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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Estate agents unwell

34 replies

Febuable · 13/01/2018 04:11

I was a bit fed up with the estate agents who manage the property we have just rented and may have been a bit rude on the phone. Was I being unreasonable?

Apparently they are all off sick, though we've managed to talk to 3 different people over the past few days (none sounding ill). We got the keys 3 weeks ago, and an info pack saying they'd informed all services and ctax that we'd moved in and so no need for us to do it. Well, they hadn't and still haven't 3 weeks later, nor have they transferred our deposit to the Dep Protection Scheme. Nor have they provided the promised extra keys and inventory (which we were supposed to get the day after we moved in).Nor were the carpets steam cleaned before we moved in (though they claim they were). So I phoned up today and asked the girl who actually showed us the property who the service providers were so that I could contact them myself and she said "It's not my area of expertise." and claimed we were low priority on their list as some properties were without gas and electricity....She said someone would get back to me on Monday. They've had 3 weeks to notify the gas and electricity, and the council tax was still in previous occupants name when we phoned today. I paid over £300 admin fee on top of reference check fees and the only admin they've done is photocopy the tenency agreement and partly answer one email. So...I may have sounded a bit cross on the phone. Is this all trivial or would it annoy you too?

OP posts:
RustyBear · 13/01/2018 13:57

You can find out your utility suppliers using the search box or phone numbers on this page.

www.energynetworks.org/info/faqs/who-is-my-network-operator.html

specialsubject · 13/01/2018 14:21

30 more secs on google to find out who to find suppliers. Did it for my rental.

As someone else says, with all these cockups you will hold all the cards. No deposit protection, sue the landlord. No inventory - no damage deductions. No paperwork - unevictable. Your landlord is a fool.

Febuable · 13/01/2018 14:23

Thanks again everyone. Good suggestions.
Yes CuriousaboutSamphire we got an envelope containing How to Rent and the gas safety cert and a few other generic leaflets about safety or items that aren't in the property (coffee makers and the likes) and a generic letter telling is they'd informed the utilities and ctax that we'd moved in "so you don't have to"....

OP posts:
Mummyoflittledragon · 13/01/2018 14:24

Lakelady

Idk if any new tenants at the agency I use have to pay £300. I assumed my fees had gone up as agents are now/ in the near future no longer allowed to charge tenants large up front fees and were offsetting this by upping mine a bit. Tbh I was surprised at the £300 quoted by op.

Febuable · 13/01/2018 14:27

Thanks RustyBear...very helpful link! You'd think the letting agent would at least know how to find the utility providers even if it wasn't on their system...but to say it's not their area of expertise!?

OP posts:
Febuable · 13/01/2018 14:28

Mummyoflittledragon it was more than 300 but didn't want to be too specific. Actually, I hope they read this thread and realise it's them!

OP posts:
LIZS · 13/01/2018 14:29

I would go down there, bet they can suddenly check the file while you are there Hmm have you got a Gas safety certificate. They have 28 days to provide you with statutory info about this, deposit scheme and ll details. Bet ll would be annoyed that they aren't fulfilling the service they pay for either.

Mummyoflittledragon · 13/01/2018 14:38

Febuable
Wow. Dh and I rented 7 years ago for a while. It was around £250 at the time. I thought fees were going down for tenants, not up. They have to make their money somehow I suppose. Not all landlords go for full management, which is probably where I imagine they make their money. I have FM.

LIZS
The place we rented then didn’t even have a valid gas safety certificate. I queried it after a couple of weeks of not receiving it. The agent sent someone to do the certificate pdq. Charlatans.

HermionesRightHook · 13/01/2018 14:45

Our current agents are fine but we've dealt with some real shits in the past. We once had a landlady contact us directly when she wasn't supposed to to have a go at us about something - took about three seconds for both of us to realise we'd been played by lazy feckless letting agents. She was FUMING. Absolutely incandsecent. She took over the management herself and was a dream until she had to sell up. I think she started sueing them - we provided her with some photos and stuff but I'm not sure if it every got to court.

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