Landlords & Agents charges for tenant credit check

mabinogion_2

Last year we rented a flat for our student daughter. The agent charged £75 for a credit check which seems extorionate. She moved out over the summer and now has to get another flat. I think we are going to have to fork out for a credit check once again. Ouch.

Has anyone ever tried to negotiate a cheaper rate on a credit check, or tried to persuade an agent to just take references from employers and previous rental agents? Its expensive enough to have a kid in university. I'm all for saving money where I can.:D
thanks
mab

Werdnal

Agents can basically charge what they like for the service they offer - I am sure some tenants do haggle, so try it, they can only say no!

Most agents I would have thought would already request references from employer/tutor etc, as well as checking credit. Character references are good, but don't tell you if someone has the financial where-with-all to pay the rent.

Do you have to arrange a property through an agent? There are good private LLs out there, who would only charge the going rate for the credit/ref checks and not put spurious admin fees on top.

Callie22

When I was at uni I rented a flat with my partner, via an agency. They waived the credit checks on us because my home-owning parents were willing to act as guarantors. It might be worth suggesting that, if that's something you're willing to do - although don't end up as a guarantor on a joint tenancy!

dawyldthing

i never paid any agency fees at all as i found the houses off google or off the local uni site as for example in Leeds theres a unipol site to find rooms available

mabinogion_2

Thanks all for the answers and insights. Wish we could have found a flat from gumtree or other private route, but it was not to be. Student flats in Glasgow get snapped up in hours and as much as I tried to haggle they were having none of it. There were five other viewings the same evening and I had to get in there first and stump what turned out to be £85 which broke down as a tenner for the credit check and the rest for admin. Those landlord agents are on to a good little earner.

cheers
mab

theartfullodger

Unlike in England some agent & Landlord charges are illegal in Scotland : Can you list the admin charges???

Eg checkin, checkout, late payment fees, tenancy renewal fees, inventory charges are all illegal.

Cheers!!

mabinogion_2

Belated thanks to theartfuldodger! The charity Shelter are providing a template via their website (hashtag on twitter #reclaimyourfees ) to help tenants in scotland reclaim these illegal fees. I am going to give it a try and see what happens.

Thanks again!

Heliflyguy

Just to add that on todays BBC website they cover a bit about agency fees with Savills director trying hard to justify them.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19544072