Estate Agent - Late Rent

[I-A]

Hi All,

What can I do when the estate agent managing a property is consistently late in forwarding on the rent? Do I have any option to ditch them?

I can't see that their contract allows us to do anything, but was hoping there was something in legislation that gave a landlord power to deal with this.

By late I mean a week late, monthly - I want to deal with this now before this duration increases.

(Tenant pays them on time)

Thanks

[Saleen836]

Is it just a simple case of the EA waiting for the rent to be cleared funds in their account before making payment to your account?

[Rayy]

I think payment to you week after the tenant sends money to the agent isn’t in any way unusual - from my own experience, anyway .

[I-A]

Hmm it used to be 3 working days after rent due, it would land in my account.

[tescorank]

Advise them that you are aware the tenant pays on time and banks are more or less instant or next day, the chances are the agent would have set up a standing order a couple of days before, if it’s not dispatched the following day you will change agent or manage the property yourself.

On a side note I used a franchise in a national chain and despite paying over 8% + VAT, I found it was easier managing myself and effecting repairs using a What’sapp group...Agents just get in the way.

[jonah35]

tescorank said:

Advise them that you are aware the tenant pays on time and banks are more or less instant or next day, the chances are the agent would have set up a standing order a couple of days before, if it’s not dispatched the following day you will change agent or manage the property yourself.

On a side note I used a franchise in a national chain and despite paying over 8% + VAT, I found it was easier managing myself and effecting repairs using a What’sapp group...Agents just get in the way.

100%

[LFB531]

What did the EA say when you raised this with them?

[jamescodriver]

Its possible they are waiting for the funds to be fully cleared and leave a few days grace or they do a number of payments in a run rather than each one as it comes in, so they pay rent once a week?

[superlightr]

I-A said:

Hmm it used to be 3 working days after rent due, it would land in my account.

some questions.

What date is the rent due and what was the day and date of the one you are talking about?

Which days are non banking days?

When did the funds actually enter the agents account?

Are there any deductions from the rental account due for maintenance etc?

Agents may take a few days to process the funds and send it out. its rarely automatic and has to be checked. Generally about 5 working days or quicker from when the rent is cleared into the agents account is about when the landlord should expect it.

[I-A]

Apoligies - never updated here.

I contacted the tenant and requested the rent was paid directly to me.

Two months into this, the EA contacted me asking me why I had done that - I explained why...

In the end, I agreed to rent going via them and now I actually receive it on the day rent is due.