Arriane Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 It seems this is the most relevent thread for my topic. I too am looking for decent letting agencies from the tenants perspective! My current landlord and myself currently have to link up in advance, and then conspire together against the agency (who are supposed to be fully managing the property!) in order to get things done. It would be nice to avoid this experience in future. I've popped a property wanted request up in the appropriate part of the forum, and from what I've been reading IS Property Management, Shefflets, GoldKey, Whitethorn, Kensingtonpmc are all worth considering. I'm a bit concerned that some of them aren't ARLA (or similar) registered. Are there any others that I ought to consider? (These days I just won't bother to view a property with an agency that gets shoddy reviews.) Have any of the perspectives on these companies changed recently? Are there any other small independent agencies (who perhaps don't have enough clients to have much of a web-review presence) that anyone has heard good things about? Thanks for any thoughts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassylady Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 Steer well clear of Shefflets from previous experience i wouldnt touch them with a barge pole!! too many mistakes and paying them a management fee is a complete waste of time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HotPhil Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 (edited) Steer well clear of Shefflets from previous experience i wouldnt touch them with a barge pole!! too many mistakes and paying them a management fee is a complete waste of time! I've just had the opposite experience with Shefflets. They couldn't have been better - the house was let within 4 hours of us moving out and throughout the tenancy they were excellent. The first we got to hear of any issues e.g. maintenance that had to be done, was when they told us they'd sorted it out. I'd recommend them heartily. I wonder why we had such differing experiences, maybe they've upped their game in the last few years. Edited July 2, 2012 by HotPhil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mayfield Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 I've just had the opposite experience with Shefflets. They couldn't have been better - the house was let within 4 hours of us moving out and throughout the tenancy they were excellent. The first we got to hear of any issues e.g. maintenance that had to be done, was when they told us they'd sorted it out. I'd recommend them heartily. I wonder why we had such differing experiences, maybe they've upped their game in the last few years. It is often the case that complaints are shouted out for everyone to hear but praise is only whispered. Having not dealt with this letting agent I can't really comment on whether they are any good or not but a lot of problems are caused by the actual landlords that won’t pay for repairs. Arriane I find it quite strange that you and your landlord have to meet up and conspire against the letting agent to get things done My understanding of fully managed lets were that the agents do all the viewings, vetting, and organise repairs but the bills for any repairs the landlord has to pay. As far as I know this is how all the letting agents that we deal with work other than one which take on a property on a 10 year lease. I would highly recommend Cactus property management http://www.cactuspropertymanagement.co.uk/ . They have a permanent maintenance man, Liam, anything that he can't rectify or is beyond his qualifications he'll call us out immediately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absynthfairy Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 Well, I have now been looking for 2 months. Have seen about 20 properties (private and agency) and have actually been quite shocked as to the quality of some of the accomodation available for £600+ - dirty, poor state of decoration, damp, substandard appliances and worksurfaces in the kitchen - a couple of them I wouldnt have put homeless people into. Does no one take pride in what they let out anymore? Or are there just so many people wanting to rent they dont have to make the effort? Also I can't believe how shoddily the application process works - literally a race to get your form and your money in, then landlords choice who gets the property? A couple of agencies then KEEP your money?? It's disgusting. As a professional couple earning in excess of 50K a year the fact we can't find a decent, well maintained, clean property, with a good quality kitchen and bathroom in the area we want to live in has actually come as a real surpise to me - and not a pleasant one! If only I could tell my younger self to save up for a deposit for a house instead of having a life!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mayfield Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 A lot of tenants are taking on properties that are substandard, spending their time and money to bring the properties up to a liveable standard. The reason for this is because if they don't rent the properties, even in the shoddy condition, then someone else will do. The landlords know this and that's why they are getting away with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey Shaw Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 A lot of tenants are taking on properties that are substandard, spending their time and money to bring the properties up to a liveable standard. The reason for this is because if they don't rent the properties, even in the shoddy condition, then someone else will do. The landlords know this and that's why they are getting away with it. But often it's a win/win. L gets property upgraded at no cost. T gets property 'personalised' and should agree with L- in advance- a suitable period of nil/reduced rent. This is similar to a commercial lease's rent-free period for fitting-out work by T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul2412 Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 I've been renting out my apartment for the past 5 months with Haybrook. Words cannot describe how badly I think of them. Thinking of using one of the online estate agents as let's be fair, estate agents pretty much just list your property on Right Move and then collect the huge fee. Does anyone have any experience with these? http://www.onlineestateagents.org.uk/letting_options.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plain Talker Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Mod note Threads Merged. Please use the "Search" facility before starting new threads. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big munch Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 I have several properties that i let through Crapper & Haigh in sheffield and they have been great. No problems with tenants and rent always paid to me on time. Be wary of recent start ups that have done a one week course and think they are the best and keep away from the majors they charge a fortune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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