Can I approach a prospective landlord directly.

[Ruth Less]

I've seen a property I would like to rent. Although it's on with an ARLA registered agent their contract is not one I'm prepared to sign. Several viewings and several agent's contracts later I realise that first agent has a far worse contract then the rest. So I'm thinking I could buy the land registry entry for the property and write to the landlord direct suggesting that if he were to swap to any of say three other agents he may well have a reliable tenant for at least the next year, probably longer. However I feel this approach is fundamentally underhand and wrong. So a question to the landlords here, would you mind this type of approach?

Details of the duff agent here:

http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=3795

The property has been empty for about two months and isn't marked as let agreed. Course if this landlord would only go multi-agent then It'd save me the bother but for some unknown reason he hasn't.

[Poppy]

How did you become aware that the property was available to rent? If you saw an estate agent "to let" sign on the property then the landlord must deal with that agent otherwise the landlord could be in breach of contract with the estate agent.

[Ruth Less]

Yes it was that agent's ad on rightmove. I hadn't thougt of the landlord being tied in, does that work like when selling a house? Can the landlord go multi-agent? Do they have to give notice to the old agent, what typical length would this be? If the old agent hasn't found a tenant and the property is sitting empty there must be something the landlord can do...

[jeffrey]

Yes it was that agent's ad on rightmove. I hadn't thougt of the landlord being tied in, does that work like when selling a house? Can the landlord go multi-agent? Do they have to give notice to the old agent, what typical length would this be? If the old agent hasn't found a tenant and the property is sitting empty there must be something the landlord can do...

1. You are not bound by contract between L and Agent. Let L worry about what he can or can't do.

2. Notice by T: none needed if it's the end of the fixed term. Notice cannot be given to take effect during that term. If tenancy runs on after term end, because both parties agree expressly or impliedly, it usually becomes a periodic version of itself (so 6-month term with monthly rent becomes monthly tenancy- still the same type (eg an Assured Shorthold, if that's what the original Tenancy Agreement created)).

[Ericthelobster]

I think that because you've already been introduced to the property by the agent you don't like, the only effective approach might be to approach the LL and say you're dead keen to rent the property but that you have issues with particular clauses in the agreement - he's the agent's paying customer so if he tells them to delete clause X, then they should do so.

Of course he might be a bit freaked by being found by you via the internet, and he may be unhappy about a prospect not being willing to sign up to what his agent reccommends, but hey... if that's the only way you're going to rent the place then nothing ventured, nothing gained?

[P.Pilcher]

If I, as a landlord received such a call from a prospective tenant, I would certainly refer them back to the agent - but my agent would certainly not have such clauses in his agreement.

Best of luck!

P.P.