Further to Andrew's email above, I've used the ARLA website and you just tap in the postcode of your property and it lists the agents that are with them (within a radius you define). Interestingly not all offices within a franchise are ARLA listed. For instance, the only Martin & Co office in Nottingham that is ARLA listed is the Hucknall agency (Nottingham North). So worth a check before you make the jump.

(quick afternote - I'm not recommending any particular company; you need to be comfortable with whoever you choose to go forward with. I think we've all learnt that we need to be far more cautious in future. Additionally, I will be keeping a much closer eye on how my letting agent is performing. Blue Forces didn't seem to like us talking to our tenants; I think that was fundamentally wrong. If our tenants aren't happy, we should know about it and do something to fix it.)

Originally Posted by Central Management

Wherever you are, PLEASE use an RICS or ARLA regulated letting agent who is qualified, insured and has Client Money Protection.

Horse has the stable to door bolted shut the its late too once! rearrange those!

Well spotted and thank you for following up the links I included! There are a couple of national franchises out there looking for your business. Not every office is a member of a regulated body; you have to have a qualified member of staff IN THAT OFFICE for ARLA, for example. You might also hit the internet to check out reviews of agents; Google is your friend! Thanks again. Andrew

Originally Posted by flash2bang

Further to Andrew's email above, I've used the ARLA website and you just tap in the postcode of your property and it lists the agents that are with them (within a radius you define). Interestingly not all offices within a franchise are ARLA listed. For instance, the only Martin & Co office in Nottingham that is ARLA listed is the Hucknall agency (Nottingham North). So worth a check before you make the jump.

Originally Posted by Big_M

Well here is the latest bit of 'banter' for you all (trying to remain positive about all this!). Went and visited my property today (long drive!), turns out tenants are very nice and place is in good order - thats the good news.

The bad news? Well they had some letters for me. They said previously they had passed on lots of mail to BFs office (which was over the road from my place - I had a quick look before you ask, nobody there). I got ZERO pieces of mail from BFs, so god knows what they were doing with it - probably fueling the fire that was also rapidly burning crisp £50 notes from out PMA I'd guess. Anyway... I opened the mail they had for me there and what did I find? A LEGAL NOTICE! Electricity company wasn't paid for usage before first tenant moved in and after many letters to me which BF binned they are now looking to take me to court to recover the bills + costs. I have paid the bill online now and hopefully come monday when I can call them it will all be ok and I won't be off to Colly! But just think - if I hadn't had that letter off the tenants today I would have been not the wiser to this and next thing I'd have a criminal record and a huge legal costs bill!

Is there no end to the incompetence of BlueForces and its staff?!?

Lesson for everyone else - check all your other bills are in order or you might be in a world of turd without even knowing it!

Big_M,

Now you have got me worried. As well as utilities, the landlord would be responsible for the Council Tax during any void periods. I don't recall seeing any Council Tax charges on any of my statements from BF (or utility bills for that matter) and am loath to open this particular can of worms. This is however, the kind of information we will need to put in a claim against whatever is left in the PMA pot after B&C have taken their fees as we are the ones that the utilities companies/councils will be coming after for their money.

Regards

88

Big M, you may find that your local authority gives you a void period of grace on Council Tax if it is unfurnished. Also, an unpaid bill is not a criminal offence but a civil one. I imagine the MoD takes a dim view of CCJ's but it's not in the same league as theft or GBH. Still need to get it checked out though.

Can I suggest you worry about gas certificates first and foremost, provided of course there is gas in the property? Failing to provide a gas certificate is a criminal offence.

Cheers

Andrew Bulmer, Central Management, Nottingham

The Mail on Sunday have published an article: Troops lose thousands in £1.5m property firms crash | Mail Online
It keeps things going, and is a good starter for 10, and it will be nice to see a bit more detail in due course as things emerge (without prejudicing anything ongoing). Chin up to all.
OpsO

Hi Flash,
A big 'here here' on that one. I spoke to my tenant for the first time and it has made a world of difference. He knows I'm just a person now and not some fat cat businessman with a Ferrari. It also put my mind at ease that he's not planning to move any time soon. He also filled me in on some problems with the building that I was oblivious to. A good move all round!
I initially was all for going back to my original letting agency until I spoke to my tenant. I think he may have saved me 10.5% of the rental income.
All of you, please be very very careful when choosing an agent and also think hard about if you actually need one. If you have good tenants and can find a small company to carry out inspections and maintenance for you then you probably don't.

This scheme was sanctioned by the MoD and in fact they were given military telephone numbers, also well published in the Housing Matters Magazine and sold by JSHAO on presentations. Therefore they own some of the debt.... don't they?

Originally Posted by hitback

This scheme was sanctioned by the MoD and in fact they were given military telephone numbers, also well published in the Housing Matters Magazine and sold by JSHAO on presentations. Therefore they own some of the debt.... don't they?

They own some of the moral responsibility to help correct it, but in law the debt rests squarely on BF.

IF ANYONE CAN FIND ANY LITERATURE RELATING TO BF, INCLUDING COPY CONTRACTs please pass it to blueonblueforces via the web site.

I think we went through this before? I know exactly what you're saying (hitback) and I agree, but I think there's paperwork that states MOD does not sanction or endorse blueforces. However, if they have provided them with a military phone number, premises and direct access to military members via presentations in mess halls, lecture rooms Etc. Also, I could well be wrong but I think there's a chance that the MOD might have paid for their travel to Cyprus, Germany, Falklands Etc to drum up business and even given them mess accommodation. Does that not constitute a form of MOD endorsement? All these things are being discussed on the private forum, so have a butchers on there free from prying eyes. Who knows who's monitoring this site?