by letting agents??

[sunsh1ne]

Hi, just wondered if someone would be able to give me a second (or third!) oppinion?

 

I needed to move house and paid an admin charge of £250 to a letting agent. was very unimpressed by their unproffessional attitude - they lost my contact details twice, didnt attend the first or second house viewing, didnt advise the current resident of my appointments to view until a few minutes before, did not advise me when the credit checks were complete, did not advise me that it was a compulsery part of the contract that i take out house insurance and were in general rude and uninterested - so it probabl would not surprise you that i decided to apply for a different house with a different company.

 

The new agents were lovely, really smiley and friendly - the house was gorgeous! I went in with my friend and made it crystal clear repatedly that i needed to move by the 29th jan (when my notice was up on my current property) which at the time was 10 days away - they assured me that this would not be a problem and the checks usually only take 7 days at the most, sometimes only 3 days. I paid them £200 admin on this promise. I said i would call back on tues (25th) to see how the application was coming along they said that was fine. When i called on tues i was advised that the girl who deals with the applications had not been in all wk until the wed and nobody could tell me how my application was going because only she dealt with them. So called back wed to be advised that my file would have been looked at (make your mind up!) and they were just waiting on my landlords reference to come back and the credit check etc had been done - i asked how the application looked and she said ahe could not see a prob but obviously could not say 100% as the applications all get sent to an outside agency to be verified but the director who is the only person who can sign it off was not in until monday 31st. WHY wasnt i told before i handed any money over?? I let them know i felt annoyed and cheated but they just muttered about processes - denying that they had promised it would be done in 7 days. I called on monday and they said that they had sent the info off and would know by tues. On wed i received a letter advising that the application had not been accepted which was sent on monday - before the outside agency had approved/rejected it??? I called the agents who said that my guarantors credit rating was not quite high enough - believe me he has a perfect credit rating plus that had been done the wk before so why wasnt i advised of this?? There was no problem with my guarantors credit rating for the other agents?

 

I just feel really cheated and strung along. The house was never taken off the rental market so who is to say that they never took "admin fees" off other people? Things just dont seem right?? Maybe its just me feeling sore for losing £450 in total on admin fees?! Does any of this sound wrong to anyone else?

 

Sorry for ranting on but thougtht it was important to get every detail in!

 

Thanks xx

[natalie]

Why did you pay a fee to the first letting agent?

 

I've never paid a fee to a letting agent unless I was renting a house from them, and then their fees are paid at the same time as the deposit and first months rent.

[sunsh1ne]

Because that was what the process i was told happened by the letting agents - i pay the money for them to do the admin involved in processing my application for expenses and credit checks etc - ive never used a letting agent before, ive only been with a housing association and got this house from a friend of a friend so didnt know any different. Every letting agent but one does that in my town - they all advised me the same when i was aclling about houses so i had no reason to think this was wrong? x

[ashmk]

I think you hit the nail on the head there.

 

who is to say that they never took "admin fees" off other people?

 

I bet that is exactly what they have done. String a load of people along for as long as they can charging them £200 each for the pleasure then make up some excuses when the property owner starts moaning and offer it to someone.

[sunsh1ne]

So what can I do? Would it be a case for Trading Standards?

[Conniff]

There must have been a contract with the agency, what does that say??

[sunsh1ne]

I filled in an application form which had the usual stuff on the back, talking about the form and guarantor, asking if all the info i put on was true etc but i was in a hurry to fill the form in and hand it to the letting agents for fear of someone else getting the admin on the house first which would have prevented me from getting it. I must have had it in my possession for about an hour before handing it in. I did not get a copy of it given to me. Do you think I could ask to see my file?? Could they refuse to give it to me?

[scorpiomnz]

I had a problem with my letting agent as well. When i went to view the property they advised me that the rent is 850 even when it was advertised for 895. I double checked it with the agent and she confirmed it as well. We liked the property and we filled in the application forms where the agent herself wrote 850 PCM. Then they do the reference check and the forms which they sent to my HR also mentioned 850 for the rent, but when i went to sign the contract they told me that the rent is £895 PCM ( agents tone was like take it or leave it). I had no options as my contract for other property was ending the next day and i had to take the keys somehow so i had to sign the contract in the end. How can i complaint about he agent and what right do i have ? I have evidence from my HR and my previous landlord where they sent forms for credit check and it clearly mentions that i have applied for a property with a rent of 850 PCM.

[Steve__M]

I filled in an application form which had the usual stuff on the back, talking about the form and guarantor, asking if all the info i put on was true etc but i was in a hurry to fill the form in and hand it to the letting agents for fear of someone else getting the admin on the house first which would have prevented me from getting it. I must have had it in my possession for about an hour before handing it in. I did not get a copy of it given to me. Do you think I could ask to see my file?? Could they refuse to give it to me?

 

The only way you'll get your money back is to kick up a stink. Write a letter stating why you are unhappy with their procedures. Demand copies of anything you signed. Follow it up with complaints to trading standards. Threaten to sue.

 

You could also get a friend to go in, claim to be interested in a property, and get a copy of all the necessary forms. Presumably they will be the same as the ones you filled in. These may constitute your "agreement" with the letting agent. Read them carefully.

[womble72]

I am also being ripped off by an estate agent for admin fees and total lies!

These La have think they got the right to charge and mislead good people and i am one of them.

For the past 3 months I have tried to secure a long term tenancy agreement for my children and I have failed!

