Two days before tenants moved in I reminded letting agent that I had no details of this "lovely couple and her brother who wanted to make the property their forever family home", At this point credit reference forms were sent to me marked "requires guarantor", letting agent didn't bother to get a guarantor. At the time, but only when I questioned they shared with me one tenant having a small CCJ but it was tiny and they had six months rent up front. At month five I issued a Section 21 and month 7 tenant defaulted on rent, letting agent sent me a text "good news the bond covers the rent", so what covers the £4k damage? The bond is five weeks and overdue rent is six weeks. The tenants were indeed not a "lovely couple" but two lads who were mates and one with wife and girlfriend. Agency tried to sell me rent guarantee insurance at an extortionate price, I got my own and am now advised it is nil and void due to credit check and rent being taken six months in full at start of tenancy, I also know the . Managment agent advise this "lovely family", got a loan to pay this rent. This was a £1250pm rent on a detached executive home. Agent now tells me I agreed to accept the six months rent in place of guarantor - I certainly did not. Tenants took keys, as a consequence letting agent made me wait 48 hours till they could gain entry, but they left it four days, by which time water was pouring through ceilings due to frozen pipes, thats also "good news as its the reason I have landlords insurance."
Same agent on three month check did not mention cloud room (led lights and cushion filling stuck to walls and ceiling,) and took a photograph to try hide this, having now found this and it took four days to remove, on checking the agent three month inspection photographs this cloud decor can be seen in the dressing table mirror such decor was never mentioned at the time. In fact email suggested all was "good", I had to respond stating I wasn't happy shelves had been put up on a wallpapered wall and a hot tub was running on an internal quality extension reel sat in the garden plugged in through an opened conservatory window. (The property has dedicated outdoor sockets.)
All paperwork has had to be "dragged out of agent" retrospectively, they mark their own homework in that they handle their own complaints procedure, but use Ombudsman, adding I am confused. Not so confused to know that six month check was not done and they say the final inventory (at 7.5 months.) is six month check. Plus "Gurantor Required" is a requirement and not optional. This bullying tactic and personal insult is unforgivable.
I have every text and email in chronological order, do I send it all to them at cplants stage or wait till Ombusman involvement, I am capable of doing small claims myself, or would you advise a Solicitor (Any recomnedations Leeds, Huddersfield, area?)
Tenants kept keys and just left all their furniture, clothes full of maggots and my garage foor to ceilng with bags of food waste rotting, agent said "this is what they do you issue 21o at you". Agent charged 10% plus vat an they have done a great job. (Yes they are a proper company registered with Companies House.
