Agency property rental firstimer!

RiRi_3

Can anyone HELP me?
I am moving into a 1 bedroom flat unfurnished at £425 per month a bargain right? yea i thought so but this is with a 'reputable' agency and I am an agent virgin but at the moment am feeling well and trulyf*%"ed! Heres why.

1.I had to pay a £250 holding fee which I only get back if the landlord changes his/her mind. I couldn't even have a second viewing unless I put this down. This I was fore warned about by the .OK!
2.I have to pay 1 month rent in advance £425 Plus an additioonal £588 deposit seems fair enough!
3.I have to pay £330 admin fees (what adim costs that much really!) £80 of which is deducted from my holding fee, ok!
4.Before I sign the contract I have to sign to the agents insurance company an £8 a month contents fee which appears to pay for the landlords contents insurance as well! Huh why can't I get my own contents insurance (if I want it ) and why should i be paying for the LL's when I will have given them £588 deposit which is supposed to cover damage etc? was not told about this until after I put the holding fee down.
5. If I wish to extend my tenancy agreement after theagreed period I signed for i.e 6months I will need to pay £80 for the privilage of staying on. WHAT? wasn't told this!
6.Every 3 months I will be expected to be inconveinienced by someone making an appointment to spot check the flat and if I fail to reschedule within 24hours of the agreed time I will be charged £40. You are joking right! Agent failed to tell me this too!
7...And to top it all I can't choose my own utilities provider once again I have to use the agents buddies whom i have never evn heard of. You guessed it was not informed of this either.
So in order to have the luxury of my very own place because i do not earn enough to buy and fell secure with an agent rather than a private LL of which I have had bad experiences in the past I practically have to go for broke.

Is all of this for real,legal and where will i get, by contesting?
Please any advice is better than this.
Well and truly screwed! RiRi:(

jjlandlord

RiRi wrote: »

4.Before I sign the contract I have to sign to the agents insurance company an £8 a month contents fee which appears to pay for the landlords contents insurance as well!
...
7.And to top it all I can't choose my own utilities provider once again I have to use the agents buddies whom i have never evn heard of.

These 2 clauses are well-known unfair clauses that you can safely ignore.
If you have agreed to get contents insurance you're free to take the one you wish.
You are free to choose the utilities providers.

dancingfairy

Sadly most of it sounds about right
Presurising you not to have a second viewing is dodgy though- unfortunately it's probably a landlords market and if you didn't take it the next viewer would have
2 and 3 sound standard.
5) again sounds standard sadly - you either go onto a rolling tenancy at this point of pay their ridiculous fee to renew (or face a notice to quit - it depends on the letting agency and the landlord though).
6) Yes you will probably have to have regular inspections although every 3 months seems execessive and the charge seems excessive - I'd try and agree an alternative time and you can always negotiate on inspections although if they are feeling really mean you will be again served a notice to quit.
Sadly most of it is pretty standard - it is where we live anyway.
df

Mrs_Z

And not only that... the Letting Agent will also be charging the landlord handsomely (around 1 month's rent + vat I should think) for finding them a tenant and setting up the tenancy!

There are few on-line Lettings Agencies who advertise on behalf of private landlords (for example 'upad'). Next time, it might be worth looking if they have anything suitable in your area.

100rotor

I have to say in my view most ,maybe all ,letting agents are thieving scum :mad: ,I nearly had to pay six months in advance as I`m an ex pat plus deposit and plus a list of fee`s as long as your arm which added up to a cheque for 7k!!!

I was very lucky in the end as I had an A1 landlord reply to my wanted add for a house and we cut out all the B.S and fees , I paid 1 month deposit and 1 month up front no extra costs / fee`s , I would recommend any would be tenant place an add in the local press with your property requirements and screw the agents ,they do zero to help tenants.