Beware of No Deposit rental offers from Estate Agents A salutary tale The agent lets the flat for two years with no cash deposit but an insurance policy. They sell the landlord the insurance policy The agent makes a commission The tenant skips out after the first month saying “Here’s the keys, sue me” ( I kid you not) The agent says - you should have paid us to manage the flat. The agent says- you owe us two years commission The agent says - pay me an extra 5% now and we will sort this out (I kid you not) In the interim there is a cancer issue but let’s not even go there when the agent says- “You should have told me about that beforehand“ ( I kid you not) The landlord is left to make a claim You submit the claim and the tenant goes online to “negotiate “ They offer a lower amount You submit evidence showing the reason they left was because the road was too noisy (I kid you not) They make an offer of 20% less You submit further evidence and counter with the original amount. BUT THE INSURANCE COMPANY ALGORITHM WILL NOT LET THE LANDLORD GO ABOVE THE OFFER AMOUNT!! SERIOUSLY. UNBELIEVABLE. CASH IN THE BANK DEPOSIT ONLY FOLKS. PS: I let the flat to the most lovely people with cash up front proper deposits etc. PPS: three weeks after written confirmation of no further viewings etc, the agent goes to the flat UNANNOUNCED for a viewing, let’s themselves in with a key and then phones abs shouts at me for not telling him. No apology. Nothing. Beware Martyn Gerrard folks.