Letting agents don’t always get much good press thanks to a reputation for hidden fees and rip off charges levied at tenants and landlords. Well in the case of a North London online letting agent, the accusations have been completely justified.
Disgruntled customer
Following a complaint from an aggrieved customer, the DSSCribs agency has been criticised by the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) for not making clear what the charges related to a premium rate contact number were on their website. The customer that made the complaint was interested in two properties listed on the agent’s website. She called the premium rate number to speak to an advisor, but was put on hold several times and despite the call lasting for half an hour, she was not given the information she rang up for.
Once a complaint had been received, the ASA investigated. They concluded that the lack of information about call charges was unacceptable and that the property listings on the website “…had not been substantiated and were misleading.”
Beware of dodgy letting agents
There have been numerous complaints about unregulated letting agents over the years and numerous landlords have ended up out of pocket and ripped off as a result of shady operators. To avoid being one of these unfortunate individuals, always read the small print when dealing with a letting agent. Not all agents are upfront about their fees and charges so make sure you know exactly what to expect before entering into a business arrangement with them. And if you need to call them, make sure you are fully aware of the call charges before dialling a premium rate number.
