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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be wth - letting agent advice please

155 replies

whyarepeoplesobananas · 01/07/2022 14:25

Need some advice on this to see if it's as weird/unprofessional as I think.

No hot water last night, boiler well and truly gone, ok not great two DC's under 4. Letting agent has an online reporting tool so nothing to do but log and call in the morning. Which we did.

When we clicked the issue on the digital tool a pop up tells us to continue reporting on there but for this problem to also call the emergency line, I mean in my head it's v urgent but not an emergency as summer. Called twice no answer.
Gets an auto-response from agent saying that this problem (heating and hot water) is classified as urgent and that they will attempt to deal with urgent queries in 3 working days.

We were a little eeekkkk, what does that mean, have someone out or just respond, being Thurs eve we were a little panicky and the thought of it not being dealt with until the start of next wk - we have nowhere to go as the three people we could ask have covid!!! I called the emergency no again and left a vm saying we've just received this email, if someone receives this tonight I'd appreciate a quick call or text just confirming that 3 days won’t be the case and stop me panicking I was nice and jokey about it.

45 min later nothing, and as we have a really good (small city) FB page I thought I would ask on there to set my mind at rest;
"Does anyone rent with xxxx and has had experience of no hot water/heating, and their xxxx online reporting system? We reported the problem via xxx but have received a response back saying this has been categorised as urgent - it then lists all the urgent issues (emergency issues above this are basically major structural problems). And that they will aim to deal with the issue within 3 working days of the issue being reported.

I'm not sure what deal means, but I'm taking from this it could be into next week before its resolved given it's Friday tomorrow😅😱. Surely this can't isn't right, is it? I was thinking there would be some kind of 24hr call out for boiler issues??"
We're all just recovering from covid, DC have conjunctivitis and just wanted some reassurance before I went to bed that I wouldn't be waiting 3 days. I haven't rented since 2007 so have no idea what is to be expected.

Fast forward to this morning they email DH to say someone organised for today, great, they then followed up with call to confirm - I picked up, I was bright and breezy on the phone and like oh thank god, thank you, yes seen email etc. and was about to say we were panicking as your online thing says the above, but, to say the agent was being aggressive was an understatement, I thought DH had maybe complained this morning or there'd been some kind of altercation and he'd not said, so I said sorry is there a problem do you need me to get DH, when they exploded at me, not in volume more tone IYKWIM. How they would have expected me to come directly to them if there was a problem, how disappointed she was in me, at which point i was like I'm sorry what, they then proceeded to to tell me how they were members of the facebook group and they had seen the post last night and they were really hurt (they sounded more angry but ok) that we were complaining on there and we thought they wouldn't fix the problem they always fix problems like that in 24 hrs, so I was like, whoa, well if you've seen the post you'll know I was talking about your reporting platform and the message generated from that, which distinctly does not say 24hrs it says 3 working days!!!

She then said “well that's what the emergency phone number is for you should have called that as per the tenancy agreement....."we did, 3 times, left two messages one asking the exact question I put on facebook. No one ever got back." Her response was to shut me down and say "we can go round and round on this I don't think there's anything more to say". I was just completely baffled and kept saying what, sorry, I then said look I'm not sure what's happening here...." at which point she slammed and I mean slammed the phone down.

I just feel hair dryer'ed and I do not appreciate that, I mean this is unprofessional right.? Also feel a little spied also who is she to tell me what I can post on Facebook.....I looked at the member list and none of the lettings team are members of that group.

DH has emailed the branch manager asking them to call him - emailed back saying they are on leave today and can't call.....picking up emails and no out of office though 🤔

OP posts:
ChicCroissant · 01/07/2022 15:53

45 mins between logging your repair need and a Facebook post? Nah, you were being goady and you know it!

DelosParks · 01/07/2022 15:55

I know. I'm referring to your desperation to get it seen to so quickly when it was night time.

For most people a problem like this one is a 'next day' problem due to the costs involved.

JustLyra · 01/07/2022 15:55

I’d have been peeved at you complaining (and that’s how it came over) on social media before they even had a chance to deal with it.

However, as a LL I’d be livid if an agent spoke to my tenants like that. They might not like it but they get paid to be professional.

Crazykatie · 01/07/2022 16:02

Boiler not working in summer is not an emergency, although it may well be in winter. You are very unlikely to get a 24 hour call out to any issue except a burst pipe or a major structural issue.
If you had called in office hours the problem would probably have been attended same day or at least next day if parts are needed.

Tenants should always be reasonable when dealing with landlords or agents, it’s easy to be branded a trouble maker, they are always the first to get a notice to quit and at presents it’s a landlords market

LIZS · 01/07/2022 16:06

You were overhasty in posting and not giving the agent any time to respond before doing so. Have you taken down your post?

AmIOverReacting20 · 01/07/2022 16:11

I wouldn't perceive the FB post as a complaint and I don't think YABU. Are you younger? I like to do everything I can to get an answer to a question, including googling and asking on FB groups (which I think are fab for this sort of thing). My parents are content to wait for whoever they've asked to tell them the answer. Tbf to you it only turns into a criticism of the lettings company if somebody else answer "yeah, they were shite and took a week to get our hot water back" if someone answers "don't worry, they're amazing and you'll be sorted in no time" then suddenly it's turned into good publicity!

