Letting Agent lost keys

[LottieWeb]

Hi,

A letting agent that I didn't engage has lost a set of my keys. What do people think is reasonable to ask them to do about it?

I met a letting agent last September and gave them the keys to my rental property as I intended for them to let it once the redecoration was complete. Nothing was signed. I then realised they were showing people round before the work was complete. I had let the property via another source and I told the agents to stop.

I've been trying to get my keys back, but I've had no end of reasons why this isn't possible (they've been archived, already returned, the manager will phone me back etc etc).

I'm not looking to make a big deal of it, but I am worried that they'll have put a tag with my address on, especially as they didn't act particularly professionally in the first place. If they had been officially appointed, would you expect them to pay for new locks?

I'd be grateful for your views.....

[potnewagent]

Personally i'd save yourself some time and hassle and just go ahead in changing the locks. You can always forward the invoice to them in the the hope they will pay, out of good will. If they didn't you could take it to small claims (not worth it really for £100 lock), as frustrating as it may be. If nothing happens and there is an Address label on the lost set then it's not worth taking the risk not to replace.

[mind the gap]

I agree. Change the locks. Write to useless A with invoice for same pointing out that you know they will not wish their reputation to suffer by getting a name for themselves as the agency which loses keys and wriggles out of its responsiblities.

[Poppy35]

as a LA I am torn on this one.

On the one hand they should pay for the locks to be replaced if they have misplaced the keys. On the other hand why give your keys to an agent you had not officially instructed.

I would hope that they would have a system in place to tag them up which means that they wont have your address on them but best to be on the safe side and get the locks changed.

[LottieWeb]

Thanks for your views. I think I'll take your advice and change the lock, send them the bill and then chalk it up to experience when they ignore that, too!

[Snorkerz]

On the one hand they should pay for the locks to be replaced if they have misplaced the keys. On the other hand why give your keys to an agent you had not officially instructed.As a distant landlord I had to do this several times to obtain market appraisals before selecting an agent. (The wrong agent - but that's another story)

[Poppy35]

As a distant landlord I had to do this several times to obtain market appraisals before selecting an agent. (The wrong agent - but that's another story)

Fair comment!

[Springfields]

Common sense also works LOL

Yes, common sense in that you don't attempt to smash your own window!

[MrJohnnyB]

I would hope that they would have a system in place to tag them up which means that they wont have your address on them but best to be on the safe side and get the locks changed.

If they were regulated they would be obliged to. RICS regulated firms have to keep keys in a locked secure cabinet with a numbering system. The numbering system must either be held under lock & key or on a password protected database going from memory!