Unallocated payment and lack of response

I have phoned in multiple times (each time with about 15 minute waits on the line when the queue timer on the phone says 4 minutes) and sent an online query, each time with assurances that my query would be resolved. This time the “system was down”, previously it wasn’t logged by the EAAB person I spoke to, then it was wait, then wait again. The online system was supposed to work, but after more than 3 business days the status is: Not Started. I have phoned again twice since then, and emailed through a complaint and an email confirming to proof of payment to a specific person at the EAAB.

I paid for our firm ffc in July, but it hasn’t apparently been allocated. It had the correct reference, so really should be a simple procedure on the EAAB’s part. The proof of payment has been sent through multiple times.

Who polices the EAAB?

My experience with the EAAB has been pathetic. Almost every year there is a problem with something (audits gone missing when they were submitted, etc.), and you can never speak to anyone that can resolve the issue and emails are ignored. There was also no resolution that we know of to a complaint that we made against a person that was trading as an estate agent without an ffc. We are paying a lot of money for a pathetic service.

So, my complaints are as follows; please respond to all:

1. When will our 2018 firm ffc be available? 2. Fix your phone system so that the waiting time is correct (it was wrong on 3 occasions, so is not a once off). 3. Fix your computer systems. 4. Non-response to phone and online queries. 5. Employees of EAAB not logging queries correctly. 6. System &/or employees not allocating funds received correctly. 7. Lack of response to complaints against agents trading without ffc’s. 8. Pathetic service delivery.

I will be surprised if I get a decent response; please surprise me.

Note that this email is written out of shear frustration, but is intended as a positive attempt to improve things at the EAAB (I can promise you there are 1000s of other agents out there complaining about the EAAB that don’t bother voicing their grievances with the EAAB).