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Negligent Letting Agent   Advice please

From: DB
Category: Category 1
Date: 15 Jan 2002
Time: 18:36:26
Remote Name: 62.253.64.4

Comments

Your advice please.

We used an estate agent to find a tenant for our house recently. Only after the tenants have moved in did we find out the following:

1. We were told that the 2 single girls were professionals and in good employment when the agent asked for our agreement to let. We now found out that 1 of the girls is in some sort of telesales with not clear income. She is also a single mother with 2 little children and apparently asked the agent specifically to inform us in advance. The agent did not disclose this.

2. The Agent confirmed that they have received satisfactory references from both of the girl. We received the paperwork from the Agent after the girls moved in and found that only a bank reference was received from the girl who is a single mother, no other references either from her employer or previous landlord was received.

3. Also at the time of asking the Agent to look for a tenant, we stated clearly that we require min. 6 weeks deposit. However, they only took 1 month deposit and said that we have to negotiate with the tenants afterwards.

Now only into the 3rd month of tenancy, the girl who is a single mother hasn’t paid any rent although she kept saying that she has, blaming the bank making mistakes etc. She is now ½ month behind with the payment.

Please advise where we stand in pursuing this matter and can we sue the Agent for negligence.

Last changed: July 01, 2003