UK Landlord Forum / Life

Good morning folks,
First time poster here, I am wondering if the good landlords could be of some assistance to me. I am looking at the reasons landlords switch to another agency or start to look after the property themselves.

From my experience its mainly been down to poor tenant selection or lack of customer service but what about you? I placed a 3 question survey through SurveyMonkey all on the 1 page which takes no more time than 20 seconds to complete. I will generate an inforgraphic with the responses and obviously give you guys credit. I look forward to sharing the results

Hi I have complete your survey but thought I'd share with you and others my reasons for deciding to manage my properties myself.

I originally used a managing agent because I live in the SE and my properties are in the NE and because I was in full time employment. I'm now going to start managing my properties myself because, having finally had time to really audit my accounts, I have discovered that the agent I have been using to "manage" my properties for the past 10 years has been:

Fleecing me on the maintenance charges (and probably fiddling me on the rent received too)

Charging me his fee on the rent received then deducting the gross amounts from me on HB overpayments made by the council

Duplicating and fabricating both work carried out on the properties and invoices to substantiate his ever increasing maintenance charges

Using cowboys to carry out work and repairs

Allowing my properties to fall into absolutely appalling conditions

Only making 12 payments to me per year in respect of rent collected when I should get 13 (as the tenants HB is paid every four weeks)

Non too selective about the tenants he puts into my properties

Failing to respond to my requests for information about the properties/tenants and documents to support my tax return or validate the work allegedly carried out

...shall I go on?  Perhaps not....   

Worse still, I can't find anyone who would recommend another agent in the area, seems they're all thieves and as a result it's the landlords that get the bad rep! 

Hope this helps.