Any Estate Agents on here?

[Stat Brother]

We've had 3 valuations on our house, from 3 agents.
They differed by £30,000.

Luckily we are realistic enough to know that hopefully the right answer is somewhere in between.

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

There is no real regulation in estate agency. Some belong to the RICS but that’s mainly the commercial ones - not the residential ones. When times were good loads of amateurs piled in – now times are tough they’ve been rumbled. When I was in the UK it wasn’t difficult to spot an Estate Agent at an RICS function – they always seemed to be called Piers, Myles or Nigel.

 

[Westdene Wonder]

Did you find that when you had to complain regarding incorrect information given the firm states he/she is no longer working for us, but then found the person concerned was working for another agent in the same locality.it appears they work on a musical chairs system.

 

[Jerryatric]

Q: Why don't Estate Agents look out of the window in the morning?

A: Because if they did, they'd have nothing to do in the afternoon.

 

[brightonian finest]

Haha good joke, every estate agent thinks they know f***ing everything as well. Drives me up the f***ing walls

 

[Garage_Doors]

No, no don't. Go to a private landlord and save yourself a packet.

Does limit the number of properties you can rent though, know a couple of landlords with several properties, and both will not deal direct with tenants,
They believe the hassle of references, maintenance, rent collection is far too much hassle and willingly pay the % for the letting agents to do it all.

 

[Simster]

Q: Why don't Estate Agents look out of the window in the morning?

A: Because if they did, they'd have nothing to do in the afternoon.

I'm nicking that. Quality.

 

[brightonian finest]

Does limit the number of properties you can rent though, know a couple of landlords with several properties, and both will not deal direct with tenants,
They believe the hassle of references, maintenance, rent collection is far too much hassle and willingly pay the % for the letting agents to do it all.

Exactly why letting agents always have work

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Does limit the number of properties you can rent though, know a couple of landlords with several properties, and both will not deal direct with tenants,
They believe the hassle of references, maintenance, rent collection is far too much hassle and willingly pay the % for the letting agents to do it all.

I agree it does limit the number of properties you can look at. As a landlord, the only tenants I've ever had issues with were those supplied by Letting Agents. Combine that with the agents being unable to keep appointments, communicate in a timely manner and having an understanding of the local market ( and I've tried a number ) and I find it less hassle to do the donkey work myself - and it really doesn't take more than a few hours at the start of a tenancy and then hardly anything going forwards.

 

[Monty]

I used to work for a letting agency and you could bet that at least half of appointments booked with tenants wouldn't turn up and were a bloody waste of time in comparison to people looking to buy a property.

In the same way most the public feel all lettings agents are tossers, most letting agents feel that all public they deal with are tossers. Obviously neither is true.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

I agree it does limit the number of properties you can look at. As a landlord, the only tenants I've ever had issues with were those supplied by Letting Agents. Combine that with the agents being unable to keep appointments, communicate in a timely manner and having an understanding of the local market ( and I've tried a number ) and I find it less hassle to do the donkey work myself - and it really doesn't take more than a few hours at the start of a tenancy and then hardly anything going forwards.

Conversely, I have only let out through agents, and had very little trouble. I was with Leaders who were ok, but switched my flat to Parks Residential, and they seem pretty good and pro-active. I have had to do nothing. They let the property v.quickly, and did all the necessary checks. For 8.5% seems worth it to me for no hassle.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

I'm nicking that. Quality.

isn't that what you do anyway ?

 

[West Hoathly Seagull]

They're all cityboy wannabe's.

You've obviously come across the Tarquins and Belindas we have round SW11, who went to such and such a public school, bushy, (saying that, I went to Ardingly College), but really they're just salesmen and women. I had my flat valued, and then got called by them every other day, but I just ignored the calls and they seem to have left me alone now. Mind you, some of the girls down Northcote Road are rather pretty. Before you say This Thread is Worthless...I don't think they would appreciate me taking pictures of them through the agents' windows.

 

[Farehamseagull]

I used to work for a letting agency and you could bet that at least half of appointments booked with tenants wouldn't turn up and were a bloody waste of time in comparison to people looking to buy a property.

In the same way most the public feel all lettings agents are tossers, most letting agents feel that all public they deal with are tossers. Obviously neither is true.

Word.

 

[nutter4149]

You've obviously come across the Tarquins and Belindas we have round SW11, who went to such and such a public school, bushy, (saying that, I went to Ardingly College), but really they're just salesmen and women. I had my flat valued, and then got called by them every other day, but I just ignored the calls and they seem to have left me alone now. Mind you, some of the girls down Northcote Road are rather pretty. Before you say This Thread is Worthless...I don't think they would appreciate me taking pictures of them through the agents' windows.

So it's ok for you to waste their time by coming out and valuing your flat for you at no charge, but you don't even have the curtosey to answer your phone to them afterwards.