Agents using advertising photos of my properties?

Agents using advertising photos of my properties?

11:33 AM, 23rd May 2016, About 8 years ago 19

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Last year I used a few estate agents to let my two properties in two different areas. Somehow, one of them was successful in letting both. fake

I however noticed that six months on two agents (one of them who was successful) are still using the photos and address of my properties on their general property websites showing uprated rents even on what I achieved.

I feel this is unfair and also cheating as:

a) Using photos of my properties to advertise their business;

b) The properties are actually not on the market so fooling potential customers;

c) Speculating rents.

Please advise if I can take any legal action against them?

Abhi


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Comments

Neil Patterson

11:35 AM, 23rd May 2016, About 8 years ago

Hi Abhi,

I don't really know what your loss would be to take legal action, but you could start by reporting it to the redress scheme that the agents belong to.

Mark Lynham

12:11 PM, 23rd May 2016, About 8 years ago

surely contacting them first would be the more sensible option?

Harlequin

12:12 PM, 23rd May 2016, About 8 years ago

Advertising Standards comes to mind - this is quite common practise in certain free ad online 'magazines' - they even lift photographs of properties that they have never been instructed on and advertise - then call the owner posing as a prospective tenant and send along a complete stranger who thinks that they are viewing a property marketed by that agency (payment is by the applicant giving a 'finders fee' to the agency for the address), or say 'that's gone .... but we do have .....'

I can't see any mileage in you taking legal action though with the expense incurred.

Sue P

12:13 PM, 23rd May 2016, About 8 years ago

I had a similar situation where an agent continued to advertise a couple of my properties when they were let (some by them, some by another agent)
I asked them to take the adverts down as it was making the tenants uncomfortable.
I had to ask them a few times before they complied.
In your case as they were successful then they will surely want to keep you happy so that you let through them again.
I suggest you just ask them politely - don't mention any legal action - if they value your custom they will do as you reasonably ask.

12:18 PM, 23rd May 2016, About 8 years ago

Agents are not allowed to advertise properties they know are not available.

Start off nicely - call them, politely point out that they've mistakenly advertised your properties and ask them to remove the offending adverts.

If they don't do that after you've made them aware of their "mistake" threaten to report them to Trading Standards.

Abhi Bhasin

12:24 PM, 23rd May 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Neil Patterson" at "23/05/2016 - 11:35":

Cheers Neil; I don't about which scheme they belong too but I have initiated the process by calling up citizen advice bureau.

Abhi Bhasin

12:28 PM, 23rd May 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Mark Lynham" at "23/05/2016 - 12:11":

Thanks Mark- much appreciated! However I strongly feel about the issues I highlighted above. If I call the agents they would probably remove the ads. However, I doubt if they will stop doing this in future. As a responsible landlord I feel I should report this as the practice is wrong. And in the end its landlords like us who get a bad name in terms of key stakeholders who are responsible for speculating market?

Abhi Bhasin

12:29 PM, 23rd May 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Sue P" at "23/05/2016 - 12:13":

Exactly S the point I made to Mark. These are rogues agents and won't learn their lessons unless they are reported. Many thanks for your comment though.

Abhi Bhasin

12:31 PM, 23rd May 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Steve From Leicester" at "23/05/2016 - 12:18":

Cheers Steve! Please see my views above (i.e. reply to Mark)!

Cameron David

12:37 PM, 23rd May 2016, About 8 years ago

I really don't get what it is with the almost hatred of agents on this site ? They have been successful in renting out your properties and have found you Tenants that you are presumably happy with. As I see it, as long as the showcases on their website say "Let By" and not "To Let", then they are perfectly within their rights to show the sort of property that they have, and can rent, and the rents that are achievable, in order them to attract other Landlords. And you want to take out legal action against them ..... ?? Unbelievable. Try getting on with your agents, communicating with them and if you resent them having a photo of your property (which they have let) on their website, then surely a simple phone call would suffice. So much resentment against agents from "greedy" Landlords who think it is their divine right to achieve the maximum income, yet treat agents with contempt for trying to earn a living.

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