Cutting Out the Middle Man...

[Bananaman33333]

Is this legal?

 

We found a flat through this estate agent, met the landlord and agreed with him to just rent the place without going through the agency anymore because we get on well and neither party wants to waste money on a leeching middle man. He phoned them up and told them he's taking it off the market.

 

Meanwhile, I'm threatening to complain to the Ombudsman for Estate Agencies, of which they're a member, for not giving back my holding deposit. They're using the excuse that we didn't move in on the "predictable date". Emphasis on "predictable". Obviously for the return address of this recorded delivery letter I put the old address down to go and collect mail off old housemates.

 

Would be grateful for anyone who could tell me if this is all going to work!

 

Thanks

[BankFodder]

No, it's not lawful and as much as anyone feels that agents don't do much for their money, both you and the landlord decided to use them, they've done their job and so it is pretty unfair to deprive them of their commission.

 

If you have another issue with them then that needs to be settled separately

[Steve__M]

What the landlord does is no business of yours as far as I'm concerned. If the agent were to find out, he'd be the one to lose out, not you.

 

Personally I would say to the Landlord - "Look old chap, because of what we did the agent are keeping my holding deposit. It'd be awfully decent of you if you could refund me it out of the money you've saved on agency fees."