Landlord / Letting agent question..

[GT2man-2]

We're just coming to the end of a 6 month rent of where we are now.. the agency that we used had been great, so we thought we'd use them to find our next place to rent, and because they've already done the checks and references we can move quicker and cheaper than using another agent...

Anyway, they found somewhere nice for us, we agreed to rent the house for a year.. except today, just 3 days before we're due to move in, we find that the letting agency were only "finding" tenants for the landlord, and that we now deal direct with him, our agreements are with him, the deposit is with him, we pay him directly etc.

I appreciate that had we used a letting agent, they're the landlords agent and not the tenants, but I dunno, I feel better paying a reputable letting agent, and having them resolve any conflicts, rather than some private individual.

Thoughts ?

[davefowler1987]

Says to me that either they (letting agents) are new with the landlord or that they have had issues in the past - thats just the way your post reads.

[MarkwG]

It depends on the landlords agreement with the agent: there are different levels, from what you have now, basic introduction & background checks, up to fully managed, which it sounds like you had before. The difference is usually the commisssion rate to the agent. As to how concerned to be, it's not unusual so I wouldn't be: the fully managed is probably the less usual, as it takes more out of the gross rent, so costs more: it's more suited to long distance landlords. I expect your new guy is local, so more able to deal with the day to day running. Provided all the legal formalities are met there's no issue.

[esuuv]

I've done both - the previous place was fully managed, where I live now was arranged by a letting agent but the agreement is direct with the owner, I was a bit concerned initially as I felt safer having everything dealt with by a third party - but having done it for a year they are great and its much better than when it was "managed" things actually get done.

I guess it just depends on how the landlord is........

[Mobile Chicane]

Current place: deal direct with the landlord - any problems resolved promptly with no hassle.

Former place: dealt with managing agent - who were about as much use as a bidet on a motorbike. It took months to get an oven fixed.

[Coco H]

We lived in one house managed by the landlord - it had been his house and he was intending to move back once his children had finished school. He used to drop around unannounced - bad enough when he was in the garden but he used to let himself into the house. I was fast asleep recovering from an op one day - not exactly what I wanted to wake up to!

[GT2man-2]

That's pretty crap Coco, aren't they supposed to give you at least 24hrs notice ?

Thanks for your feedback guys

[Davel]

The fact is that it's the Landlord who appoints the agent and agrees on what terms they are to be engaged.

This can be:

1) Simply introducing a tenant, for a fixed fee

2) Introducing a tenant and collecting the rent each month for a fixed fee plus a percentage of the monthly rent - or

3) Finding a tenant and managing the rental, including collecting the rent, on a similar basis of fee plus percentage.

I'm a Landlord and, personally, I prefer to deal directly with any tenant.

[MarkwG]

"That's pretty crap Coco, aren't they supposed to give you at least 24hrs notice ?"
Depends on the agreement...! But personally, uninvited drop ins are poor form, & some form of notice should be specified in the paperwork - but some landlords, particularly those who still think in terms of their home, rather than a house they rent out, get a little over protective. And when you here some of the horror stories (I appreciate there are horror stories both sides), it's sometimes understandable. It's a delicate relationship, which not everyone is emotionally equipped for...