I can understand landlords concerned if a tenant is in rent arrears and not happy but when a good tenant has never been behind I feel let down by the lies this estate agent has told the landlord.

No response from the landlord regarding the dispute and this so called La are a disgrace!

One day I will do a blog and I will name and shame this company!

I fully understand your problem with being ripped off by a La. and this should not be allowed in this day and age.

[MARTIN3030]

The admin fees do seem to be steep.

Have you thought about asking them to supply you with a breakdown to show these fees represent a genuine pre estimate of their actual costs ?

They could be challenged as penalties if they cannot justify them.

The other point about having to take the insurance could also be challenged as an unfair contract terms or possibly unfair business practice/unfair relationship.

[MARTIN3030]

Scorpiomnz and Womble72-you should start your own threads and lets see if we can help.

[womble72]

Hi Martin3030,

 

I have my own thread and the problem is that a tenant has no rights!

 

The La & landlord can issue a section 21 for no reason.

 

You can be evicted without a hearing.

 

Why cant there be a law to protect tenants against greedy La with admin fees

 

The only feedback i get is why dont you move!

 

Well why should I bloody move!

 

Sorry sunsh1ne for taking over your thread but it seems that people are coming on the cag with the same problems regarding estate agents and I wished I could give you an answer for your troubles.

[mariner51]

the problem is that a tenant has no rights

In that case many people have wasted their time and electricity on this site alone trying to explain something that does not exist.

 

Why cant there be a law to protect tenants against greedy La with admin fees

There are for certain fees such as tenancy renewal fees. Application or ref/search fees are just that, a fee for providing a service.

I don't disagree some appear high (av £150 - £200) but it is the applicant's decision whether to pay, walk away or complain to OFT.

[MARTIN3030]

Why cant there be a law to protect tenants against greedy La with admin fees

 

There ARE laws in place under statute which give recourse on penalty charges-whoever is imposing them or the victim is.

[womble72]

the problem is that a tenant has no rights

In that case many people have wasted their time and electricity on this site alone trying to explain something that does not exist.

 

Why cant there be a law to protect tenants against greedy La with admin fees

There are for certain fees such as tenancy renewal fees. Application or ref/search fees are just that, a fee for providing a service.

I don't disagree some appear high (av £150 - £200) but it is the applicant's decision whether to pay, walk away or complain to OFT.

 

My point is if you are happy where you live and with an excellent track record of upkeep & payments of rent there is no reason to be issued a section 21?

If you do not agree to the La way of thinking then you are out on the streets!

There is not enough protection for tenants on a Ast agreement if you are a good tenant.

 

In that case many people have wasted their time and electricity on this site alone trying to explain something that does not exist.(This site has been excellent for people to come for advice and would not knock that fact)

[mariner51]

s21 is not an eviction notice, just the first step.

 

If T has a LA-generated AST, then they should read & understand the T&Cs before signing, asking for clarification or initialled amendments as reqd, and obtain a copy before leaving.

 

If you dislike the way LAs operate, there are still some LLs out there that do not use them.

 

If you have a dispute with LA, advise the LL who is also paying for their services.

[womble72]

The la have manipulated the landlord, he refuses to answer my emails.

 

I am very sorry for disrupting this thread it wont happen again.

[MARTIN3030]

Womble why dont you issue SARs to both ?

Ask for disclosure of things which may help you-that means being very specific in requests.

For 20 quid I think may be a good investment.

[womble72]

Womble why dont you issue SARs to both ?

Ask for disclosure of things which may help you-that means being very specific in requests.

For 20 quid I think may be a good investment.

 

Can you please explain how to issue a SAR to both?

 

Much Appreciated

[NewSAHD]

sunsh1ne, hi, it's already been said here by ashmk before, but if to all intents and purposes you were a "safe bet" as a possible tenant then it does sound a little suspicious...

 

womble72, hello again, from what I recall of matters your situation seems a little different, perhaps. I've not had to get too embroiled in SAR etc though, but have a read through of

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?61189-S.A.R.-request-explanation

 

for starters and there are other similar posts that may help too. I do think (again, from what I recall) that your Agent is pushing their luck a little, but not to extent as has happened to sunsh1ne

 

No consolation, I know, but sunsh1ne didn't even take on the property they thought was "theirs"

 

Their situation really does sound suspicious...

Edited February 14, 2011 by NewSAHD
It's late, my post needed to be tidied!

[MARTIN3030]

I have just had another thought.

You could also consider a Freedom of Information request to your Local authority and give them a list of questions to answer.If you do this correctly you could get some good info.

A friend of mine did one asking for a list of business properties with a rateable value of under 8k.

They replied with a full list of 1000s including owners names and addresses.

Its free to do and they must respond by 20 Working days.

Some homework for you.

 

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/

Edited February 14, 2011 by MARTIN3030

[NewSAHD]

ps

 

"I just feel really cheated and strung along."

It may well be because you were With apologies to (etc) if it quacks, waddles and has a bill then it's likely to be a duck. If it's got a big bill then it could be a dubious letting agent...

Edited February 14, 2011 by NewSAHD
(good night!)

[MARTIN3030]

Heres a similar request which was done.

 

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/payments_under_pfi1_and_pfi2_str#incoming-137921

[mariner51]

Martin 3030 Its free to do and they must respond by 14 days.

 

FOIA is max 20 working days.