AIBU to sue a letting agent for not showing up with keys on moving in day?

[Margerine78]

...This is more a question of could I sue (hypothetically)?

I am moving in a few days, the letting agent has been incredibly uncommunicative and flakey ... They didn't know who I was when I showed up to view, tried to show me wrong flat, sent me tenants fees which are illegal, hasn't got back to me about sorting any pre-move issues that they promised would be sorted pre-move. (This is just a handful of issues).

For the last week, I've been trying to establish if they will meet me on the moving in day at the new house, I have no idea how it works in lockdown and so far radio silence from them.

I like to be an optimist but I have visions of showing up and the agent has totally forgotten and I'm left outside unable to get into new property during lockdown. Hypothetically, if an agent f**ked up on that massive a scale, I could sue right?

Do they have an office - can you book a time to pick the keys up, socially distanced. That's what my son did.

I didn't think they met you there if it was a rental flat, more that you pick up the keys from their office?

What do you think it would achieve?

It seems slightly ott to want to sue them. Surely you will be wanting a good relationship with them while you rent from them?

You’re meant to pick up the keys. Dear me. Sue them?! Cos you can’t be bothered to pick up the keys which is the normal thing to do??

Take lots of photos and video the property when you move in, just in case.

Are you American op?

Worry about it when/if it happens? As a side I’ve never had them meet me at the property when I was renting. I collected keys from their office.

You could of course try but your “losses” would be so minimal would it really be worth your time? In the grand scheme of things people can be sued for this really wouldn’t be that massive.

Don't sue them. Just post open and honest reviews on Google etc and corroborate with detail if you can. While there are still good estate agents who take care in marrying landlords and tenants or sellers and purchasers together, there is an ever increasing large quantum who are all about themselves. For them it is about lifestyle, snazzy websites, techno adoption, social media validation. Just get the deal done so you can post banners about success, but forget the small detail such as tenants moving into safe housing.

Unfortunately, estate agents are not regulated in the UK.

And I say this will full knowledge. I deal with their regulatory bodies frequently.

Do not sue. Just shame them.

it's your job to pick up the keys from their office.

@Cherrysoup

You’re meant to pick up the keys. Dear me. Sue them?! Cos you can’t be bothered to pick up the keys which is the normal thing to do??

I'm not some princess who doesn't want to pick up the keys, I've been chasing the agent for weeks to ask what the plan is given we're in lockdown and rules are different, and I'm getting absolutely nothing back.

I think they might be a sole agent, not part of a team, so 1. I don't think there is an office and 2. If there is it could closed (my current letting agency are all working from home).

@Tessiot

Don't sue them. Just post open and honest reviews on Google etc and corroborate with detail if you can. While there are still good estate agents who take care in marrying landlords and tenants or sellers and purchasers together, there is an ever increasing large quantum who are all about themselves. For them it is about lifestyle, snazzy websites, techno adoption, social media validation. Just get the deal done so you can post banners about success, but forget the small detail such as tenants moving into safe housing.

Unfortunately, estate agents are not regulated in the UK.

And I say this will full knowledge. I deal with their regulatory bodies frequently.

Do not sue. Just shame them.

Thanks for this, I know it's sound dramatic saying I'd sue, it was (mostly) tongue in cheek. I was just offloading to my Dad about how they've been so bad I'm genuinely worried I'll turn up on moving day, that the removal men will have to leave for another job and that I'd be sat outside my new house in the rain with my sofa etc during a lockdown. My Dad said if it came to that we could sue. He was trying to make me feel better but it got me on a chain of thought as to whether tenants ever have the legal power to make agents accountable. Some are so sh*t.

You are being ridiculous. Why go straight to suing because of a little inconvenience?

@Audreyseyebrows

It seems slightly ott to want to sue them. Surely you will be wanting a good relationship with them while you rent from them?

Yeah, this is very true. I hate confrontation too.

