Letting Agents are they right or wrong?

With my work pensions lump sum we invested in some new build properties with mortgages to enhance our incomes. We got a local letting agents to let the properties and to manage. One of the new properties rented to a couple with two children, other than the first months rent, they started to pay late and other times not. We made an appointment through the letting agent and; ‘complained about rent arrears’ to visit the property, there were repair works needed doing after approx 4 months letting. 

On entering we noticed letters on the floor, there were letters with other names, not who we agreed to rent the property. We could not believe a new property could be so filthy: magnolia painted walls were all filthy dirty, carpets filthy from top to bottom with oil marks in carpets on stairs, and in all rooms, kitchen filthy with door peeling, cooker never cleaned, all windows closed as if never opened, raw sewage visible in toilets, toilet seat off! We reported all back to the letting agent, they did nothing until the tenants decided to leave.

The whole place had to be redecorated with windows left opened, carpets had to be foam cleaned; from their deposits. Letting Agent said they left without any forwarding address, and they have not returned the keys. We were told by the letting agents we had to pay to changedthe locks on the doors. We paid. They left owing one months rent. Again the letting agents told us we had to pay to find them if we need our money back. We paid, they were found. Now we are waiting to see what actions the letting agent will take to get our money back!!

The next tenants came along and we were told by the letting agents she was fostering three children and she paid two months deposit. The first months rent was paid but ever since only a quarter of the rent has been paid. We asked to visit the tenant who moved in June 2014. She says she told the letting agents she will not be fostering until September 2014 and she’s not sure if she will be given the go ahead to foster! We asked the letting agents why; they said this is not what she said to us. The letting agent gets paid to check to ensure affordability before letting our property?

The same letting agents let a new build flat for us. The lady that viewed the flat while we were present, said her brother and his wife they lived with, has parted and they are selling the property and this flat is ideal for she and her two children. After a while, with loud noises coming from the flat, we were asked by neighbours to whom we had rented the flat? Shocked when we asked to visit the flat and see another person in the flat with her son. The letting agent has not given us any answers but only asked to allow her to stay. This was June 2013. She only paid her rent on time in full four times. When the first year was up the letting agents begged us to let her stay and moved her rent payments from the 17th of the month to the end, and said that if she failed to pay her rent again we will evict her! She has failed to pay her rent again and we asked the letting agents to evict her as promised? Now the letting agents are saying they cannot evict her without us paying £280 for them to help us to take the matter to court? This letting agent is never wrong? We are owed approx, £5,800 in rent arrears and the letting agents never once take any responsibility, but take £140 out our account without asking for rent guarantors for the flat.

We wrote a letter to the tenants in the flat August 8th 2014 explaining why we would like them to leave and copied it to the letting agents, we believe they went round and explain their rights and I think she will not be moving out? Simply put at this rate we are finding it difficult to meet our bills and mortgage obligations. This we have explained to the letting agents many times! They said they are not getting paid either! Have landlords any rights in this case?

Rudolph Banton

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