I should have taken your advice! Bloody agents

[Mrsfrumble]

I've moaned on here before about our letting agents / property managers and their apparent ignorance of tenancy law. Today they've outdone themselves; I've just come home with my children after a morning out to find a strange man varnishing the floor of our flat. No permission. No warning. He's moved all of furniture and possessions around. There was underwear drying on a rack, valuables lying around and all sorts of stuff I wouldn't have on display for visitors. We're stuck in the garden as the flat is not accessible until he's finished and I'm hungry and I need the loo!

I'm so angry I've not yet trusted myself to call the agents and let them know how I feel. I wish I'd taken the advice I'd been given on here and changed the locks!

Any advice on a stern and eloquent email of complaint to someone high up at the agency?

Fuck that. Now is not the time to be cool and calm. Now is the time to get on the phone while you’re full of vitriol and pass every cent of it on to the incompetent fools. They should NOT be doing that, and I would suggest to them that you will report them to whatever the estate agents governing body is for failing to uphold the tenancy law in their actions

We recently had a similar situation about unauthorised access by an agent to our rental and I complained to the manager of the agency branch (big national chain). Here’s a summerised version of my email:

‘I am writing to make a complaint regarding a situation that occurred with one of your agents - XXXX at XXXXX (agency location).

We have have been tenants at XXXX (address) since XXXX (date). We understand the need for occasional access to the property for maintenance and we have tried to be very accommodating and havenot refused any access to date.

However, I returned home at XX (time) on Tuesday July 24, 2018 and found my front door unlocked and a tradesman inside varnishing the floors. He did not get any consent to enter the property and when I asked him why he had entered the house he said that he had permission from the agent. We had no knowledge of this work being scheduled and had not given any permission for access to our property.

This was very upsetting experience and a violation of our privacy and right of quiet enjoyment. I can only hope this a one-off seriouslapse in judgementon the agent's part and not his standard practise.

I would like to ensure thatthesituation is addressed with the agent andit does not happen again. Iwould like to request that all futurerequests for showings are done in writing (by text or email) withappropriate notice (24 hours would be ideal but we are willing to try toaccommodate shorter notice).

Please contact me by email if you require any more information or to discuss this matter.’

You can try and start with the branch and see what reply you get. We had to raise any complaints with the branch manager before the head office would get involved and we did get an apology from the agent. We were moving anyways so a bit easier to complain and move on but I do hope you raise it as that is horrible! Good luck!

Sorry for the odd formatting, copy and paste has taken out some spaces

I'd make the wording stronger: no access for anything unless agreed with you in advance for a date and time convenient to you. In fact, I'd be tempted to go to their office, walk right through past the desks and put the kettle on. Wait for the reaction then calmly say, now imagine how you would feel if you returned to your home and found someone doing xyz in it, when no one had said anything about it and the random stranger had let themself in with keys.

I like that idea wowfudge! If I didn't have the children in tow I'd do it.

Apparently the agents told the workman we were on holiday, so the poor bloke was just as shocked to see us as we were to see him. I did tell the agents we were away in August, and that would be a good time for repairs to be carried out, but a) it's not August yet and b) I'd still expect notice that they'd be entering our bloody home

We're moving out in a few months anyway as the owners are selling, so I don't have to deal with their twattery for much longer. We won't be letting from them again, and I will be changing the locks in our next place.

And thank you for the wording coffeeandrainbows. I do still intend to contact the senior management.

Workmen have gone home and we're back in the flat. Luckily because it's so warm and all the windows are open the varnish is dry and it's not too smelly. They do need to apply a second coat tomorrow though, which I gave permission for because they might as well finish the job now. Sigh!

Change the locks now. Today, if you can. If they query it, say it's to prevent unauthorised access. Keep the old locks and keys and give them to the agent when you move out. You'll be long gone soon so you don't need to keep them sweet. Fuck them.

Also, quick poll; if you were the owners, would you want to know about this? I think I would, but as they're selling they might not care anymore.

I would tell them, yes. They may have other properties let through the same agent. Of course, they may not give a shit anyway but that's up to them, and they can't make a call one way or the other if you don't tell them.

I would tell the owners. They might not be interested but they’re paying the agent for a service which isn’t being properly performed and they deserve to know

We are landlords and I would be fuming if someone did that to my nice tenant. I'd be happy to be told so I could give the agents a talking to.

Yes, I would tell the Landlord.

Most (decent) Landlords are aware of the Housing Act 1988 which specifically states that landlords (and the agents acting on their behalf) are obliged to provide at least 24 hours’ notice before entering the property. If they persistently break this, they can be fined.

I would say it is pretty obvious that the landlord knows and is probably the one who has insisted it is done as he / she is selling. The fact is that they don't gve a shit about you. It is awful but pretty typical.

I would insist on an explanation and say that otherwise floor will not be being finished until you leave the property.