Letting agents taking the piss?

[LovingtheRain3421]

Background is we've served notice to leave an absolute nightmare of a flat. Looks lovely and the rent is sky high but in reality, nothing works. It's been a nightmare, makes me cry when I think about it as we relocated here from abroad and really needed a good place to be long term, so my patience is wearing thin.

Since we served notice, we've had letting agents:

• ask for blocks of 2 hours of viewings EVERY evening. Not actual times for viewings, just letting us know they will do viewings between 5 and 7pm tomorrow.
• every single viewing request comes after 9pm for 5pm the next day so not even 24 hours notice
• ask me to come meet them so they can get the keys to cut copies
• ask me to come home from work as they've organized a viewing and realized they don't have keys and they don't want to bother the landlord (after which the above request came through)
• message relentlessly between 8pm and 10.30pm with viewings requests

WTF are these people thinking? I actually do want them to do viewings, find a tenant and leave me alone. I have already agreed to several viewings with 12-18 hours notice only. But this is ridiculous, right?

Stop being so available is the only answer, this is ridiculous!

They are taking the piss because you are being too accommodating.

Write to them today saying you want to support them in finding new tenants but they do need to respect your right to quiet enjoyment of your home.

Offer one or two windows a week that you are happy for viewings to take place in, and make it clear that telephone calls after 6pm will not be accepted.

I don't know why my reply above was hidden

It's your home, so tell them what works for you and don't just go along with all these requests.

You don’t need to allow ANY viewings at all! They may have it written on your contract that you need to but, this is overwritten by your right to “quiet enjoyment”.

if you want to be generous you could allow them a set hour twice a week or similar. Or charge them £x a viewing!

keep all communication in writing (email) and don’t pander to any of their bull shit!

Check your tenancy and see what it says about viewings, if anything. Let that guild you.

id be inclined to tell then that you are entitled to the peaceful enjoyment of your property and you will no longer be facilitating or allowing viewings.

I just want to know what they're thinking to push and push like this?

Surely the guaranteed outcome is to piss me off???

Legally you don't have to allow any viewings at all.
So don't. Tell them no more viewings, irregardless of what may be in your contract.

They are not thinking. They work on commission and since you are no longer their cash cow, they want to replace you with someone else pronto.
The good news is that you are not required to do any of this. A simple email to state that you require 24h notice of any viewings and will not be available to assist with anything further should put the end to this. Then stop answering calls from them.
It's not your problem if they then find themselves in a position where they don't have a key. They can ring the landlord who should be interested enough in the outcome to drop everything and assist.

Hold on - why have you been served notice? 'Hopefully' they are selling and the viewing are for buyers, not new tenants?? Just checking as S21 has been abolished for private lets, so what is the reason for the notice?

No i expect they are people working commission only and so only get paid when its let. They are desperate to be the one to let it again

You may as well start a thread called 'bears shitting in woods?' OP. They have no right to behave like this and they know they don't. You have to be assertive to the point of aggression with the pointy-shoed little twats. 'I am available this time and this other time. If you contact me outside of those times I will prevent any viewings at all until we leave the property. You are currently disrupting my right to quiet enjoyment of my home, which as you well know is my legal right.'

No, no, we served notice on the landlord. The flat is just falling apart and I can't live like this. I would have to take time off work to accommodate workmen every other week. We had 5 different visits from handymen in the first 2 weeks as we moved in and the place was just ridiculous.

Sounds like Foxtons or a similar agent whose negotiators are on high commissions.

Various tricks (I am a landlord in Central London) are to over value a property. They then show people from overseas several over valued properties so that one closer to market rent looks like a bargain. I used to deduct 20% off their valuation, rather than wait three weeks for them to tell me to reduce the price.

They try to show every property to everyone. The last time I rented through them, I was clear, no students. Yet for about three weeks they seemed only to show students leaving me to have to reject offers. It was only when I threatened to move agents that they suddenly announced they would start showing "corporates". Within a couple of days I had an offer from a couple of young professionals.

I want to keep the out-going tenant on-side so I normally ask the Agent to only show the flat to well-qualified, well-motivated tenants. I then tell the current tenant that they are welcome to impose similar conditions. Both of us will want a tenant found quickly, but neither want a constant through flow of unsuitable applicants.

They can do it. Also no last minute viewings, no calls after a certain time etc. This is your home. Ask to speak to the manager. Tell them that if things don't improve you will only allow viewings for a set and restricted time slot, say every 2-3 days.

OpenRent is so much easier/cheaper, but you need the big agents with corporate links to let to overseas tenants.

OP you don't need to allow any viewings at all, legally. It doesn't matter what is in your contract, that can't and doesn't override the law.

Tell them you don't work for them and have other commitments. Just keep saying No

They are also pushing boundaries by asking you to take time off work to let in workmen. The previous tenants probably gave up and stopped reporting anything.

I self manage, so don't mind attending when workmen come in so I know what the problem is and so I can make decisions. I will ask tenants who normally work from home if they will let people in, or if there is an emergency and they are already there, but usually I see it as my job. I also spend time in properties between tenancies, and will check things like showers, loos and white goods. Easier to fix before a tenant comes in. The last thing I want is a load of complaints at the outset.

@Needmoresleep yes, it's Foxtons!

We used to rent out a flat, and I echo PPs saying you can just say no. For now, it's your home, and you have no obligation to let anybody in. Not even the LL, unless it's an emergency.

@Needmoresleep and yes, the landlord just keeps blaming the previous tenants saying they didn't tell them about any issues. But the issues were so obvious! I agree previous tenants just stopped complaining as honestly, I am now doing the same. I just give up.

But it makes no sense as every property I have ever rented, has had a 6 months inspection. Every one.

The landlord's preffered handyman only works Mon-Friday between 9am - 4pm as he has kids! So i am expected to take time off work!

Foxtons are awful - don't tolerate the behaviour.

As others have said send an email offering two time slots a week when they can do viewings. Confirm you will not be having viewings with less than 24 hours notice.

I would also request only serious viewings take place e.g they should have shown them the property in advance and told them of the maintenance issues.

The key is between them and the landlord to sort out and you won't be getting involved.

You do not need to agree to ANY viewings. They can do viewings after you have moved out. Email them/ phone them and say no more viewings. They cannot disagree.

You also do not have to accept a handyman coming in that isn't doing work for you.

Fuck dem bitches.

Well, I did need to, as there were certain things so broken, they just needed fixing as it was affecting me as a tenant.

I've basically reported the stuff that was really bad and got them fixed and keeping silent on further less urgent issues and decided to fuck off as it's just not a tenable situation.