As a peace offering to them you could go back and edit your post with something like "update: X were so helpful and the hot water was back on really quickly" if indeed that happens. They shouldn't have been rude to you but doesn't mean you can't take the high road.

ZeroFuchsGiven · 01/07/2022 16:26

45 minutes? oof, you were soooo unreasonable op.

Your FB post reads like a complaint, I understand why the agent was pissed

IamnotSethRogan · 01/07/2022 17:08

I think the Facebook Post was just completely unnecessary and pointless. You weren't really going to get any more relevant info that would have helped your situation. I maybe would have thought it was less ridiculous if you had have waited to speak to someone within business hours. The post is a bit critical of their system and if it was my business, I wouldn't like that on Facebook.

I do think the estate agent was out of order with her tone but she wasn't "spying" on you by being on a local Facebook group.

IamnotSethRogan · 01/07/2022 17:09

And exactly, this is what makes your Facebook post a complete waste of time

ZeroFuchsGiven · 01/07/2022 17:36

I looked at the member list and none of the lettings team are members of that group

You do realise they are probably using different names so idiots don't start messaging them personally out of hours for stupid shit.

LIZS · 01/07/2022 17:41

Or it could have been shared outside the group.

Original poster
whyarepeoplesobananas · 01/07/2022 17:44

@ZeroFuchsGiven there's no need to swear or be antagonistic.

OP posts:
ClocksGoingBackwards · 01/07/2022 17:46

You mean you posted on FB 45 minutes after you first logged an issue?

It doesn’t matter what you posted, if it wasn’t positive then they will take it as negative, and you should have waited until this morning.

The estate agent was out of order though, and I’d be annoyed if my EA treated my tenants the way yours treated you, even if they did post something they shouldn’t have done on Facebook.

Original poster
whyarepeoplesobananas · 01/07/2022 17:46

@LIZS it's a private group and it's set so posts can't be shared, and yes I took it down.

OP posts:
YellowDots · 01/07/2022 17:48

Surely this can't isn't right, is it? I was thinking there would be some kind of 24hr call out for boiler issues??"

Come on! This is clearly complaining.

If my boiler broke on a Thursday night, of course I'd like it fixed before the weekend but I'd be very aware that I might have to pay a small fortune for that to happen.

'I was thinking there would be some sort of 24hr call out for boiler issues'

You wanted some Facebook warriors to pile on saying 'OMG that's completely unacceptable hun'

QuillBill · 01/07/2022 17:51

Why did you post on AIBU if you are so utterly convinced that you weren't BU?

Original poster
whyarepeoplesobananas · 01/07/2022 17:51

@ClocksGoingBackwards no 45 minutes after I called the oo number and left a vm asking them to clarify the auto email response saying they would aim to deal in 3 days. And I want to reiterate I would never have even had that number let alon called it if their system hadn't told me to call that number as well as flagged the issue via the portal. it was about 2 hrs ish after the initial logging and call - just before I was going to bed.

OP posts:
Original poster
whyarepeoplesobananas · 01/07/2022 17:53

@QuillBill I don't think I was, I was asking about the way the letting agent spoke to me.

OP posts:
LIZS · 01/07/2022 18:07

whyarepeoplesobananas · 01/07/2022 17:46

@LIZS it's a private group and it's set so posts can't be shared, and yes I took it down.

It can screenshot then sent on to others outside.

Léighméleabhair · 01/07/2022 18:26

@whyarepeoplesobananas

Loads of posters on mumsnet are wealthy 2nd property owners so it's not necessarily the best place to get impartial advice about landlord & tenant issues.

I think it's perfectly understandable that you want to know what their timetable is for fixing issues. Personally I ignore electronic communication portals if I can and rather phone or visit people directly if I want something sorting.

Let's face it, if you were a property owner, you don't wait until after the weekend before trying to get your boiler fixed, you start ringing plumbers straight away to see if you can get someone to come out and look at the problem.

Just because you're paying rent doesn't mean the agent can treat you like an inconvenience.

Sistanotcista · 01/07/2022 18:27

Well, I realise I’m in the minority, but I can see where the OP is coming from. She reported online, on a Thursday night, and understood from the messaging that she would get a response in three working days - which would have left them with small children and no hot water over the weekend. I don’t think she was unreasonable to try and establish on FB if that is actually the case.

The EA was incredibly rude. OP is the customer, and as such, should have been treated with courtesy.

LIZS · 01/07/2022 18:31

Surely the ll is the customer, he pays the agent to manage it. The op is the ll customer. Op should have given the agent at least a few hours of a working day to respond before sounding off. It was not an emergency situation, just high priority.

LittleBrenda · 01/07/2022 18:33

Just because you're paying rent doesn't mean the agent can treat you like an inconvenience.

But it was 45 minutes in the evening.

Sistanotcista · 01/07/2022 18:34

But she didn’t “sound off” - she asked a perfectly reasonable question to manage expectations re timings. And she only had to do this because the EA weren’t clear in their initial messaging.

LIZS · 01/07/2022 18:37

But she didn't "have to". A follow up call next morning would have clarified expectations.