Updating post from Reddit.
Have a high company rental allowance and looking to rent in London.
Saw a listing on rightmove, enquired online twice but absolutely no replies, then called the agent Marsh & Parsons, who asked my email address and when I spelled it out, she lectured me how much she preferred the use of phonetic alphabets and needed me to confirm I got her point and how much that would help me in life.
An agent from Chestertons called me for a viewing, did it and gave her a good offer, promised to get back to me etc, then absolutely no contacts whatsoever even after I messaged her, as if I am chasing a celebrity for her sign
When I walked into a branch for information, two blonde ladies were literally wearing bikinis or something similar showcasing their deep cleavages as if that were their main job and wanted to breastfeed me
A business card printed BA Univ of Westminster, implying all other staffs in the branch have education below that, probably GCSE only
Don't you think the property market is handled by a bunch of idiots?
Not all of them are idiots, some are criminals. Including at the big London names.
Yes, I've never dealt with a competent one, my current one thinks their policy is more important than actual law, any time this is raised they put on airs and try to cut you off mid conversation and speak louder than you
We had one like that recently.
My partner and I purchased an ex grow house at auction, and I am renovating and repairing it currently. Seeing as I had spent a fair whack of cash on this thing, I went round to ensure that the house was locked and unoccupied... To find that the agent had left the door open and banging in the wind.
I called the agents up and they said that I must be mistaken, as it was "company policy" to ensure that the house was locked after viewings. To which the response was "well I'm currently stood in the fucking living room so you better send someone round to lock up, and don't even think of boarding the door up because you can't find the keys."
Condescending twat responds with: "Well it's our policy to ensure that the property is secured at all times so we can't guarantee that we won't have to board it up if we cannot secure the keys from the owner, as I'm sure you understand."
You can imagine the number of expletives directed towards the silly git after they came out with that.
There are no barriers to entry to the industry.
Idiots, show offs, sluts, incels, models, aspiring actors, Nepo babies - they can all apply. You'll be interviewed by an idiot, but a successful one, and he/she will be the only one you need to impress.
The entire food chain is filled by idiots. The agency industry is a parasite on the market, all their prime high street offices are funded by the outdated model.
They aren't a parasite. You need a property aggregator to show you what's actually available. It also helps if you have someone who is genuinely knowledgeable about an area, to advise on schools, shops, traffic got spots, previous issues with houses on that road etc.
You may have met some idiots, but the process would be extremely difficult without them. You may not like them, but that doesn't mean they are parasites.
I have the ability to use rightmove and other property aggregators. I'm also able to google schools, check their osted results and exam results. I can check crime reports from any postcode. Almost everything you mention is in no way a value add, other than saving you from 20-30mins research.
How would it be difficult without them? Property owner advertises, hosts viewings recives offers, accepts one and instructs solicitors. All without having to pay a % to a pointless, middleman.
Openrent, but that platform is rather difficult to use. I think real estate, given its physical and local nature, is the last standing frontier to digitalise. I think many techs tried to break it, but still idiots are standing tall.
Basically we pay estate agents to role play rich guy so they can drive around in a nice car with a fitted suite and a watch bigger than their hand. Just to show you a 300K dump in the arss end of no where.
This sums it up 100%. It’s like the industry for arrogant assholes.
Not every listing is actually available. The agency my landlord previously used would readvertise the property every time my contract was renewed with the old pictures. I've lived here 12 years.
This amongst other things, including ridiculous charges to both myself AND the LL is why we agreed to fuck them off and deal with each other directly.
When you have an industy that means people need to suck up to them to get a rental property such is demand it fuels their tiny egos into power seeking behavior. Patronising, childish bollocks to make themselves feel important and like they are actually on the Apprentice making big business deals.
Not all, some when I was renting were great, but some are both thick but also delusions of grandeur.
Not mutually exclusive :)
I should add - my agent is neither 🤣
Both.
Crazy Story, there are lots of good estate agents. The corporation in London hasn't helped.
Yup this is why this government (and the last one) are successfully driving the entire private rental sector into the hands of corporations - effectively these screwed up/corrupt agents, who instead of being agents will own stuff at scale. Tenant "advocates" have no idea the monster they have unleashed (and don't care).
Sorry you are wrong the tenants advocates know exactly what they have created, its not accidental.
Tenants seem to think the letting agents work for them... we dont, they pay us nothing, the LL pays everything.
Especially with the reduction in rental properties over the last few years we get 50-100 tenants for each property, why would we put effort into attracting other tenants? Of course we like to send a "sorry not successful in you application" email but if its forgot, never mind.
lol where do you think the LL gets their money from. Tenants absolutely pay your wages.
