Yeah... In multiple properties I've found that direct communication with the landlord has been fine but then as soon as the agency gets involved, all of a sudden there are all sorts of disputes and I'll feeling on both sides. Also, my two absolute best experiences renting, have been renting directly from and dealing directly with the owner of the property. One of them bent over backwards to make the tenancy a good one! She even knocked £50 off a months rent because she had unplugged the freezer to do some painting in the utility room and forgot to plug it back in (we were out). The wasted food wasn't worth anything like that. I think she just felt awful about it
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Can you imagine the average rental agency? "We will be charged going YOU £50 extra because the defrosting freezer leaked and marked the floor."