Comments on: Why You Shouldn’t Always Trust Your Estate Agent

By: Meera

Meera — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:09:01 +0000

I have been having problems with my previous letting agents BH management & Lettings, who are not giving me back my deposit for a room in shared accommodation, from which I moved in April 2011.

I gave them sufficient written notice, I called them, I emailed them. They answered the phone twice, saying that they would give it back, and nonetheless, they have not.

It is now October. I have been in contact with the students’ union at uni, the police – who referred me to the CAB as this was a ‘civil matter’, the citizens’ advise bureau – who referred me to the police – it is a ‘criminal matter’, a housing specialist working for a solicitor, trading standards – who gave me the same info everyone else gave me -write more letters, the problem is that the address they gave me on my contract is, i believe, a random garden shed/office, and BH management and lettings are nowhere to be found.

Their website – http://www.bhlettings.co.uk/ states a contact tel and an email: the number is not in use, and they do not reply to their emails – even when I emailed them anonymously.

What should I do? I have been in contact with a number of people who have also been ripped off by them – I believe these criminals have been ripping off innocent people for a long time, yet no authoritative body wants to hear any of it. I find it incredibly frustrating that nobody seems to want to help. I’m in my early twenties, and this was the first ‘official’ contract I had signed – i was unaware of what to look out for in a contract that might be suspicious.

By: Mandy

Mandy — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 16:17:05 +0000

Im having problems with my Landlady/letting agent, she has been overcharging me for 3 years and when I found out about it she made a fake tenancy agreement ( which was for far more that she was charging and had charged me, which she told me to keep my mouth shut about because I should actually pay more to her ) up to cover her tracks, I had never seen this agreement before and it had no witness on it, the landlady laughed it off and told me it did not matter.
I have proof of how much she overchaged me but she refuses to discuss the matter so I have withheld my rent, I have since asked for my housing benefit paid to me and have with held the rent from this landlady until the overcharged rent has paid for the rent due to her, I informed her and she told me she would contact me soon after looking into the matter, she has not contacted me since (even though I have rang the office) and went behind my back to the council to tell them I am in arrears, I found this out by letter from the council, she overchaged me by £27 every four weeks and it amounted to nearly £1000 so I showed the council my proof ( I got a photocopy of my rent card from the landlady before she knew she was found out ) that I was in fact in front with my rent, Im not sure how to deal with my landlady she is the director of the business and the accountant all the other people in the office refuse to comment on the matter as they put it and I dont know where I stand, this woman is very sly and underhanded and I think shes going to try and pull another fast one.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 19:33:11 +0000

We have been trying to buy a property ‘in need of modernisation’ and despite these coming up every few weeks, we have failed on 3 now. We are in a proceedable position, having sold our own house and our offers are the highest The reason for us being unsuccessful on more than one ocassion is due to a mystery cash buyer.. they pop up all over the place. During the bidding process however the agents are desperately trying to find out our mortgage and solicitor information. I think we haven’t had enough ‘extras’ for them to make money out of so these houses are probably selling to people who haven’t put their houses on the market yet and are showing interest in their ‘extras’. I’ve heard they tell the seller who might be tempted to go for the higher offer that in their opinion the purchaser is unreliable.
Any suggestions on how we can ever secure a property, bearing in mind most of the ones we see are vacant possession?

By: Flats To Let Glasgow

Flats To Let Glasgow — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 13:19:47 +0000

Well I agree both of you guys though Agent Broker plays a vital role in looking for a better property that will suits according to your requirement but indeed set a limitations to give everything.

My one cents.

By: Sam

Sam — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:24:05 +0000

The issue is business is tough. We always harp on about how bad estate agents are – but when did BA and Virgin ever get so much bad press for fixing their fuel prices and ripping consumers off for years on end. The fact of the matter is: business is not all sweetness and light, not in any sector. Even charities employ underhand tactics – think how the word “Chuggers” came into being!

By: Matt Sherlock

Matt Sherlock — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:58:29 +0000

Dear Blogger,

As a former estate agent, i can testify that all of the above practices you have mentioned above DO take place, and yes, these do happen in an more than just the odd one or two small independents, but in the large chains too!

But, regardless of the skullduggery, i think there will always be a place for the lesser spotted ‘estate agent’ in our property crazy country, they call Britain.

Some people have talked of the demise of uk estate agent with the advent of the internet and growth in ‘private sale sites’, however, i cannot see this taking place anytime in the next fifty years, at least!

In reality, the UK estate agent needs to be regulated in the same way surveyors, architects and accountants are regulated. Only then will we see this type of malpractice dissapear from the industry.

The other issue is that the industry has no type of formal training, and this is reflected when you go on a viewing. Recently being shown round an apartment in London with a rather inexperienced agent, i asked if if the property was leasehold or share of freehold – to which i was met with a totally dumbfounded expression!?

There’s no wonder that these dodgy practices happen when trainee agents have no structured guidance, and think that overvaluing and faked signatures are the norm!

Trevor Kent – a former president of the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) – said the OFT should have introduced minimum standards of competence for those running an estate agency business. Famously quoting “A poodle clipper today can be an estate agent tomorrow”.

Much love

Matt Sherlock
http://www.sherlockpropertyfinders.co.uk