The grumpy thread

[vulgalour]

Our landlord's agent recently changed, and it shows.  Previously, our landlord used a local agent and repairs etc. were done in a timely manner, communication between all parties was very good.  Now, the agent we were with at our last property have bought the agent for our current property and all the contracts, etc. associated with that.  The landlord can't get them to do anything.  He can't get them to reply, he can't get them to make any suitable changes to the contract and he's getting rather annoyed.  So are we.  Finally got some movement on getting the windows replaced since the landlord agrees they need doing and the current agent has basically agreed to have someone come out and measure (which is already done) but now won't answer any of the landlord's enquiries about options, costs, styles, etc. of the new windows.

 

It doesn't bode particularly well given how bad this agent was with our last property, an issue compounded by a terrible landlord.  At the moment, the landlord is trying to get away from this company to either go independant or sign on with someone better.  At least we have a decent landlord here willing to fight our corner, that sort of thing is priceless.

[Kiltox]

The alternative is that agents charge landlords for a tenant find and or manage service. And landlord takes out insurance to cover risks. And the landlord spreads out those costs into a monthly rent.

Rent could drop if tenant decides to stay on, as no costs to landlord of finding new tenant.

Always said that we won't put the rent after 1st year of tenant being in, and will review at 24 months and always be below the rent an agency would try to charge. That way 100% occupancy and no stressful churn.

Agents already charge landlords for that, it’s not going to change....

 

The primary target market of “flatfair” as far as I can tell is those agents rather than landlords

[DodgeRover]

I'm guessing there will be a close to 75% default rate at the end of the tenancy with that scheme.

[chodweaver]

I'm guessing there will be a close to 75% default rate at the end of the tenancy with that scheme.

It does sound reminiscent of the 'sub prime mortgage' market...

 

Sent from my BV6000 using Tapatalk

[DodgeRover]

It does sound reminiscent of the 'sub prime mortgage' market...

 

Sent from my BV6000 using Tapatalk

In which case sign me up for big profits! I'll just sell my shares at around 5 months before the first lot of tenancies go bad..

[cort1977]

The whole concept of the government subsidizing that fat cnut Ashley by sending him JSA recipients to work for free is outrageous.  Talk about corporate welfare.

 

Mrcento, could I respectfully suggest that you may be too literal in your interpretation of experience?  When applying for a van driver job, if they ask you previous experience don't say you have driven a van as part of a previous job, say you were the driver with additional responsibilities as well.  Coupled with a five minute google of terms from van-driving job adverts 'multi-drop as part of an integrated team' and just wing it.  I appreciate that this may sound dishonest to some but an alternative view is that you are just showing them how your skills are relevant.  They want the best person for the job (presumably) even if they or their process are too dumb to realize it. 

[dozeydustman]

In future. Ring agent. Tell them you are going out for tea because the kitchen isn't clean, and as they have a key you expect it to be spotless on your return.

Don't take this shit.

 

Letting agent was sent some 40 photos last night of before and after I spent the whole evening cleaning. Thankfully we had ding meals in the freezer and the microwave was on the dining table while the plasterers were in.

 

The contractor (who has been a semi-regular visitor) came round this afternoon and apologised for the complete shambles of a tidy-up the plasterers he hired did yesterday, and will pay for a professional deep clean of the house once we've moved out and the remedial work is finished. All we have to contribute towards it is the cost of flea tick & mite treatment because we have cats.

 

I'll take that, certainly makes our move out a hell of a lot easier now we don't have to go through the rigmorole of a deep clean ourselves

[barefoot]

I'm grumpy because I find myself looking forward to reading the grumpy thread every day instead of concentrating on crap old cars.

[Sir Snipes]

Holy shit pipes, I am in a rented 3 bed with a drive I can get 4 cars in at a push and its £515pcm if I bought it would be a little cheaper as sierraman says

£800 for a small 2 bed terrace with a parking spot in the nicer part of Gillingham, Kent.

£50k deposit plus at least £200k for anything that isn't in someway a compromise. We are about 90 minutes from the centre of London, which is not a lot nowadays.

[rainagain]

Mrcento, could I respectfully suggest that you may be too literal in your interpretation of experience? When applying for a van driver job, if they ask you previous experience don't say you have driven a van as part of a previous job, say you were the driver with additional responsibilities as well. Coupled with a five minute google of terms from van-driving job adverts 'multi-drop as part of an integrated team' and just wing it. I appreciate that this may sound dishonest to some but an alternative view is that you are just showing them how your skills are relevant. They want the best person for the job (presumably) even if they or their process are too dumb to realize it.

