Cheeky estate agents plumb new depths!

[The Clown of Pevensey Bay]

I've just had an email (with 500kb of photos attached) from the estate agent who organised the flat I moved into nine months ago. Is it just me, or is this laughably rude?


Hello xxxxx,

Hope you are doing well, sorry to bother you it's just the quick one, I'd like to ask you for a favour. I have many lovely two bedroom flats on market, I know you are working for a big company so maybe someone is looking for a flat. I have lovely two double bed flat 3 minutes from xxxxx tube station (xxxxx Lane), with Garden for £300 a week available now, Another one is at xxxx Gardens £300 a week brand new, I have a couple of one beds, and couple of three beds.

Please see photos attached, if someone is interested show them the photos. Looking forward to your response.

Thanks mate,

Lettings Consultant
> xxxxxx xxxxxxx



Needless to say I have replied:

Dear xxxxxx,

You are an estate agent. I am your client. Isn't it your job to find tenants for the properties you're advertising? That is, after all, why I paid YOU hundreds of pounds in arrangement fees. Not the other way round.

Congratulations, though, on sending what must be the cheekiest email I've received all year!

Regards
xxxxx

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

Er, isn't he or she doing their job? Rather than wait for someone to walk in off the street to ask if there is anything suitable he or she is actively looking for a potential tenant.

And as you rented a flat from them, and assuming you are happy with it, there's a reasonable possibility that you might know someone else looking for a flat.

Or have I got the wrong end of the stick here?

 

[Billy the Fish]

Er, isn't he or she doing their job? Rather than wait for someone to walk in off the street to ask if there is anything suitable he or she is actively looking for a potential tenant.

And as you rented a flat from them, and assuming you are happy with it, there's a reasonable possibility that you might know someone else looking for a flat.

Or have I got the wrong end of the stick here?

You could look at it like that. Personally I think it's taking the piss, it's no different to spamming people.

 

[The Clown of Pevensey Bay]

Er, isn't he or she doing their job? Rather than wait for someone to walk in off the street to ask if there is anything suitable he or she is actively looking for a potential tenant.

And as you rented a flat from them, and assuming you are happy with it, there's a reasonable possibility that you might know someone else looking for a flat.

Or have I got the wrong end of the stick here?

He's not asking if I would like a new flat, though. He's asking me if I can advertise his properties among my colleagues. For no money.

 

[maffew]

it is most cheeky. Fair play for trying though. That email probably went to loads of people all who are "mate" until they need something fixing in their flats

Good response, though you should have included that your were sending them an invoice for £40 for each email/letter you need to send to them regarding this matter, starting with this one

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

I admire someone that can look outside the box to drum up business, unfortunately in my job I am shackled with lots of rules that shackle advertising and enterprise but I am impressed with the lettings agent

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Some agencies normally dress it up with a 'cashback prize' or something similar, if you manage to refer a friend/associate that les through their agency. I don't think you should be approached directly though.

 

[NMH]

Ask if there's any commission in it for you.

 

[bristolseagull]

Can we see the pics of the 2 bed place? im looking for somewhere 3 minutes from xxxxx tube station, ideally on xxxxxx lane,

many thanks

 

[Badger]

Recruitment consultants do that sort of thing all the time. They send you a job description that you will clearly will have no interest in and then ask you to pass it on to anyone that might be interested

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

nothing wrong with a bit of enterprise

 

[tedebear]

That is indeed very cheeky! I'd have probably deleted it rather than replied though....

 

[Robbie G]

We keep getting leaflets which keep asking us whether we would like to sell our house as there is a great demand for housing in the area!

 

[Nibble]

The standard response to any letting agent asking a favour of you should be..GO f*** YOURSELF.

 

[The Clown of Pevensey Bay]

I copied the reply into the "contact us" address on the estate agent's website (it's one of the bigger ones in west London), and I've just had a call from the MD! He said the agent was probably trying to show some enterprise, but went about it the wrong way. And -- probably for the first time in his life, as he's an estate agent -- he APOLOGISED.



maffew - brilliant idea. Wish I'd thought of it, actually.

 

[Gully]

I keep getting flyers through the door from estate agents, saying about there being a demand for this type of property in this area and that if I am interested in selling it to give them a call...funny thing was getting one from the agent I bought the house from...less than a week after moving in.

 

[smudge]

Estate Agents, Letting Agents. Twats. the lot of them, end of.