Forum Topic

Estate Agents damaging walls - Dexters and KFH

Keep getting estate agents hammering in nails, screwing in bolts etc into my garden wall with for sale and to let signs. Dexters and KFH are the last lot. Wall is now riddled with holes and broken nails. What can be done to get them to repair the damage caused?

Russell Pearson ● 1599d19 Comments

Take a photo that proves it's them.Go and tell them it's criminal damage, see what they say.

Simon Pedley ● 1599d

Have done that before. Just get ignored.  Wondering if I can take a County Court against them. Happens a lot as one flat gets let regularly and every time a new sign gets hammered into the wall and the damage increases. Wall has so many nails and holes they keep moving along to a bit they’ve not damaged, yet.

Russell Pearson ● 1599d

Get an estimate for the work needed to repair the wall.  Tell the owner of the flat who rents it out the cost. If he/she refuses to pay then tell them you will issue proceedings. Make sure it is your wall. Or, just ask  the owner to tell Dexters and FKH not to put signs up. It could probably be done quite amicably.

Stewart Jones ● 1599d

2 flats and varies across the board. Other estate agents are even worse. Strange practice causing criminal damage to property, when their business is selling them.

Russell Pearson ● 1599d

Get in touch with the company they use to put the boards up. Maybe you’ll have better luck with them.  Also if you’re in a block, check your lease. Often estate agents boards are prohibited.

Maggie Dodge ● 1599d

And remove any new boards as soon as they go up.

Steve Taylor ● 1599d

I have a feeling any estate agent will pass you to the contractor who put them up and they will tell you they are contracted to put the board up and for you to claim on your insurance or whoever is responsible for the wall

Julian Pavey ● 1599d

Signs should go on their own supports, never heard of this before.

Janice Evans ● 1599d

And if a sign fell and injured someone who would be liable.

Janice Evans ● 1599d

But where does the support go (wooden post) if its just a brick wall ? Answer: Nailed into the wall

Julian Pavey ● 1598d

The agent is liable not their contractor !Having instructed Sign makers, as an agent, to erect marketing boards on commercial properties for some 25 years the responsibility and liability is with the agent, how would the Sign companies know what size, what type of board and where to affix the sign without the agent instructing them ? The legally binding contact is between the agent and the sign makers.

Loraine Pemberton ● 1598d

Not sure about commercial but all residential boards come attached to a post, the requested board gets attached at the location either by nail to anything or zip tie to another post if available. Its down to the person errecting the board as to where and how as long as it is the right location given Surely if you employ architects for your property project and they pay for scaffolders to come the scaffolders are liable for any damage caused, not the architects. That is why I'm sure it is who attaches the board who is liable and not the estate agents. That's why you should make sure scaffolders have insurance for future ref just incase.

Julian Pavey ● 1598d

First sign was tie wrapped. Then some idiot came back and put it back up drilling large bolts into the wall. The wall is now full of multiple holes and damage, all caused by estate agent signs. Dexters say they will address latest damage on Monday. Not holding my breath on that. And then I’m left with all the previous damage.

Russell Pearson ● 1598d

"Wondering if I can take a County Court against them."Online, cheap and easy.For such a relatively small invoice, these "large companies" will often settle on receiving the court letter ,as its not worth the time, effort and cost of their legal team, imho.The only issue would be proving which agent did which holes!?

Nick Jenkins ● 1598d

Indeed. I need to document and record.

Russell Pearson ● 1598d

"That is why I'm sure it is who attaches the board who is liable and not the estate agents."It's the agent who has the contract with their signage company, who issues the order with instructions of type of board, size, text on board, which clearly gives the Agents name and contact details. The agent is responsible.

Loraine Pemberton ● 1598d

Call them out on Twitter, Russell. Businesses don't like this sort of attention.

Gordon McDonald ● 1598d

The answer is simple.Anything and everything that goes wrong in any property sale or let is, without exception, down to the agent.All experienced agents accept this even when has nothing to do with them. It just makes things so much simpler for them and Joe Public.

Adrian Irving ● 1598d

I don't suppose any owner who is selling cares much do they?  They want the Agent to do their utmost to sell their property.  If its flats isn't there a Management Committee or Management Company who should be overseeing this with guidelines as to how and where Agents can advertise sales and place boards.

Philippa Bond ● 1597d