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Landlord Trouble
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SteveyLomas
Posts: 54 Forumite
I'd be most grateful for any advice anyone has for my pickle...
I'm in a joint tenancy with two friends on a flat. Our contract is 18 months long and has 10 months left to run. There is no break clause. I have been sent abroad by my employer and thus want to leave the flat. My housemates and I have found a replacement which we/they are happy with. I spoke to the landlord and they are happy for a new tenant as long as they pay the rent etc. The problem both myself and the new tenant are having is the agency which arranges the contracts etc. They just keep piling on the charges. Firstly there was a £378 reference fee. They have just informed us there is an additional £178 inventory fee and more recently, a £312 new contract fee. I feel the agents are making up the fees and there is nothing I can do about it. I'm not sure if I have any redress as my deposit is £950 (which I understand to be properly held by a 3rd party).
Does anyone out there believe I have any way of contesting these charges - they seem grossly out of proportion to the work involved. Any advice, even if just to tell me I'm stuffed, would be most appreciated.
Stevey
I'm in a joint tenancy with two friends on a flat. Our contract is 18 months long and has 10 months left to run. There is no break clause. I have been sent abroad by my employer and thus want to leave the flat. My housemates and I have found a replacement which we/they are happy with. I spoke to the landlord and they are happy for a new tenant as long as they pay the rent etc. The problem both myself and the new tenant are having is the agency which arranges the contracts etc. They just keep piling on the charges. Firstly there was a £378 reference fee. They have just informed us there is an additional £178 inventory fee and more recently, a £312 new contract fee. I feel the agents are making up the fees and there is nothing I can do about it. I'm not sure if I have any redress as my deposit is £950 (which I understand to be properly held by a 3rd party).
Does anyone out there believe I have any way of contesting these charges - they seem grossly out of proportion to the work involved. Any advice, even if just to tell me I'm stuffed, would be most appreciated.
Stevey
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Comments
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bumping up for you. I think someone must have an answer for you, this sounds like extortion to me!0
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Ab-so-lutely disgusting!!!
As far as I am concerned these trumped up costs are waaaay off the mark...! Doesn't help you I know, but these cheeky b*ggers are trying it on, and I am at a loss as to how to advise you.
I HATE to hear about this sort of thing going on..it happens too many times. All you are trying to do is the decent thing and not leave anyone in the lurch.
Come the glorious day, ALL LA agents will be taken to task over their extortionate fees..they rip LL's off as well whenever they can. (apologies if there are some good ones out there reading this...! )
Hopefully, someone can help you more than I just did..just wanted to let you know that I am appalled.
Good luck my friend...0 -
Sorry! not much advice, maybe you could write to the LL and bring this extortion to their notice, the LL will incur a bigger turnover of tenants because of this greed,{and empty periods} I personally would dump any EA fleecing my tenants like that.0
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PROFESSIONAL_LANDLORD wrote: »Sorry! not much advice, maybe you could write to the LL and bring this extortion to their notice, the LL will incur a bigger turnover of tenants because of this greed,{and empty periods} I personally would dump any EA fleecing my tenants like that.
Hear hear! :T ...I distrust most EA's and LA's as from my experiences of them, they rip off tenants and LL's alike as much as they can. (my pet hate?? Contract renewal fees...TOTALLY over the top...) we now do most of our lettings ourselves.0 -
I agree with Professional LLd - contact your LL direct and show him a copy of the charges. Many LLs seem not to know the huges amounts for which their own tenants get fleeced. If you and your friends have been good tenants, then I'm pretty sure the LL would do what he could to make sure that your friends stay on, rather than facing the uncertainty of totally new tenants and/or a possible void period.
Maybe we should start naming all these Agents who charge such outrageous amounts for doing so little.As I've said before, I believe that these costs should actually be borne as a business expense by the LLs, and then offset for tax purposes.0 -
Sounds to me as though the LA is just getting money for old rope :mad:
Your deposit will be ok as it should be protected by the tenancy deposit scheme, if it isn't then that is a bonus for you!0 -
Hi Stevey Lomas
Points to consider:- talking to the council's trading standards officer
- talking to the CAB
- asking for the agent's complaints procedure
- if the agents are members of a professional body checking out with them
- asking the landlord whether he/she considers the charges reasonable.
Takoo0 -
Try your local Council as well. In Birmingham they have a private tenancy office who advise private tenants of their rights.Find out who you are and do that on purpose (thanks to Owain Wyn Jones quoting Dolly Parton)0
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I feel for you but your title is headed wrongly.
It does not seem to be that the landlord is giving you troble but the Letting Agent.:wall:
What we've got here is....... failure to communicate.
Some men you just can't reach.
:wall:0 -
Thats disgusting , just out of interest can you remember how much you paid when you moved in.
It seems that LA are getting more and more greedy all the time.
£378 for references have a look here http://www.rentchecks.com/index.asp £22.50 for their comprhensive search, so thats a profit of £355
£178 inventory fee now that might be acceptable if I belived they were going to check the inventory adjust the present tennants deposits accordingly for damage and re write the inventory, but we all know that just aint going to happen.
Then £312 to rip up one contract add the names into a neww one and get everyone to sign .
they are clearly taking the pi55 and I would make this clear to them, as has been said elsewhere I would have aword with the landlord, or there is always another option depending upon how much everyone trusts the new guy.You could just stay on the tenancy get him to give you a decent portion of your deposit back and not bother with the LAs fees.
These circumstances are slightly different as it is you leaving but in my opinion some of these signing up fees should be borne by the landlord under a normal rental situation. You rent a place for £100pcm so you pay one month upfront then 6 weeks deposit and £900 in agency fees thats £3400 to move in deposit must be paid before moving in then at the end of your tenancy you have to wait 4-6 weeks to get your deposit back and so have to find it again to rent somewhere else.
There has to be a better way.0
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