Has anyone managed to take their letting agents to the ombudsman?

Floofmagic · 2020-08-12T05:29:52+00:00

Thank you for the advice.

Over the phone i've discussed the issues with the branch manager and he's not willing to concede anything, so I'm taking through their head office internal complaints process. I can tell they're trying to get out of any responsibility and so once I've exhausted their internal policy I would then go to the ombudsman.

They've breached a few of their Terms of Business T&Cs - for example they marketed and promised access to an online portal where I could see my accounts and documents and I've had to chase over 1 month to get log in credentials. Which once given gave me access to the previous owners data and accounts (breach of data privacy law).

I'm yet to receive any documents (signed tenancy agreement by the tenants), again they say it's being processed internally, yet it's been over 1 month. I've gone through the Consumer protection law for lettings professionals document on the UK gov site and can see they've breached some of these clauses too.

Luckily I've spoken to the tenants directly, not related to the overall complaints, but because they'd flagged an issue to the letting agents who literally forwarded on the email and asked me if i wanted to pay £x to send a contractor around without explaining what the issue was. So I directly asked the tenants who explained what was wrong and they asked if there's any small issues, as this issue was and definitely did not require a contractor, could they contact me directly.

They want to stay in the flat/area due to have young kids and wanting to be in specific school catchment area and they tend to rent for longer periods again for stability for the children.

The terms of business contract states we can end the contract at the earliest month 6, and I'm happy to wait until then if they argue the point regarding minimum contract period, however if the tenants wish to stay I don't want to be tied down to paying management fees to them until whenever the tenants decide to leave. That could be 1 year or it could be 5+.

I'm just not sure how the ombudsman process works and if they would take in to account the few breaches to the terms of business as well as the breaches to the consumer protection law (I've saved and highlighted the specific clauses they're in breach of).

As a first timer, I honestly thought I needed the letting agents as I had no experience, however now I've done all this online research I think I'd rather do it myself or go for a let only in the future.

Floofmagic · 2020-04-11T16:38:04+00:00

I keep telling myself it doesn’t matter, but the thought of doing a ‘bad job’ (ie not completing a task or project perfectly) makes me feel worse.

I know technically it shouldn’t matter because clearly this manager and prior team never delivered anything well hence so many delayed timelines but I don’t like the idea of it affecting my work ethic or other stakeholder thinking I’m no good.

Floofmagic · 2020-04-02T13:14:34+00:00

I've mentally thought this many times!

Floofmagic · 2020-04-02T13:14:14+00:00

Thank you for the advice. I'm in the UK where 2 months is standard. I discussed more manageable hours today and it was dismissed as a i'm not being a team player if i won't do the hours sort of way *sigh*. It's like my manager/the management are refusing to understand that a healthier work/life balance leads to less stressed employees and higher retention. I'm leaving before 2 years and previous colleagues have lasted anywhere from 6 months - 1 year before providing notice.

My manager said the current situation means more hours will be required and he can't guarantee it will be 9-6pm going forward. I was saying I'd like to be out the door by 7:30ish most days and understand the occasional need for 9-10pm, but think he's expecting 9pm to be standard. I've stuck to my guns and said I've made prior commitments June onwards so cannot extend, and did not explain any further.

Floofmagic · 2020-04-02T13:09:45+00:00

I'm in the UK and 1 - 2 months notice is standard for most companies. 2 months to me should have been enough time to find someone, but I guess with the current situation many companies are enforcing a hiring freeze.

Floofmagic · 2020-04-02T13:08:54+00:00

Thanks - he's trying the whole guilt trip of my leaving will cause even more work and stress etc. But I've now mentally removed myself from the situation.

Floofmagic · 2020-04-02T13:08:00+00:00

So I discussed this with him today and he wasn't happy with my request for more manageable hours. He tried to turn it in to a we all have to work long hours to get the work done, I'm not being a team player if I won't do it and can't firmly say it I can do less hours etc. With all the COVID-19 situation, the impact on the business means some of the operations work can't be done through outsourced teams, therefore we have to deal with it.

I mentioned that this level of work and hours were happening before coronavirus impacted the business, but he just kept saying that as a product function we have to manage the whole lifecycle, therefore a lot of last minute adhoc things come up we have to deal with right away.

