UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi,  I am a landlord and I have a property  that I rent out and it's being managed by a letting agent. I am not happy with their services and I would like to end the agreement with them after one year of service.  As per agreement, As per agreement,  have given them two months' notice. However, the agents are claiming that I have to pay  withholding fee of One full month's rent plus VAT to keep the tenants. Does this sounds ethical and legal? in my opinion I have already paid them to find the tenants and I did use them-agent one year. Am I now bounc to this agency as long as I use the samts they found? Is this a common practice to charge such a high fee if the landlord decides to changd the agents but keep the tenant that original letting agent found? Is the agent married to the tenant? I would appreciate any help you can offer.

Yes, it is common practice to charge a fee.

Read carefully the Terms of Business (Management Agreement) you signed with them. It will state the conditions under which you can dispense with their services and the fees you need to pay to do so.

Yes,most of them have this in the contract.I got out of one by coming up with proof of all their cock-ups and inefficiency.Even then they tried threats,so I mentioned the Ombudsman and Trustpilot,and they eventually backed down.Handyman went one better and got money refunded,a feat never before recorded in the annals of landlord/agent relationships. Good luck!

Quote from: heavykarma on May 25, 2023, 08:34:10 AM
Handyman went one better and got money refunded, a feat never before recorded in the annals of landlord/agent relationships.

I have a framed certificate on the wall above my mantelpiece