Tbh I just needed a rant. I'm moving to be closer to my family after a horrible first lockdown, I found a perfect flat, I was so excited but the logistics have been made so unnecessarily stressful by this agent.

I would be wondering if the universe was telling me not to move there. It really shouldn't be this difficult.

@Suze1621

Do they have an office - can you book a time to pick the keys up, socially distanced. That's what my son did.

I'd be more than happy to do this, but the agent doesn't pick up the phone, and barely replies to me.

It's the being in the dark, I just want her to say 'yes I'll meet you as the office is closed' or 'you need to come to the office to pick them up' so I can organise myself and plan ahead. I'm travelling down with the removal men and due to lockdown no can help me move, so I've got be here to help them with load-in, then try to get to new place which is halfway across the country ahead of them arriving to let them in, and get the key in the meantime. All doable but I need to plan.

Sue? Get a grip, you sound very entitled

@OldWomanSaysThis

I would be wondering if the universe was telling me not to move there. It really shouldn't be this difficult.

Oh God don't....I'm superstitious! This is what is bugging me, I'm not asking for a lot. Just tell me where I sign, what I need to pay and how I can get the keys!

He was trying to make me feel better but it got me on a chain of thought as to whether tenants ever have the legal power to make agents accountable. Some are so sht*

Do a Google on the the "seven types of power" @Margerine78 Sadly, estate agents rest their laurels on Legitimate Power. This is odd as their industry is about to be disrupted in ways they have not seen yet. Their main professional body is not up to speed.

There are other powers you will see. Don't sue, just give the information away to the public by social media against the letting agent, but not the landlord. Don't be aggressive, be subtle. Then your message will stay there.

The landlord may be part of your experience, but you don't know that now. Bank that for later. PM me if your landlord is in Bristol.

Why rent from them if they're so incompetent?

Have you had your tenancy agreement yet? If so, are your actual landlords details in there or just the agent? If not, you can request the landlords details through the agent and they legally have to provide an address, although I wouldn’t hold my breath with this shower, or you can pay £3 for the deeds on the Land Registry which will also give you an address of your landlord. Either way, your landlord needs to know how shit the agent is as soon as you can manage it. Either write a letter or drop a note to the landlord when you have their address asking them to contact your urgently re moving in arrangements because their agent is a poor joke

@emilyfrost

You are being ridiculous. Why go straight to suing because of a little inconvenience?

Hypothetically it wouldn't be a little inconvenience though would it?

If you moved halfway across the country, got there, the agent was a no show and you couldn't get hold of them, the removals had another job so had to pour all your belongings out on the pavement (probably in the rain given we're in the UK), due to lockdown you couldn't book a hotel and if you did, you'd have to leave your stuff out in the rain to get nicked. I am being extreme (I did say it was hypothetical), I'm sure it won't get to this but my point was this agent has been so flakey she's led me to have crazy paranoid thoughts about the move.

If I relayed the whole story of this agent I think you'd have more sympathy for why I'm slightly worried!

I wouldn’t move to a flat using such a useless agent, especially if they manage the letting too.

Do you have the actual landlords number?

@Margerine78 in that hypothetical situ I would call a locksmith and ask for the price to be taken off the first months rent

@BadgertheBodger

Have you had your tenancy agreement yet? If so, are your actual landlords details in there or just the agent? If not, you can request the landlords details through the agent and they legally have to provide an address, although I wouldn’t hold my breath with this shower, or you can pay £3 for the deeds on the Land Registry which will also give you an address of your landlord. Either way, your landlord needs to know how shit the agent is as soon as you can manage it. Either write a letter or drop a note to the landlord when you have their address asking them to contact your urgently re moving in arrangements because their agent is a poor joke

Thanks for this, I am considering complaining after I move in, depending on how it goes. If its smooth (fingers crossed), I'll just put a line under it. Part of me is worried about kicking off and losing the flat as it's perfect as it's near both my parents which was the idea.

I don't have tenancy agreement yet, I'm assuming I'd get that when I move in.