I have never read a dumber comment on here. Do you understand how money works in an economy? Where the landlord gets his funds is irrelevant. The important thing is the money is PAID to the agent by the landlord, not the tenant, hence the landlord will be receiving a better service as the actual PAYING CLIENT
Or they know and it's there long term plan. As if all problems are gone,then they don't have job also
I thought this was serious until I read the username.
I never judge people by their username…
I do, and bravo!
They are all shit. But its not just estate agents. Tradesmen. Recruitment agencies. Usually any service that any criminal can do. It is common for criminals to enter these jobs. Also, they all have low IQs so are dumb.
Best thing to do is so as much as you can to reduce how many times you need to use these people. Treat them as mere shits you use for what you want and nothing more.
I used estate agents to sell my parents home as an example, and I USED them to get me buyers while we waited for the perfect house to buy which took a year. They worked hard to find buyers, strong one, which we just casually strung along and they had to find a new buyer once we found the perfect house. They lost buyers and reputation (as buyers got pisses off). But I don't care. I sell when I tell them I want to sell.
Luckily I only ever rented once and found the process fine, but this was just outside of London. I think it is worse in London as its become dog eat dog type place where margins are low and so they work on volume and more so given their higher costs. This sort of thing attracts shit people.
Disagree on tradesmen. Agents and Recruiters use their stupid mouths but tradesmen use their hands, but yeah I have met many shit tradesmen too, but never once a decent non-bullshit agent.
A decent tradesman is like finding a needle in a haystack. Lot of shit out there in most things, even more so in low level low iq jobs. As I say minimised your need for these shits. Don;t take things personally. Just use them as needed and nothing more.
Just to add to this that i just remembered:
At the end fo the sales process I was speaking to the agent, who was a hard nosed cunt, but she told me she gets things done for the seller by manipulating buyers - she openly admitted this to me. I think she knew i was a bit of a cunt just as much as i knew she was. Was probably the warmest conversation i ever had with an agent. its like we understood eachother.
They're generally thick as 2 short planks. You specify what you're after and they send you complete shite. I'm moving from London down to the coast and the agents down there are even more inept. They don't have the foggiest idea about £/sqm. In addition to that they price the properties at least 25% above what it's worth and from following particular property which I'm interested in i see 50-100k drops over the course of 3-5 months. If it keeps happening, would you not take time to review the valuation process or are you only interested in ringing every penny out of the 1.5% . Don't get me wrong, you do get some good ones, but as soon as you see the 20yo turn up in his shiny zara suit I know I'm going to be speaking to someone with only a PE gcse to their name
They called and I told explicitly I am looking for Area A, they keep emailing me properties in area E. At least it is entertaining to see some blondes turning up in their bikinis on a cloudy day.
"Please use your CRM properly" "Errr whats one of them?"
When I was looking at which agency to use for my rentals, one of the questions I asked myself is "would I feel comfortable being a tenant through this bunch?"
There are good reasons that I've chosen to use local, independent agencies.
Can you share where are that two ladies?we will be renting out some rooms, so just to know
In Fulham, they were not that pretty, just milk cows
It’s sales, you don’t have to smart or ethical, just good at selling. But the demand is so high that even that criteria is limited.
Where's the 3rd Estate Agents?
In Fulham branch of a big franchise
Most yes
I doubt anyone with any real skills would every aim to be an estate agent.... general a profession reserved for spivs, shysters, people who failed GCSE maths and serial conmen
but it is a fact that such shitpersons make more money than phd lab researchers
Unfortunately that is the way of the world
from this discussion, one thing we all agree is the agency industry is full of shitpersons and/or arrogant cows, sucking up a living off the market. The question then is how can we disrupt it? Openrent is difficult to use and not really that popular. How about the buy/sale process. In the US, Zillow/Redfin tried but still didn't gain traction.
lol the REA are scums…different country same mafia
When you say put a strong offer in, how strong?
At the moment I would consider a "strong" offer to be asking +20% for anything really desirable maybe a bit more. The days of a strong offer being under the marketing price will almost always mean you are bidding WAY under others.
Short answer: YES I genuinely believe they were bullied at school.
Estate agents ignore email requests from rightmove, I've been having to ring. They're now dragging their feet on getting references though I provided the info
Yes.
Both.
Without a doubt. I think lettings is even worse.
I've had enless fuckwittery from agents. The latest one, is I rang to arrange a viewing. There was only one slot left, I couldn't make it but my partner could. I explained this and then confirmed it via email. Even sending my partners contact details incase there were any issues.
She turns up to the viewing, and they try to leave her standing on the door step. After knocking on the door 4 times, they let her in and then behave as if I've sent a complete stranger to view on my behalf. They then say we can't apply for the property unless I also view the property. So I have to make another appointment.
Why not both?