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Agents Tenancy Fees
Fozzee
Posts: 21 Forumite
Hi
My girlfriend and I made an application for a tenancy last week. We had to pay £500 deposit + £345 fees (2 x £150 application plus 2x credit check fees). My girlfriend failed the credit check so we have been turned down. Now the agency are saying they still keep the £345. All they have done is make an application to checkmytenant which costs about £20 each. I feel totally ripped off, I passed the checks so surely my £150 application fee should be returned . Also we didn't sign anything with them so should we claim the full amount back minus the credit check fees?
I would be happy to pay around £50 for the checks but £172.50!!
My girlfriend and I made an application for a tenancy last week. We had to pay £500 deposit + £345 fees (2 x £150 application plus 2x credit check fees). My girlfriend failed the credit check so we have been turned down. Now the agency are saying they still keep the £345. All they have done is make an application to checkmytenant which costs about £20 each. I feel totally ripped off, I passed the checks so surely my £150 application fee should be returned . Also we didn't sign anything with them so should we claim the full amount back minus the credit check fees?
I would be happy to pay around £50 for the checks but £172.50!!
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Comments
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I think unfortunately as you have handed over the money you have agreed to their terms. It is standard for agents to charge ridiculous amounts. They do state that should the check fail you will not be refunded the fees. But you should get your deposit. We had to pay a fee and got a receipt of this fee and we were told at them time it was non refundable. However failure for a credit check isnt the end of things. You can then get them to apply to your bank for a bank reference. Also a work reference. We were told this by our EA at the time of going through checks. The checks are very basic though and apparently very few fail so unless there is something huge your gf failed to declare?! Do you not earn enough to put the application soley through you?0
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They are totally outrageous and disproportionate to what you get for your money ... but they all have you by the knackers as there is no one central spot where all properties are advertised and if time's limited or the geographical area is limited it can be impossible to track down and view every one available easily....
If you had to move out every 6 months, it would really add up... not to mention having to perpetually have a full deposit saved ready for the next one - add in any deductions made from the deposit and renting can be a right pain in the ....0 -
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PasturesNew wrote: »Most won't accept that because two people will be living there.
I guess it differs from EA to EA as we asked questions about every possible scenario. We were told if one didnt pass for whatever reason - it wouldnt be the end - they'd get bank references etc and basically if one salary met the criteria for the rent then as long as they had all the other references (work, bank, personal, current landlord) then they would push it through.
Think it boils down to how badly they want your money or how many other people they have wanting the same house.
Though all the estate agents we saw fees ranged from £85 - £200 pp and others £100 - £250 per couple. They then charge the LL as well to check the tenants. Yet you don't have much of a choice if you find a house you really want. :rolleyes:0 -
PasturesNew wrote: »Most won't accept that because two people will be living there.
I don't earn enough on my own.
She's just gone back in to get our deposit and they won't even pay that!!
We haven't signed anything with them to agree to these terms and the email they sent us was after we had parted with the money in the estate agents.
We were told in the shop we would get our deposit back if we failed the checks. They have ripped us off for £845 for basically performing a credit check!!
Please advise on what action we can take next...0 -
You can't per se "fail" a credit check it's a judgement on the information revealed.Do you know what was so damning to prevent you renting?I don't earn enough on my own.
She's just gone back in to get our deposit and they won't even pay that!!
We haven't signed anything with them to agree to these terms and the email they sent us was after we had parted with the money in the estate agents.
We were told in the shop we would get our deposit back if we failed the checks. They have ripped us off for £845 for basically performing a credit check!!
Please advise on what action we can take next...0 -
Was this a holding deposit or rental deposit?I don't earn enough on my own.
She's just gone back in to get our deposit and they won't even pay that!!
We haven't signed anything with them to agree to these terms and the email they sent us was after we had parted with the money in the estate agents.
We were told in the shop we would get our deposit back if we failed the checks. They have ripped us off for £845 for basically performing a credit check!!
Please advise on what action we can take next...0 -
barnaby-bear wrote: »Was this a holding deposit or rental deposit?
We paid £345 fees plus a holding deposit of £500. They won't give us the holding deposit back. (We signed nothing)0 -
barnaby-bear wrote: »You can't per se "fail" a credit check it's a judgement on the information revealed.Do you know what was so damning to prevent you renting?
Semantics! We had good work and present landlord references but unfortunately my partner has a CCJ so they failed her. They said we needed a guarantor which we don't have.0
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