Landlord's Address listed as Agent's
Landlord's Address listed as Agent's
Author
Discussion

romeogolf

Original Poster:

2,112 posts

150 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
Moved into a new home recently and on the contract our landlord's address is listed as "20 Road Name..."

Looking it up shows that number 20 on that road is actually our lettings agent's offices.

Does this imply the agent owns the property or simply that the landlord doesn't wish to give out their address? In which case, do we have a right to their address?

I don't urgently need it but our contract says we need to contact the landlord in writing if we want to put things on the walls like photos etc. I'd like to do this at some point and would rather go direct as agents are notoriously useless.

bltamil1

364 posts

175 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
If the landlord has appointed an agent to deal with the tenancy on his behalf, you should be dealing with the agent.

Your tenancy agreement should spell out procedures etc for you.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

157 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
romeogolf said:
Does this imply the agent owns the property or simply that the landlord doesn't wish to give out their address? In which case, do we have a right to their address?
You must be provided with a UK contact address for the landlord. It can quite legally be the agent's address - and, if the landlord isn't UK resident - it effectively has to be.

The agent will forward anything needing forwarding.

bltamil1

364 posts

175 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
Sorry, I didn't actually answer your question.....

It doesn't imply that the agent owns the property, merely that the landlord wants any correspondence to go to his agents.

If the agent owned the property, that would make them the landlord, and hence not the agent.

romeogolf

Original Poster:

2,112 posts

150 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
Thanks. I thought we had to have the landlord's actual address, didn't realise it could just be a forwarding address.

northwest monkey

6,370 posts

220 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
romeogolf said:
Thanks. I thought we had to have the landlord's actual address, didn't realise it could just be a forwarding address.
The agent is your landlord - the bloke that owns the house is just a bloke that owns the house.

smile

mph1977

12,467 posts

199 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
northwest monkey said:
romeogolf said:
Thanks. I thought we had to have the landlord's actual address, didn't realise it could just be a forwarding address.
The agent is your landlord - the bloke that owns the house is just a bloke that owns the house.

smile
no the letting agent is a letting agent. the landlord is the person who owns the property.

CYMR0

3,940 posts

231 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
northwest monkey said:
The agent is your landlord - the bloke that owns the house is just a bloke that owns the house.

smile
Well your remedy, if the agent messes up, will be against the landlord, not the agent.

But for day-to-day purposes, i.e., who do you phone when there's a problem, it's the agent.

mph1977

12,467 posts

199 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
CYMR0 said:
northwest monkey said:
The agent is your landlord - the bloke that owns the house is just a bloke that owns the house.

smile
Well your remedy, if the agent messes up, will be against the landlord, not the agent.

But for day-to-day purposes, i.e., who do you phone when there's a problem, it's the agent.
not all properties let through agents are managed by the agent , although most agent want managedp roperties as it is these that earn them the most money with the regular drip feed of a % age of every rental pay ment as well as the (often excessive) charges levied to both landlord and prospective / actual tenants)

Eclassy

1,201 posts

153 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
romeogolf said:
Moved into a new home recently and on the contract our landlord's address is listed as "20 Road Name..."

Looking it up shows that number 20 on that road is actually our lettings agent's offices.

Does this imply the agent owns the property or simply that the landlord doesn't wish to give out their address? In which case, do we have a right to their address?

I don't urgently need it but our contract says we need to contact the landlord in writing if we want to put things on the walls like photos etc. I'd like to do this at some point and would rather go direct as agents are notoriously useless.
There is no requirement for a landlord to give you their address. Are you honestly going to send letters by snail mail every time you need something done? I think you should request for an email address and send your requests electronically.

From experience phone calls, text messages, instant messaging shouldn't be used to request repairs or permission from the landlord (okay as a follow up to email/registered post). It will be very hard to prove that you made these requests for repairs or permission if there is a need to do so in the future.

BNegative

2 posts

147 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
Eclassy said:
There is no requirement for a landlord to give you their address. Are you honestly going to send letters by snail mail every time you need something done? I think you should request for an email address and send your requests electronically.

From experience phone calls, text messages, instant messaging shouldn't be used to request repairs or permission from the landlord (okay as a follow up to email/registered post). It will be very hard to prove that you made these requests for repairs or permission if there is a need to do so in the future.
shelter disagree with you

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/private_r...

Eclassy

1,201 posts

153 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
BNegative said:
All landlords have to give their tenants their name and a CONTACT address in England or Wales.

Not where the landlord lives. An address where they can be contacted. (About 10 years experience in the game)

BNegative

2 posts

147 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
Eclassy said:
All landlords have to give their tenants their name and a CONTACT address in England or Wales.

Not where the landlord lives. An address where they can be contacted. (About 10 years experience in the game)
I am not disagreeing with you ( 0 years in the game )

Just pointing out that a reputable housing charity does

Wings

5,970 posts

246 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
In regards to an AST, then section 48 of the Landlords and Tenants Act 1987, only requires an address for service in the UK, so an agents address can be used for that purpose. However the tenant/s could make a request for the landlord's name and address in writing from the agent, with section 1 of the landlord and Tenant Act 1985 requires that the agent must supply the tenant with that information within 21 days of receipt. Criminal sanctions apply for failure to comply.

Cooperman

4,428 posts

281 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
As a landlord owning several apartments about 50 miles from my home, if a tenant contacted me by letter I would simply send it on to my agents with the instruction to deal with it. That is what I pay my agents their fees for.
To the best of my knowledge none of my tenants has my home address, although it would be a problem if they did as I look after my properties very well.