First Time Rent Want to change property I have agreed to rent but have problems

OxfordNC

I have a second viewing on a bungalow tomorrow which i have told the estate agent that i want to rent and i have passed all the stuff like credit checks. It needs a fair bit of work doing to it. Yesterday i saw another property for rent for the same price per month. Its also with the same estate agents who are dealing with the bungalow so today i asked them if i could look at this 2nd property (as it seems to be in far better condition). The agents told me that if i have this 2nd property instead of the bungalow i will have to pay for another credit check (£230) even though they have already done one on me and that i would also have to pay £100 + VAT for them to put the bungalow back on the market to let.I have not signed any forms or agreements so did not expect that i would have to pay any additional fees especially as the estate agent is the same.

Why cant i just have the 2nd property with no additional fees? It doesnt seem right to me as i am sure that if i was buying it i could pull out of the bungalow if i saw something better and not be charged anything!

Can anyone help?

Thanks

moneysaver12

OxfordNC wrote: »

I have a second viewing on a bungalow tomorrow which i have told the estate agent that i want to rent and i have passed all the stuff like credit checks. It needs a fair bit of work doing to it. Yesterday i saw another property for rent for the same price per month. Its also with the same estate agents who are dealing with the bungalow so today i asked them if i could look at this 2nd property (as it seems to be in far better condition). The agents told me that if i have this 2nd property instead of the bungalow i will have to pay for another credit check (£230) even though they have already done one on me and that i would also have to pay £100 + VAT for them to put the bungalow back on the market to let.I have not signed any forms or agreements so did not expect that i would have to pay any additional fees especially as the estate agent is the same.

Why cant i just have the 2nd property with no additional fees? It doesnt seem right to me as i am sure that if i was buying it i could pull out of the bungalow if i saw something better and not be charged anything!

Can anyone help?

Thanks

It shouldn't have costed you 230 for the credit check, the estate agent i rent through charged me 25.00. They have done one credit check already so they shouldn't do another one, only time they really would need to do another one is if you rented a property off them and a couple of years down the line you decided you wanted to rent a different property throught them. They shouldn't be charging you 100 to put it back on the market.

duchy

I'd tell them you are now only interested in the second property-if that is the case-but if they add on unreasonable charges you'll be taking neither. Legally I have no idea if they can do this but I wouldn't give them my business if they pulled this stunt on me and refused to back down. If they did the credit check then it makes no sense -sounds like they are just after extra fees .....and anyway in these times no-one needs too many credit check enquiries showing up against them. This is assuming you haven't yet signed a contract with them for the first property of course.
Do they belong to any of the Estate agent associations and follow their codes of conduct-might be worth following up with them if they do to find out if this breaches the code of practice.

OxfordNC

Thanks for your quick reply. So i am ok to stand my ground, ask them to show me the 2nd property and not pay for another credit check or the fee for putting the bungalow back on the market?

moneysaver12

OxfordNC wrote: »

Thanks for your quick reply. So i am ok to stand my ground, ask them to show me the 2nd property and not pay for another credit check or the fee for putting the bungalow back on the market?

I think that you should stand your ground and don't pay for a credit check or fee, i think that they are trying it on.

OxfordNC

I have not signed any forms so cannot see that i should be charged anything. The agents are Homepoint and i cannot see anything on their website about if they belong to the estate agent assocation. As i have paid for a credit check i would rather stay with them and get the 2nd house.

pinkshoes

I would be telling them that you either want a HUGE reduction for the first bungalow, or to see the second property.

Their fee for credit check is extortionate!! If you get a quote for a mortgage they do it free for you there and then, so £230 is a rip off, and if they won't use the same fee (why on earth would they need to credit check you again??? They already know you're sound!) then tell them you'll be contacting trading standards.