changing letting agent

[Liggy]

Hi, I engaged a letting agent 3 yrs ago to manage my property. We have been lucky enough to have the same tenants the whole time who have renewed their lease agreement via the agent on a yearly basis.  I am not happy with my current letting agent and wish for another estate agency to manage my property however although the tenants have to resign a lease at each renewal, there is no end date on my landlord agreement with the letting agency.  There is also a clause that if I wish to manage the property myself or engage a different agent I need to pay a penalty of 6mths of fees.  . Some of the concerns that I have with the current agent is: accepting a tenants own photos of a site induction because the tenant told the agent that the time wasn't convenient even though they had been given sufficient notice, failure to return phone calls even from the directors when I've escalated,  failure to provide detailed inspection reports when official photos clearly showed some damage to the property.  I no longer live in the UK and feel that the agent is being particularly lazy as they know I'm not local and can only manage from afar.  My question is, is it legal to have a landlord agreement with an estate (letting) agency with no end date.  Surely a contract can not be for indefinite period. The tenant's lease expires in just over two months and I would really like to take my business elsewhere to a more professional agent. Any advice would be much appreciated.

[Mortitia]

Yes it is perfectly legal.  What does the contract YOU signed say about ending it?  I assume the agent collects the rent and passes it onto you.

Google 'Foxtons case and result' and see if your circumstances fit.

The answer is in ending your contract.