Letting Agent renewed boiler without telling me!

Letting Agent renewed boiler without telling me!

12:55 PM, 20th September 2013, About 11 years ago 25

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I am a long-time reader (and I suppose a ‘silent supporter’) of property118.com (and previous Money Centre client) having been a landlord since 2004. I have three properties which I rent out, one of which I manage myself, the other two are with two different letting agents. This is, however, the first time I have posted anything on the site

This isn’t a particularly complicated issue to explain, basically I got a phone call a few weeks ago from the letting agent for a flat I have in Glasgow, which is a one bedroom flat built in 2007, telling me the client had reported that there was no hot water. They asked me if I wanted to deal with this myself, or if I wanted them to go ahead and get someone out to see what the problem was. Wanting to minimise the inconvenience to my perfectly good tenants, I told the agent to go ahead and get an engineer out, and then heard nothing further about the matter. I assumed that it had probably been a straightforward repair on a six year old boiler (which had previously been completely trouble-free), and in my mind I was expecting a charge of maybe £100 or so to appear on my statement. Letting Agent renewed boiler without telling me

This morning in the post my monthly statement arrived, and I was stunned and angered to see an entry relating to a replacement (new) boiler, at a cost of £566! Although that doesn’t sound particularly expensive to me for a boiler, my concerns are numerous:

Was the problem really so bad on a six year old boiler that it needed replaced? If I had known I’d have got a second opinion at the very least! I may have had some recourse to go back to the builder (for example) I bought the property from.

Why was I not informed that the boiler was condemned? I would have thought this is a fairly major event.

Even if this was the only course of action available, why was I not given the opportunity to have any input into which new boiler was fitted? (after all, I am paying for it as it stands)

I simply cannot believe the complete lack of communication from my letting agent over this, and wondered if any members here had had any similar experiences, or could offer any professional (legal?) advice, please. The way I am feeling as I type this, I feel I should not have to pay for this new boiler at all, given the appalling way the matter has been handled, although perhaps this is a little extreme and just my state of shock at today’s news.

Thanks in advance for any help given.

Regards

Gary


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Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

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18:37 PM, 20th September 2013, About 11 years ago

Small Claims Court, claim £416, maybe settle for a bit less but follow their complaints procedure first. Change agents and refuse to pay and exit fees on the grounds they breached contract. See our Lettings section above.

Jay James

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18:46 PM, 20th September 2013, About 11 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Gary Pryde" at "20/09/2013 - 17:59":

Physical inspection, photos, expert opinion (Gasafe engineer), supplier statement, invoice, may all be needed.
If these suggest the agency have been dishonest or permitted dishonesty through their incompetence, change them then sue them.
Play friendly and cooperative until you have the detail you want.
(I wonder if you will need to sue them, to persuade them to give the detail you want.)
Be wary of getting into a drawn out battle.

All the best!

Jay James

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18:48 PM, 20th September 2013, About 11 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Mark Alexander" at "20/09/2013 - 18:37":

why £416? I understand that £566 less the £150 spend limit is £416, but why sue for this amount?

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18:55 PM, 20th September 2013, About 11 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Jay Jay" at "20/09/2013 - 18:48":

I agree with Jay Jay. Sue for the full value as it was an unauthorised deduction.
In England the SCC fees would be £50 higher but I don't know the situation with the Scots Judiciary.

Sally T

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14:35 PM, 22nd September 2013, About 11 years ago

The price of £566 has me worried, the cheapest boiler at b&q is £520 (and it looks rubbish), when we've had boilers changed in the past it's usually cost £200-250.
The saying that springs to mind is 'if it seems to good to be true'. Sounds far to cheap to me, i'd want to see a copy of the work invoice and a copy of the invoice for the boiler. As for not asking permission, I agree, you should take them to court.
Many landlords need the rent to pay the mortgage , it could of left you defaulting if you hadn't of noticed, very unprofessional of the letting agent.

Antony Richards

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15:44 PM, 23rd September 2013, About 11 years ago

Some ridiculous comments so far. You told the agency to sort it. It got sorted.

I agree that a new boiler at that price is a little cheap.

Your chances of winning a court case are laughable. Speak to the agency and ascertain what actually happened. If they are any good you will leave in full knowledge of the facts instead of listening to those that do not have a clue.

As an aside, We had a landlord ask us to sort a problem which we did. It involved installing a new shower but the plumber did not advise us until it was fitted. Not unnaturally the LL was a little upset. We paid the bill. We had happy landlord and manage a second property for her.

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

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15:48 PM, 23rd September 2013, About 11 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Antony Richards" at "23/09/2013 - 15:44":

You did the right thing, unless Gary's letting agent does something similar I still think he will lose the case as well as the client. I doubt that will happen though, Gary seems to the the victim of a scam here. I hope I'm wrong!

Jay James

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15:49 PM, 23rd September 2013, About 11 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Antony Richards" at "23/09/2013 - 15:44":

If anyone knows where I can get a boiler supplied and fitted that cheap, please let me know.

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17:29 PM, 23rd September 2013, About 11 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Jay Jay" at "23/09/2013 - 15:49":

There are lots of schemes fixing or replacing boilers in certain areas and certain demographics. Just look at the energy savings trust.

Tom Doolin

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18:46 PM, 23rd September 2013, About 11 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Jay Jay" at "23/09/2013 - 15:49":

Gary
If you are in possession of the tenants details why not speak to them directly for their comments?

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