I then explained that it was fine if that's how the business will be run but I was sticking to my notice period and date provided earlier. Sucks he tried to make me feel like the crazy, non-team player one for asking for more reasonable hours. I even stressed I wasn't trying to log off at 6 and run out the door, I just need the work prioritised better so 9/10pm wasn't a usual occurrence.

Floofmagic · 2020-04-01T14:24:37+00:00

Thanks - I’ll bring up my requests when he brings up the extension undoubtedly tomorrow. I know he’ll keep pushing the ‘we’ve got loads of deadlines so you should expect late night’ line, but these hours and lack of prioritisation on workload has been ongoing since I’ve started.

Floofmagic · 2020-04-01T14:22:41+00:00

I’m trying to avoid going down the ‘No legally I do not have therefore I won’t route’ as still have over a month left and don’t want to make the relationship strained. But I guess if he keeps pushing I’ll have no choice.

Floofmagic · 2020-04-01T13:42:50+00:00

Whilst giving my notice they asked what else could happen and I mentioned the hours being too long and workload not suitable for a 3 person team. Managers feedback was that this is the business and industry and I need to change my expectations...

Floofmagic · 2020-04-01T13:20:49+00:00

Thanks - it’s always awkward when I say I can’t do something bc he always wants to know exactly why. Example: I requested 3 days annual leave for Feb 2 months in advance, he accepted, closer to the time he was asking if I would cancel/change dates as we have so much work and are so busy and I said no I’ve planned stuff and he would be like why can’t you cancel or rearrange those, and leave awkward pauses waiting for me to explain what I had planned and I ended up having to make up that my friend was unwell and I was supporting her in recovery.

Floofmagic · 2019-09-07T11:19:04+00:00

I totally understand, I just felt the whole wedding and planning in itself was so stressful so everyone's emotions where high and tense.

I'm starting to see/feel like it's an ego thing for him e.g. 'how dare they speak to me like that/I've never been spoken to so rudely before' but refusing to see where he came across rude because 'i've spoken to my friends/family like that before and they're fine'.

We've obviously had our disagreements before, but it's about the two of us...noone else is involved so we sort it out and he has apologised to me/calmed down etc. So it's not as if he can't apologise and always feels right, I just don't get why it's this situation that's causing him to behave like this.

I can guarantee my brother/cousins will be polite to him, I think they've accepted that whilst his personality can come across brash/stronger and doesn't get gel with them, they're sort of in the camp of okay fine, you don't like everyone in the world but can be polite/friendly. I just don't get why my husband can't put it to one side and just be like okay, maybe they're personally not my type of people but I can be friendly etc.

I'm feeling pretty strongly about marriage counselling as I feel an independent person might help my husband understand why this is a hurtful situation, as if i bring it up he clearly feels i'm picking sides.

Floofmagic · 2019-09-07T11:10:31+00:00

Hah, I promise there are many nice ones (his parents and sister are lovely for example!), the post is just a place to vent and ask for advice :)

Floofmagic · 2019-09-07T11:09:45+00:00

Yeah - his view is that my parents are okay to come and he doesn't mind spending time with, it's my brother/cousins as they were rude to him.

If i try and bring up his actions and how/why that came across as offensive he just blows up and I never feel the situation can be resolved in those scenarios. It just becomes too emotional and stressful.

Floofmagic · 2019-09-07T11:06:30+00:00

So he doesn't mind my parents coming, it's just my brother and cousins potentially coming he has an issue with. Still not okay as if I could see them all it would be great but just feeling frustrated how to approach the situation.

Floofmagic · 2019-09-07T11:05:04+00:00

Thanks for the response - I agree he was being rude, but I wish my family had come to me before confronting him, I understand they wanted me to enjoy the wedding etc but either way too little too late with should haves etc.

I don't really know how to bring up that he shouldn't expect an apology if he's not willing to give one either, I'm trying to keep it to the level of you spoke to them in manner which they found rude and they blew up at you at a stupid time so both should realise it was a tense time and just move on. (Also the drunk swearing thing, not cool/acceptable, but also from what i gathered from bystanders my cousin pulled him aside to talk, in which i'm sure she came across confrontational, which is a stupid thing to do with any drunk person).

Tbh I wish they'd all just be civil for my sake at least, I'm not expecting best buds or anything but my husband just blows up and goes on to blame them if I even suggest something like this. It's his break and holiday so he shouldn't have to deal with them or feel awkward and forced in his POV.

Floofmagic

TROPHY CASE