This would have to be the worst real estate agents I have ever dealt with and Ive had some shocking ones in the past.

In June 2013 our family found a great house in Carlingford to rent. We were approved and we moved in. We only had a few days of freedom in the house before someone from the agency called my husband up to inform him that the owner was selling the property. The guy that called claimed he didn't realise we had just moved in. (so either he was lying or they really don't care at all as if they had taken the time to look at the file they would have realised this and been more sensitive when they called).

We got a letter about a week after that phone call confirming that they are under orders to sell and that we may have people coming through the house to look at it.

Weeks went by and we had not heard anything and no-one had come to see the house other than our neighbour (just curious) who was renting next door. They finally let us know the house had been sold. As nobody had come to look at the place we stupidly assumed that it must have been sold to an investor. It was then several more weeks before we got a knock on the door by our neighbour to let us know that they had in fact purchased to house and that we had until our lease runs out to find a new place (our lease was only 6 months and ended on 20th december).

We had not received any correspondence from the real estate, however our neighbours (the new owners) had told us they were not going to have DF Johnson manage the property as they were not happy with them funnily enough. It took me several calls/emails before they finally sent a letter confirming they would no longer be the managing agent.

The previous owner had stored their piano at the property so they got in contact with us to pick it up. When this happened we got confirmation that they had already told DF Johnson to sell the property a few weeks before we moved in so they were actually lying to us about it being a snap decision by the owner as we suspected but had no evidence.
I then decided to take the matter to the tribunal to get some compensation as moving is a huge cost and they flat out lied to us. The day before the tribunal they called us to try and make an offer outside the tribunal, we declined as it was less than what we asked for. On the day they called me again to offer what we asked however I said I wanted to go to the tribunal anyway as I didn't trust them at all to give the money.

We got $1000 compensation which doesn't exactly cover moving costs but it's better than nothing.

Weeks later when it came closer to us moving AGAIN. I wondered what happened to our bond, of course it hadn't been transferred so yet again they didn't do the right thing and I had to chase that up.

During this whole time not one of them actually said sorry or acknowledged the stress they put my family under having to move twice in 6 months, they are heartless and unprofessional. I honestly have no idea how they manage to stay in business!

AVOID ever having anything to do with this agency as they will mess you around in some way, they did it to the previous owners, the tenants (us and previous) and the new owners.
Worst Real Estate ever!

Approximate cost: $EXPENSIVE