Renewal of Tenancy - Tenant Reply Form - Jeffries Admin Charge

abunchofletters

Hey guys and Girls,

Me and my flatmate's tenancy is going to expire in about 2 months and our Letting Agency, Jeffries, has sent us a letter asking us to inform them of our intention to stay, move or one of us stay.

Fair enough.

However, tacked at the bottom of the second page is this lovely paragraph:

An Administration fee of £34.50 (including vat) is due on return with this signed document. This can be paid by cheque, debit/credit card (3% charge for credit cards) or cash in the office.

I can't believe the cheek of this; £35 to open a letter, bring up our file and update an option...

Are we resigned to paying this or does someone have advice for avoiding it?

To make matters slightly more awkward, I'm fairly happy living here and am thinking about staying, but my flatmate is definitely moving out so I might need to get their help in securing a second tenant.

KeepYourChinUp_2

Yep Its really cheeky but if it is stated in your tenancy agreement I doubt you have much choice. I would make sure you get the replacement flatmate before signing/paying. They probably justify the fee by making you sign another tenancy agreement when really you dont have to but it does provide you and your LL with security for another however long your term is and to be honest that isnt really an expensive fee I have seen a lot worse.

Soot2006

Check your Tenancy Agreement ...

Lots of LA trying it on, adding charges not originally agreed to.

Planner

As your flat mate is intending to move out, you will need to sign a new agreement (we will put aside the fact that if its a joint tenancy your flat mate cant actually move out, without your agreement, until 1 month after the fixed term has expired - with correct notice).

I would suggest that £34.50 is relativley cheap for what is a new tenancy.

abunchofletters

The thing is, if me and a new flatmate stay, they'll charge another fee for registering a new tenancy agreement - it won't be as big as the one they hit us with on initially moving in, but still another charge of about £40.

So this admin charge is just another extra.

I'm gonna check the contract now...

barnaby-bear

abunchofletters wrote: »

The thing is, if me and a new flatmate stay, they'll charge another fee for registering a new tenancy agreement - it won't be as big as the one they hit us with on initially moving in, but still another charge of about £40.

So this admin charge is just another extra.

I'm gonna check the contract now...

Is there a new tenancy involved? By law a fixed term AST automatically turns into a periodic rolling tenancy without doing anything. One month notice from you, two months from LL - if you are planning to move or house mate is this lack of commitment might be useful. If they are trying to charge you to go on a rolling periodic without new paperwowrk it's taking the p&&&. REgistering a new tenancy and fee fair enough. Just for telling them you are staying stupid since if you do nothing you get the periodic for free by law.

Planner

barnaby-bear wrote: »

Just for telling them you are staying stupid since if you do nothing you get the periodic for free by law.

But not if there is going to be a change of tenants - Either a periodic tenancy will arise and the flat mate intending to leave must stay or the flat mate must leave at the end of the fixed term (with the O/P permssion) and a new tenancy is signed. You cant have it both ways.

claireac

Ours was £200! It's daylight robbery, but I didn't feel we had any choice.

I would happily pay £34.50!