What he said, never lie and say you’ve done something if you haven’t as you’ll fail the first time they ask you to do it. But as Cort said you can talk up something you have done if that’s what they’re looking for. If for part of a job you ran a hose over the works van at night and you’re applying for a car washer job. Turn that previous experience into being responsible for the cleanliness of the works van fleet, being in charge of safe use of the pressure washer, etc. Think about what they want to hear and tell them it. Speak about how you always keep the van fleet spotless and went the extra mile buying your own tyre shine, etc, etc.

[beko1987]

I've seen that 0% deposit* thing on a few proeprties recently and TBH it would be the only way we could move short of either a year and so of saving, or just not paying rent for 2 months, which would obviously knacker the refrences we would need. Surely a throwaway bank account and careful planning would enable one to just do a bunk?

 

We had help from the bank of dad when we moved into this place, coupled with a few months living at my mums whilst we saved. We can never live at mums again as Amy hates her guts which means I keep them apart as much as possible, and dad lost his businesses a few years ago and is now penniless and living a happier existance on JSA and doing part time driving work, so no chance there.

 

We are trapped. And I imagine we are not alone! It's all very well being able to afford £1100 a month, but when you need to stump up £1100 again (so £2200) plus fee's, no chance!

[dollywobbler]

Jeepers. I often feel remarkably lucky, but reading this thread, even more so than usual. I rented somewhere for three months as a temporary thing when we first moved to Cambridgeshire, so that's my entire exposure to the rental market. I do have serious concerns about an economy that seems to be propped up only by getting people in ridiculous amounts of debt. The housing market would not be as ridiculous as it is if banks were still stingy about how much they'll lend someone for a mortgage.

[New POD]

I've seen that 0% deposit* thing on a few proeprties recently and TBH it would be the only way we could move short of either a year and so of saving, or just not paying rent for 2 months, which would obviously knacker the refrences we would need. Surely a throwaway bank account and careful planning would enable one to just do a bunk?

 

We had help from the bank of dad when we moved into this place, coupled with a few months living at my mums whilst we saved. We can never live at mums again as Amy hates her guts which means I keep them apart as much as possible, and dad lost his businesses a few years ago and is now penniless and living a happier existance on JSA and doing part time driving work, so no chance there.

 

We are trapped. And I imagine we are not alone! It's all very well being able to afford £1100 a month, but when you need to stump up £1100 again (so £2200) plus fee's, no chance!

And then you get to play the "impress the landlord" game.

 

We've all the viewings on the one house we rent out. So we see the full picture, of interest compared to if we used a letting agent.

There are couples who are clearly desperate to be seen as the perfect tenant, they know they are up against 10 other people, 4 of whom we will take seriously.

Unfortunately for them I can see through this, and have an application form that is very objective. We choose purely on scoring how risky or not they might be.

Do you have letting history? Do you have a track record of work history? Do you have children who will go to a local school?

Will you pass referencing without need for a guarantor? How is you credit rating?

Basically the couple where the bloke is a taxi driver, but has yet to do a self assessment, and have no letting history are not as safe as the social worker and council road worker with a son who goes to the school up the road.

I do not score pets. If you want one, it's unlikely I'd refuse.

I worked with the previous tenant in advance of her leaving to make sure she got her deposit back and ignored the really bad emulsion "repair" in one of the bedrooms. Got a free window blind left in the other bedroom, worth more than a 5 tins of emulsion.

[New POD]

As it was my birthday yesterday I went home for the night.

This morning on the way back at 6.40 am I got a phone call and a text asking me to "come over and sort this laser out"

I was on the m6, and have pulling into the services for a crap.

I don't remember agreeing to be on call. And 6:40 I should be tucked up in bed, so I'm now delaying my journey, and will arrive much later.

I only have to give a weeks notice and am awaiting a contract from my next job before I resign.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Jeepers. I often feel remarkably lucky, but reading this thread, even more so than usual. I rented somewhere for three months as a temporary thing when we first moved to Cambridgeshire, so that's my entire exposure to the rental market. I do have serious concerns about an economy that seems to be propped up only by getting people in ridiculous amounts of debt. The housing market would not be as ridiculous as it is if banks were still stingy about how much they'll lend someone for a mortgage.

