Estate Agents in "all scum of the earth" shocker

[sick as a pike]

I spent a whole 6 months as a lettings agent. For a large controversial London-based one associated with minis no less.

My bus often stops outside Foxtons in Islington, and I peer in at their disturbing faces. They do seem another breed, an uber-agent, highly trained in ghastliness.  I'm sure you're lovely though.

[23 Daves]

I've heard nothing but bad about Foxtons, and the fact that all I can see in my mind's eye is Bruce Foxton whenever they're mentioned just makes matters worse.

I also know that they have a bot harvesting all references to them on the Internet, so can see exactly what we're saying.  Hello, Foxtons.

[The Widow of Brid]

Spending two days waiting to hear whether your offer is accepted, while not great, is pretty run of the mill. The agent can't say yes on behalf of the landlord, and if you can't get hold of him or have to argue about something there is not much that can be done.

My real problem (if poorly conveyed, as I was annoyed and left most of the pertinent information out) was with the scale of casual lying and general incompetence, specifically at the agency in question. But seeming to be fairly standard in our encounters with other agencies.
We've had three phonecalls today from different people working for the same agency regarding the house in quesion. All unaware another had rung us. All giving a different alleged reason why we hadn't got the house.

If I know there are several people going for a house I'd really rather just have a 'phonecall saying 'Oh, I'm sorry. The landlord chose one of the other interested parties. But we have these similar properties on our books...' I don't want to have to hear someone not even trying to disguise the fact that they're making something up on the spot.

Particularly not when the various agency charges looked to total up to somewhere between 35 and 50% of the deposit.

[Hypnotoad.]

I spent a whole 6 months as a lettings agent. For a large controversial London-based one associated with minis no less.

And yet here you are, able to post on an internet forum, and no doubt not having to eat through a straw

[AMG]

People like slagging others off - Foxtons have far more property than anyone else and are the most high-profile so stories circulate about them the most.

I'm not going to fight the Foxtons corner and am not pro-estate agents by any means, but they aren't an army of arseholes going out of their way to screw people left, right and centre. Mind you I was only out in the suburbs so I probably haven't had the full experience... I understand the central offices are quite a lot more pressurised.

I did it because I came back from travelling seriously short of cash and that was the first job that got offered to me. Its a pretty shit job - 12 hour days, 6 days a week - so I got out as soon as I could afford to. I think that means I have half a soul.

[23 Daves]

I'm sure we've all done equally bad jobs... I've worked for dodgy, unethical High Street banks and also for a dodgy, idle minor Government Minister before now, so my track record is hardly squeaky clean.

So yes, you have half a soul, is what I'm saying.  And that's all most of us have.

[wheatgod]

I'm yet to have the displeasure of using a letting agent. My girlfriend's brother is in recruitment though - whats everyone's beef with recruiters? And my girlfriend herself is becoming a lawyer. No doubt her younger brother will become a letting agent and the circle of hell be complete.

[untitled_london]

Haha, marvelous.

Before uncapslocked gets all upset about his new country, the croissant I had was in a cafe in the main station in Copenhagen, and I bought it as an attempt to get rid of some Danish money before I flew home. Although seemingly from your research, even the best places don't do great croissants.

thanks for your concern.

on that note i have had a few bits of pastry since getting here, and i must admit its been all good so far.

the croissant i had was definately a bit on the stodgey side of things too.

that was a little disappointing but, in all fairness it helped me establish wether or not the local plumbing does indeed cause splash'age to the arse'age mid-shit.

its been a constant concern since i've been here wether or not i am fitting with the largely enviro-hippy attitude of the whole place. i've continued in my usual habit of flushing after a pee and no-one has complained yet.

back on topic, Coastal (the letting agents for dole scum) have sent my parents 2 letters at 25£ a pop regarding my arrears, despite me stating that i would deal with their concerns shortly.

i'm on the side that says they're all fucking scum/a potential source of fuel .

[Hypnotoad.]

People like slagging others off - Foxtons have far more property than anyone else and are the most high-profile so stories circulate about them the most.

I'm not going to fight the Foxtons corner and am not pro-estate agents by any means, but they aren't an army of arseholes going out of their way to screw people left, right and centre. Mind you I was only out in the suburbs so I probably haven't had the full experience... I understand the central offices are quite a lot more pressurised.

I did it because I came back from travelling seriously short of cash and that was the first job that got offered to me. Its a pretty shit job - 12 hour days, 6 days a week - so I got out as soon as I could afford to. I think that means I have half a soul.

I couldn't give a toss about Foxtons, to be honest

Its the profession I loathe. With an absolute fucking passion

[terminallyrelaxed]

I used a letting agent once, well, when I say I, the other three who I got my first shared house in London with used one. They held onto our deposit for seven weeks after we moved out, and only paid it back when i phoned up pretending to be our solicitor.
Haven't used one since, and have had 6 different properties since. No problems moving in and out, no money lost.

There isn't actually a good reason why you'd need one. All landlords have to use a Tenancy Act lease with standard clauses and agreements. As far as I can tell most people use one in order to not have to deal with the landlord and to get protection from being ripped off by the landlord, which its almost not worth his while doing considering the legislative protection in place, and you often have to deal with the landlord anyway, being present to let workmen in etc, once an agency's got your fee they don't want to know. I once almost used one and got driven round a succession of shoeboxes (in one a kettle on a stool amounted to 'kitchen facilities'), absolutely useless.

Do it yourself, theres two or three good internet sites and the Loot. Figure out what you require and what you'll tolerate and ask pertinent questions on the phone to save wasting your time on unsuitable places. It usually takes me a couple of weeks of viewing somewhere every other evening to find somewhere.

[rudi]

My real problem (if poorly conveyed,

A little housing-related pun there...?

Sorry, sorry...

[The Widow of Brid]

A little housing-related pun there...?
.

*tsk*

There isn't actually a good reason why you'd need one. .

In our case it's been because all of the suitable properties are being let through agencies. We haven't signed up for an agency, and we're doing all of the initial legwork ourselves, but as we have some fairly specific needs that we can't be flexible on regarding size and location (due to medical issues making transport a real problem - ill enough we can't legally drive, not ill enough to recieve any benefits or grants beyond free prescriptions - and meaning we can't just head for the suburbs) we're kind of at the mercy of what comes onto the rental market.

So far none of the properties of the type we need have come up as direct lets. Though some (OK, one) of the agencies pass all of their fees onto the landlord if you're not signed up to them before the viewing is arranged.

On a positive note the best agency (for general competence and customer service) we've had dealings with have been Kingsley Thomas. I'd reccomend them if I was ever in a situation where I had to reccomend such a thing.

[terminallyrelaxed]

I'd recommend being beaten to death with a three-day-old haddock, if the only alternative was burning at the stake. But yes I do take your point.