Brooklyn Estate Agency
Is this ethical behaviour?

My daughter and two friends rented a house through this agency. All the pre agreements were for a 6-month term - up to 31st December 2013. They were burgled while on holiday 24th December and gave notice to leave end January 2014. They were informed the contract was 18 months and they were liable to pay until end December 2014. They had never been issued a copy of the contract and clearly didn't realise it was 2014 not 2013. The owner of the agency agreed an 18 mnth term was unusual and gave them the benefit of the doubt.
Next day a woman from the agency phoned to inform them they were in breach of contract and should have vacated the premises 31st December and must leave immediately and would lose their deposit. They are now out. Today they were informed that if they do not pay for January they will all be blacklisted.
Surely this is grossly unfair practice? They requested a month's notice and of course were liable for payment thereof but should then have been allowed until the end of January to move out AND have their deposit refunded. Blacklisting for this is totally unfair and unethical practice for an estate agency. Don't they have a board of ethics? Consumer protection?

Company: Brooklyn Estate Agency
Country: South Africa
City: Pretoria

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