Nightmare estate agent's - who can I complain to if they are not members of any regulatory body?

[Guitargirl]

We have had an absolute horror of a week thanks to a monumental cock-up on the part of our lettings agency (we are the tenants). I am itching to ream off strongly worded letters of complaint to anyone I can think of but the bloody estate agent's are not members of any regulatory body - not the Ombudsman, not the NAEA, nobody.

I am VERY FRUSTRATED and really want to take my complaint further. Does anyone know who I can write to? The local authority? OFT? CLG??? Gordon Brown!!!!????

Are they part of a bigger group, or a small independent? If a bigger group I would write to the managing director.
You could try the local paper maybe.

Maybe Trading Standards?

They are a small independent, not part of a group at all. I called this afternoon to ask for the name of the managing director as the first port of call for the complaint letter and was told to address any complaints to the proprietor. That's how small it is. We moved into this flat over a year ago as we really liked the flat. It didn't occur to us to check whether the estate agent's belonged to any professional body. What a lesson - never go through an agency that isn't regulated!!!!

Go and look at Which.co.uk and check out their campaign about estate agents - you'll find info about complaints. And yes, Trading Standards may be useful.

Yes, I think I will go for the OFT. My Mum suggested the local paper - honestly normally I am the last person to kick up a fuss, I hate confrontation but this has made me so angry that I am actually considering it.