realestate agent problem

[tonton]

Hi All,

Firstly thanks for reading this.
We are a family relocate from Australia and we have some realestate agent problem and seeking for advise.

The story is we secured a condo in eastcoast 6 months ago with 2 years contract, it is a very new condo. But ever since we moved into this condo it have been a pain, it's air con break down twice due to condenssor outside and aircond itself inside need to be cleaned, the shower, bedrooms and kitchen's door handle are almost falling off, etc...

As you can imagine, we been calling our agent for a few times. Everytime my agent always tell me the landlord's agent is not recahable so cannot inform the landlord.

Finally, I had enough and sms my agent below "I understood you are busy due to your dad's sick but i have waited for two weeks, we have a few probelms and no one willing to help us, I wondering this is the service I paid for" After that he sms me a long msg telling how I salve him and bring so much trouble to him, the fee(1 month rent) I paid him was only ro secure the property. He is not recahable whenever I called his mobile now.

I know I am not being not very freindly in the sms but I have waited and lost my patient. I dont understand how I slave him? he didnt even come to our condo once after contract. We only talked on the phone or sms and everytime we will get some reason from him saying the landlord agent is not reachable. (We sleeped three weeks without aircon in singapore!!!)

Maybe I am being too dramatic about this but I am not really happy and I am really worry if something really bad happen I will get no help from anyone at all. He is the only contact I got, besides his mobile number I only have landlord email.(his office never know where he is)

I know I dont have much option in this but wish to hear some of your experienced advise. What I think I can do now is..

1. get handyman to fix those problems and sent email to inform landlord if those cost more than 100. And inform him if I get I get landlord reply to hope will pressure him.

2. get a lawer to process this

3. get my company's HR to have advise.

Very sorry for this been a long thread and mainly complains. I really wish I can get some good advise from you all expats and local friends in singapore.

Wish you had a good weekend and good evening.

[sq009]

Baseline: U got a lousy agent... My agent did a far better job.

Think you'll have to 'tahan' (tolerate) your current situation and hire the necessary people to do the job.

feel sorry 4 u buddy

[supari]

Rather than waiting for agent, get it fixed and deduct the amount from next month's rent. when the landlord or his agents comes give them the recipt for the fix.

[jpatokal]

Screw the agent. Your lease document should have the landlord's contact information -- get in touch with them directly.

[tonton]

Thanks so much for all your advise, we will try to fix and get it from lanlord if I can get hold of her, otherwise I will deduct from the rent.

I remember the agent sms me and saying Singapore is not a 3rd world country so I shouldnt slave him. I do not think singapore is 3rd world country at all, look all the buildings!! But he took 1 month rent from us and not providing any service that make me think this is because Singapore or just him. I rather believe the later one.

[muratkorman]

I think you blame agent unnecessarily. It is his responsibility to make the necessary arrangements for the contract and so on. After that the contract is legally binding you and the landlord. In most contracts, during the first month, you can claim and get fixed all the items which aren't working properly. After that you need to agree with the landlord before you take any action. Deduction from the rent could be a way, but before doing that make sure that you have tried all ways to communicate with her. In the contract there should be some address, contact no and so on. If not, your contract is not prepared well. Anyway, send an e-mail telling the summary of the problems and your efforts to reach. For Air-con, the maintenance is mainly on the person who rents rather than the landlord, but continuous problems show that your Air-con is not functioning well.

I hope you solve your problems soon.

[tonton]

When I was signing the contract, I tried to ask landlord's agent for landlord's contact. But they told me I should contact my agent first, it is not legal to contact them directly. My agent was there and also agreed on it. Now my agent is not reachable and I am confused by what they have told me. What agent should do after contact anyway? Their comission really only pay to secure the property?

[MblSH]

[quote="tonton"]What agent should do after contact anyway? Their comission really only pay to secure the property?[/quote]

AFAIK, yes, unless they are on your company payroll. However, I've heard a lot of times that agents aren't giving out landlord's info and when contract's up they are trying to get the same comission again for extension of the contract

Max

[Jelly Bean]

Sorry, I want to hijack this thread by asking if we as a new tenant has the right to ask LL to show the recent aircon maintenance receipt(either done by the LL or previous tenant) before we sign the lease? Also how do we arrange the aircon maintenance service with the LL, e.g the frequency and cost?

Thanks in advance.

[muratkorman]

It is better to agree with LL on this issue on the contract. If Aircon maintenance is on your responsibility, you have to agree with the frequency of the maintenance. Giving an example from myself, my LL told me that I am responsible for the cost of Aircon maintenance and I agreed. He then told me that twice a year would be enough. I found a company which provides quarterly visits for a year contract. It depends on your level of communication with LL. He can agree with your conditions or you have to agree with his conditions and in some cases you meet somewhere in the middle.

[angel01]

Sadly and at the risk of over generalisation, there are alot of agents who promise you the world before signing the contract but disappears once they've collected the fee...
Sorry to say, most agents don't believe in after sales....

[tonton]

Hi Guys I am back!!

Thanks again for all the advice earlier and I am here to update my situation.

I emailed LL to inform the reapir, at the same time I also find a handyman who can come over right away as the door handle in kitchen and batheroom was almost faling on the ground.

Just after I done with the repair, I suprisely saw a email from LL saying her agent doesnt know we been contacting her for 5 weeks and she did not agree with the repair should be done with untrusted handyman.

In a way I am reliefed, I know I am not the only one who worried about this hourse. LL is worried as much as I do now. And it is all due to her agent and my agent.

The total repair only cost me 150 which is not much compare all the trouble I went through. But I still told LL that I will deduct from rent as it is not my responsibility that her agent is not doing anything. I wish she can believe I will never try to put her in a mean situation like this. It should be the agent.

Although I still have some problems. But I am not as worry as before, you guys helped me to go through the worst time.

Problem I can see now is ..

1. hope LL will aggree to deduct cost from rent however I am not giving her much choice.

2. She seems to be reasonable nice lady so I dont want to mess with our relationship.

3. Our agent still gets away but I really wish I can get a pay back time. Haha.. you can say I am not so generaous on this:)

Thanks so much again.