Sargeants

Me and my partner made our offer for a flat and it had been accepted. We went through the referencing checks with rent4sure and our reports were both positive. The agent congratulated and promised to send the agreement by the end of the week. On Friday , just 1 week before to move in, instead of the agreement we received an extra request from the agency, in behalf of the landlord, to see 12 month worth of bank staments and 2 years of tax return! Despite me asking how the agency would handle this very sensitive information (sending it to the landlord via mail?) I didn't receive any explanation. The agent kept saying that it was just to know the tenants a bit better. We agreed to send 6 months bank statements, even if we found it very unfair, just because we both already handed our leave notice to the current landlords. The next Monday we discovered that the landlord (?) was not happy with us and wouldn't proceed with the agreement. We went from being ok for renting to be unsuitable 4 days before to move in. Luckly we have very good landlords and they accepted our notice leave withdrawal otherwise we would be homeless by now thanks to the agency! Traumatic experience, awful treatment.