They tried to offer us a bigger mortgage when we bought our house. Was mildly alarming. We mortgaged well within our means but a lot of people would have just said yes and land themselves in trouble...

[sierraman]

My mate said exactly the same when he bought, he wanted say £100k and the mortgage advisor was pressing him to take something like £220k so he could get a ‘better house’.

 

I agree with what’s said above, I think we’re putting ourselves in a position like the early 90’s again where repossessions will be endemic, at the moment it’s a period of serious uncertainty with various factors, I wouldn’t be taking a large mortgage that I fundamentally couldn’t afford out. Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

[beko1987]

And then you get to play the "impress the landlord" game.

 

We've all the viewings on the one house we rent out. So we see the full picture, of interest compared to if we used a letting agent.

There are couples who are clearly desperate to be seen as the perfect tenant, they know they are up against 10 other people, 4 of whom we will take seriously.

Unfortunately for them I can see through this, and have an application form that is very objective. We choose purely on scoring how risky or not they might be.

Do you have letting history? Do you have a track record of work history? Do you have children who will go to a local school?

Will you pass referencing without need for a guarantor? How is you credit rating?

Basically the couple where the bloke is a taxi driver, but has yet to do a self assessment, and have no letting history are not as safe as the social worker and council road worker with a son who goes to the school up the road.

I do not score pets. If you want one, it's unlikely I'd refuse.

I worked with the previous tenant in advance of her leaving to make sure she got her deposit back and ignored the really bad emulsion "repair" in one of the bedrooms. Got a free window blind left in the other bedroom, worth more than a 5 tins of emulsion.

I'm shit and a massive liability on paper! So is Amy.

 

But no missed rent in 10 years we pay it early which confused the agent the first few times, luckily he is a great bloke so just laughed when I told him why (everything gets paid on the 1st so it's gone, id rather be skint with the lights on and the rent paid than not skint but owing).

 

We would get an amazing reference atm, which I can't mess up. I'm expecting a bit of deposit docking although after 7 years here the fair wear and tear clause might work in our favour. Certainly all the things up with the house have been reported many times (and ignored, but reported so a tick in our box).

 

Someone from the agent came round yesterday about the drug dealer house (it's a parkers property apparently notice has been served, she wanted our list of number plates) and she did a mini inspection and said all was fine. Said the whole place needed decorating, noted the fucked upstairs floor (reported), the carpet coming away from the thresholds (reported) and the utterly tired kitchen (reported).

 

We could live with them all if the rent doesn't go up. Identical houses to ours (and their all identical on our estate bar the 3 beds) go for £950/1k a month, Im happy with £825 and needing to bolt the kitchen doors back on every so often...

[wuvvum]

I'm shit and a massive liability on paper!

 

But no missed rent in 10 years

Ditto.  Nearly 11 years now in fact.  I am somewhat concerned though that if I ever have to move out of this place, all a letting agent will look at is my Experian rating, and I'll be in a "computer says no" situation.  I'd much rather deal directly with a landlord, but those properties are much thinner on the ground.

 

(Actually I'd much rather buy my own place, but that's not going to happen unless I get a far better paid job or move to a much cheaper part of the country.)

[Kiltox]

Not wanting the rent to go up etc aside - sounds like you have yet another wanker landlord and or agent who is just ignoring the decay of their property and happily pocketing your money every month without a care.

 

A bit of paint / carpet / etc at a minimum in 7 years isn’t too much to fucking ask for.

[beko1987]

No true. Its a double edged sword.

 

We think she's new at the agent, as she asked why only the upstairs windows were replaced and not the downstairs.

 

Er... Because you guys sorted it with the landlord! We just said yes please and put the kettle on when the lads came! Not our decision!

 

Its supply and demand, I can see why agents can ignore tenants a bit, if we move out, someone will be in before it's even advertised. That's how we got this place! Viewed another property, higher rent, another 2 bed and didn't really like it. So the agent said mmmmm, go to Hamilton road and wait, he shot back and got the keys and we viewed it sans carpet and mid decoration and paid the deposit there and then. That was in the good old days when it was owned by a lady who lived in New Zealand and we paid £800 and Pat and Ted looked after the house and the money went straight to the lady. Then she sadly died although thankfully the guy who runs the agency sold it with us as a sitting tenant after a quick valuation, relisting it with shit old pictures and telling anyone who expressed an interest that it was already gone.

