New renter - Help with fees!

Coroona

No, I gave my account details before seeing the contact or being told about renewal fees. This contract arrived on Friday along with the invoice for the £300. All I was told when giving my account details is that if I change my mind or fail the credit check I won't be given my money back.

lukecooper

I am astonished by fees too- I am about to go into a rented cottage with a friend, which we could only negotiate from £800 pcm to £750 pcm.
Our fees are as follows:

One months rent in advance: £750
One and a half months deposit: £1125
Tenancy agreement fee: £117.50
Inventory check in fee: £74.75
Tenant reference fee £47.00 each: £94.00

Sub Total: £2161.25
(Less £250 holding deposit)

Obviously the first months rent and the deposit are to be expected, but we hadn't really realised that we would have to fork out an extra £143 each!!!

MissMoneypenny

The "fees" seem to vary from letting agent to letting agent.

There were lots of letting agent in the area I wanted, so I emailed them all and asked for a breakdown of their fees to rent, including any hidden charges. There was a massive difference, even though some of them were trying to rent out the same houses! I only viewed the houses where the letting agent had the lowest charges. Then when I found some suitable houses, I asked the letting agents to email me a copy of their contract.

I paid:-
£30 for the credit check
1 months rent up front
Deposit was 1 months rent plus £150 (100 because of my dogs and 50 that the letting agent keeps until I move out as he has always done it - fine by me, he can't serve a Section21)

That was it.

Procrastinator333

I haven't read all of the thread so apologies if I repeat anything..

Most looks reasonable, but they can't charge you a fee in and out for check in (otherwise they get two sets of fees each time - one from you and the person leaving). Plus £143 is a !!!! take. Mine was £69 and that made me angry! You will probably have to accept one charge of £143, but get it in writing that you will only pay this once and keep your receipt!

If I had one piece of advice it would be to go over the place with a fine toothcomb when you move in. Photograph everything - 1000+ Photos. Seal them up and get the letting agent to sign and date across the seal of the envelope. Then post them back to yourself with Royal Mail special delivery. Keep that very safe. Then if they turn in to the usual thieving gits at the end of the tenancy you can take them to arbitration and you have 100% proof of the state of everything when you moved in.

Be there at the check in inventory too and spend the whole day there, get them to note down every blemish, scuff, spot of dust, dirty spot. They tried charging me for "dusty lightshades" even though we had gone over them with a hoover!


On a less important note regarding the contract renewal - Assuming you are a good tenant and have always pay your rent, when renewal comes up, tell them you are happy moving to a rolling tenancy (the contract doesn't really offer either party much extra anyway) and that no new contract is therefore needed. They can then only leave things as they are or serve notice to kick you out, but if you have paid your rent for 12 months, is your landlord go kick you out for not paying the letting agent a £50 fee? Unlikely.

Good Luck!

sooz

I read it as £143 for a 1/2 share of check in & check out, with the LL paying the other half. Still high though.

Next tenant needs both a check in & check out too - check out is normally cheaper as there is less work to do, but you still need it & can't use the next person's check in IFSWIM.