Cyprus-Forum.com

[BenLex]

Our letting agent recently let our house to a fellow ex-pat - without checking references, bank details, employer or anything else. When we arrived for our summer visit we quickly discovered that NOTHING had been done since April - no rent received, nothing. The agent hadn't checked whether or not rent was paid, hadn't organised getting utilities into the name of the tenant, made no follow-up visit. The only thing they had done was to take their full 1 year commission out of 1 month's rent!
Now we are faced with enormous arrears, substantial damage to be made good, and are generally out-of-pocket by nearly £2,000. Yet the agent is still using the old contract and not insisting on references, clearing cheques before moving in or anything else.
The Cyprus lettings industry wants to get its act together and fast.

[EasyE]

Whats your next move?

[BenLex]

I've just now put it in the hands of lawyers. Got a few other angles I may try but prefer to keep them under wraps - but if they come off I'll post so that others can take note.
What the Cyprus letting agents need is (a) a reliable method of checking references; (b) a willingness to adopt some tougher conditions from UK contracts - even if it means less fast turnaround; (c) to be pro-active about making sure that rent payments are followed up; (b) to make inspection visits as a matter of course for the first 6 months.