 

Made the neighbors look twice when the to let sign went up though we all get on very well. Ed next door gladly let me round to tidy that side of the shed roof, we sunk 4 beers in 25 minutes (sorry Amy, took a bit longer than I thought)

[BorniteIdentity]

Renters have my absolute sympathies unless, of course, you are making a conscious choice not to buy and are really happy. I did this for a couple of years and it made perfect sense. It was the early days of a relationship, the beginnings of my career and there was all the uncertainty of life at 21. We tried to pick well (A professional landlord with a brand new house is unlikely to sell within the first 2 years) and it was a great time.

 

There's an awful lot of stigma about renting, and I genuinely hope we move away from that. We need to drop this "you're paying someone else's mortgage" shit. We're all consumers, we're all paying someone else's mortgage. I'd feel bad if I wasn't.

[beko1987]

I've not got the dream of buying in my head. No point, it won't happen either soon or at all, no point in spending my life resenting what I have to do!

[DodgeRover]

Sat about waiting for materials again. I'm massively relieved I said a day rate for this job rather than a price or I would be Mr Stressed.

 

Got about 20 minutes work left unless stuff arrived then I might polish and tidy my van.

[SierraMikeHotel]

 

 

The housing market would not be as ridiculous as it is if banks were still stingy about how much they'll lend someone for a mortgage.

Vicious circle, isn't it? Banks are willing to lend more, so prices go up, so people have to borrow more, so banks lend more..........

 

I've only just escaped renting after twenty odd years, I'm afraid I have no trouble believing these stories

[Sir Snipes]

There's all sorts of stuff they get away with. Sports Direct decided not to pay my tax when I was working for them on an agency contract and I got stung with the bill. My brother got his tax money back, I never did, and no explanation beyond "you should have known better". Mind you, they were also getting us to put full price stickers on products that had previously been marked down for sale, and treated their staff like utter shit. Clock in a minute late, get 15 minutes pay docked, but the machines used to clock in weren't reliable nor of sufficient quantity for the staff employed, so someone always got docked pay. On leaving every day, you had to empty your pockets into a plastic tray for inspection and they did stop checks to pull people into an office for strip searching, just in case you'd stolen anything. They pulled me into the office and I kicked off, they looked very sheepish and didn't dare suggest they search me. Not long after, I was ill at work (collapsed on the warehouse floor) and my brother had to drive me home. They fired him for illegal time off. They didn't tell me I was fired either until I turned up for work the next day and the agency denied all knowledge that I was employed.

 

It was an absolute shitstorm and totally normal for this end of the work market. Sports Direct is a shitty, shitty, shitty, shitty, shitty, company.

I was labouring on building sites for a while for an agency and they would make the employee pay their national insurance contributions, on top of their own.

[bub2006]

Thought the bungalow felt a bit cold. Went to check thermostat and the boiler gone tits up. Rang emergency number for housing authority and get told they only make things safe not repair so I have to sit here freezing my knackers off. Wonderful.

[bramz7]

Just found another website using one of my copyrighted Flickr photos without permission or even a credit. I've sent a stuffy email about it.

 

Funny story, if anyone remembers that dross clothing brand oldguysrule, they plagiarised one of my photos for a t shirt design!!!

[purplebargeken]

In dithering mode, bouncing uselessly between the Toledo which needs parts fitting (I have them but need mate to help as has lift) and the Dolomite which needs the boot floor section cutting out and replacement panel fitting. That way I can start the car and move it around. I end up doing nothing to either of them and just cleaning up the garage.

 

Grrrrrr.

[Angrydicky]

£620 a month here for a 1 bed cottage in a lovely quiet part of Suffolk. Landlords live next door, I deal directly with them for everything. They're sound.

Included in that price is undercover parking for four cars, driveway for one and a brick shed for storing parts in etc.

Its not as cheap as up north but a hell of a lot better than the mental prices being asked in Southend. £800 a month for a flat in a shit area with noisy neighbours and no off street parking.

[clayts450]

Thought the bungalow felt a bit cold. Went to check thermostat and the boiler gone tits up. Rang emergency number for housing authority and get told they only make things safe not repair so I have to sit here freezing my knackers off. Wonderful.

 

 

I think you'll find they are obliged to provide you with crappy electric heaters if nothing else - ring them back and demand they deliver some tonight or you'll go to Environmental health in the morning. Should do the trick.