Letting Agents And The Law

[feebee102]

Hi all
My husband has been doing renovation work for many many years for an elderly gentleman who owns quite a few houses he rents out privately.
He has spent the last three months renovating one if the cottages. The gentlemen knew my son was after a place to rent and offered him the chance to rent it off him when it was complete .
The gentleman in question is now 95 years old and decided to put it in the hands a letting/ estate agent. He still want my son to have it but it has to be done through the agents.
My son has the deposit and two months rent ready .
The agents are being awkward and keep putting barriers up in front of them. Firstly it was they couldn’t afford it , which they can. Then it was what about schools, my grandson is 18 months old and the next village has a school and transport is provided. Then it was they are to young. My daughter in law has been in rented accommodation for 7 years and my son 4 years.
I just think the agent involved has got a friend or family member lined up for it.
She did say to the gentleman she had got someone interested in it. The gentleman asked if it was my son and she said she wasn’t allowed to disclose that over the phone and was going to see him.
The gentleman keeps phoning us and he is under the impression our son is having it but I think the agent is thinking otherwise.
I just wondered if it was legal for her to not take my son in to consideration and have a potential tenant before the property has even gone live.
And at the end of the day is it up to the agent or the landlord who has the property

[Peter Pedant]

get the old boy to ring up and say that he wishes to let to X
( where X is the name of the one you want)

they will say - shagga shagga shagga or whatever and he says
i want to let to X

[Deskdiary]

Estate Agents and Letting Agents are manifestly untrustworthy - the agent either (a) has a friend or relative lined-up or (b) is hoping to find somebody who will pay more rent.

By far the best thing to do is for the property owner to phone the agent, tell them to stop messing about, and get on and rent it to your son.