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Letting agents rip off!
zkeithz
Posts: 30 Forumite
If you have been charged a fee to register as a prospective tenant with a letting agency - ask them for your money back!
My daughter, searching for her first flat, approached a number of letting agents and was advised by each one that she was required to pay a registration fee before they would register her or send her any particulars. Fees varied between £100 to £200.
Not only is this unethical and a conflict of interests, it is illegal!
Report them to their regulatory association, if they subscribe to one, or to your local trading standards department
The Accommodation Agencies Act of 1953 makes it a criminal offence for an agency to charge for registering a person's details and/or supplying addresses of places to rent.
This IS a scam, and is often disguised as an 'appointment making service' or similar, so beware. An agency can only demand payment from you if it has given you the details of accommodation which you then take - and only then after you have formally entered the tenancy. No matter how many agencies you register with - you are only liable to pay the one which supplies you with accommodation that you actually take.
Be aware that agents may charge for credit reference searching, administration involved in procuring references and other "legitimate" activities, such as drawing up agreements and inventories, even holding deposits, but not for registering you with them or supplying you with property information for your consideration.
I would be interested to know how widespread this practice is - anyone else out there been scammed?
Regards
Keith
My daughter, searching for her first flat, approached a number of letting agents and was advised by each one that she was required to pay a registration fee before they would register her or send her any particulars. Fees varied between £100 to £200.
Not only is this unethical and a conflict of interests, it is illegal!
Report them to their regulatory association, if they subscribe to one, or to your local trading standards department
The Accommodation Agencies Act of 1953 makes it a criminal offence for an agency to charge for registering a person's details and/or supplying addresses of places to rent.
This IS a scam, and is often disguised as an 'appointment making service' or similar, so beware. An agency can only demand payment from you if it has given you the details of accommodation which you then take - and only then after you have formally entered the tenancy. No matter how many agencies you register with - you are only liable to pay the one which supplies you with accommodation that you actually take.
Be aware that agents may charge for credit reference searching, administration involved in procuring references and other "legitimate" activities, such as drawing up agreements and inventories, even holding deposits, but not for registering you with them or supplying you with property information for your consideration.
I would be interested to know how widespread this practice is - anyone else out there been scammed?
Regards
Keith
0
Comments
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Report them to the NAEA/ARLA/RICS. They should belong to at least one if they have a client account. I work for a lettings agent and we wouldn't do this.0
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Presumably trading standards would be interested in this too."Mrs. Pench, you've won the car contest, would you like a triumph spitfire or 3000 in cash?" He smiled.
Mrs. Pench took the money. "What will you do with it all? Not that it's any of my business," he giggled.
"I think I'll become an alcoholic," said Betty.0 -
Quote: Not only is this unethical and a conflict of interests, it is illegal!
Report them to their regulatory association, if they subscribe to one, or to your local trading standards department
And of course there is the OEA (estate agents ombudsman scheme)
Keith0
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