UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hello everyone,

Could someone please help me with a complicated question, can I pass my tenants on to a managing company?

At 70 I am too old for the stress, council has just served me a notice and I don't even have an EPC for the property, the tenants have complained to everyone and now I have to do lots of work. Can I just pass the contract on to an estate agent, I think I have found one that he says he can. I am not sure because of the council notice and no epc.

Please help!

Of course, they're just your Agent... they act as your Agent, basically in your stead, in your name... but the buck still stops with you. One assumes the Agent is aware of everything and remains willing and able (likely for a suitably high fee)? Or, are you saying you just found an Agent but they're unaware of the surrounding issues? If the latter, it's the Agent you need to talk to.

I would really think about selling the place and having done with it.You never know if an agent is any good until you have committed to a contract with them.Managing fees can be around 12%,and they will usually add a commission fee onto any work they arrange.I have had considerable stress over the years through trusting agents to do their job as promised. 

Thank you Hippo and Heavykarma.The agent told me they would handle everything without the epc.Today someone else has told me it is a criminal offence. I am confused and worried.Is the agent breakingthe law and i will be in trouble?

As I understand it,it is illegal to market/let to new tenants without this.I am unsure if you ever had one,and it has expired now? If so,you need to have it redone asap.What have you been told to have done to the property by the council,within what timescale? Also,did you protect the deposit?

I think this might be a mountain / molehill scenario anyway... the phrase "criminal offence" is used here, which could scare anyone... but the fact is that there would be a monetary penalty. The solution is to get an EPC sorted. We shouldn't make more of this than necessary. Part of what the Agent is promising to handle might be the provision of an EPC... they're not like hen's teeth or anything... just pay someone £45 to provide it (unless you have troublesome Tenants who won't allow access - but that's not implied here, even though the Council being involved might make me infer that).

Yes,you are right.Being made a moderator has gone to my head a bit.I feel compelled to come up with solutions,whereas I don't know a fraction of the stuff you and Simon and other on here know.I am still keen to learn though.

I was only advising the OP to refrain from all the hyperbole... and just try to break this problem down into simple manageable steps... get an EPC, hand over management (possibly one and the same), approve dealing with the issues that need addressing, eventually resulting in a pleased Council and Tenant(s). No talk of pensioners being in prison due to the situation.

Thank you everybody.I feel a lot better.

I have a improvment notice, have to finish everything by end of november. now the tenants don't want a new contract and have complained about the estate agent.they say he cant give a new contract without epc. I should have sold the place years ago.

Well, you can't sell it without an EPC either... so, first order of business - EPC.