Letting agency wants £30 for a reference!!

Baker89

I've been renting a property with my family since February this year and the tenancy is due to end in February next year.

Now the landlord has issued a section 21 notice to quit 4 days after the original tenancy agreement expires. If we have nowhere to go then obviously we can't leave as we are a family of 4 with 2 small children aged 2 and 4.

Anyway the landlord has now stated (to the agent) that he needs the property back as he has other plans for the property (that sounds like he doesn't intend on renting it out anymore doesn't it?) but when we rented the property we were reliably informed by the agency the landlord was looking for long term tenants which is why we signed up to a 12 month tenancy agreement.

Which is the reason I'm posting the below for advice.

I've been in touch with the agency we rent through and requested they forward a reference to me and they've said they can't provide a reference unless we pay them £30, this being in the email I received,

If a reference request is sent to ourselves, we ask for your signed authorisation to release this information to the third party requesting the information.

If you agree, we would then ask for a £30.00 fee from yourself.

We would send your authorisation and the reference request to our legal team who would answer the enquiries requested.

What the hell? Is this standard practice? I know they don't even need to provide a reference but I'm also sure they know if we don't provide any future landlord/agent with a reference then the chances of renting are slim to none. I know we have a choice to pay for the reference but why should we or anyone have to pay £30 for a reference!

And in an E-Mail received in June of this year it said,

We are aware that rent is paid on time and all matters relating to the property are reported in a timely manner and this will be reflected in any reference request we receive.

No mention of the £30 fee though!

So what should I do if we look at another property, re: referencing? Because when we moved into this property our landlord previously provided a reference to the agency involved and didn't charge them £30 for the priviledge..

I look forward to some constructive advice. As would any other agency even rent to us without a reference? Because on principal we wouldn't pay £30 for a reference, the fees this agency charge are shocking!

BitterAndTwisted

Yes, it's standard practice. Letting agents do nothing for anyone without there being a fee attached to it. It's in your interests to acquire that reference, so pay it if you want to move. If not, don't.

Baker89

Well that's bang out of order, if our previous landlord asked for £30 in order to provide them with a reference do you think they'd have paid it?

Also I want them to provide ME with the reference as I don't trust what they'll put in it! We have been exemplary tenants, but I can tell from previous communication between us (and the fact many repairs have taken much longer than they ever should have done) hence why they've received many a reminder to do said repairs, that they may be BitterAndTwisted and give us a poor reference due to making sure repairs got done.

Couldn't I just refer the new agency/landlord to an email received in June this year which clearly states rent is paid on time and all repairs are reported in a timely manner. That in a way is a reference right?

Anyone else any thoughts? Apart from if you want to move pay it, if not don't.

It's not a case of if we want to move anyway, it's a case of having no choice!

BitterAndTwisted

Look at it this way: a sensible new landlord or their agent may not be interested in a reference from your current landlord. They could furnish you with a glowing one just to get shot of a really bad tenant.

Be as indignant as you like but you are the one who is faced with having to look for a new home. In the great scheme of things thirty quid is neither here nor there, is it?

hoffage123

Hiya,

You could try negotiating with them ... maybe offer them £15-£20? I agree, a fee for a reference is silly, but agencies are notorious for charging fees for absolutely everything they can think of.

BitterAndTwisted

Baker89 wrote: »

If our previous landlord asked for £30 in order to provide them with a reference do you think they'd have paid it?

No, they wouldn't have paid it, you would have.

I understand your indignation about the circumstances of your eviction and do understand your anger about how you feel you have been treated but they have you over a barrel if you want the reference. Your only recourse is to employ some friendly persuasion to get them to reduce the fee.

Now, if you want some help to delay your eviction until you have secured your onward move, you are welcome to it if you need it.....

Baker89

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Look at it this way: a sensible new landlord or their agent may not be interested in a reference from your current landlord. They could furnish you with a glowing one just to get shot of a really bad tenant.

Sorry I'm a little confused by your post.

You say a new landlord or agent may not be interested in a reference from our current landlord but you said they could furnish you with a glowing reference to get shot of a really bad tenant.

With respect, which is it? If our potential new landlord/agent may not be interested in a reference then 'they' wouldn't furnish us with a glowing reference would they as we aren't tenants of theres yet.

You must admit your post doesn't make much sense. I'm not being funny I'm just stating a fact.

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Be as indignant as you like but you are the one who is faced with having to look for a new home. In the great scheme of things thirty quid is neither here nor there, is it?

Faced with looking for a new home due to the lies we were told when we took this tenancy, we were told the landlord wanted long term tenants, clearly that was a lie! They knew we wanted security and lied to us just to get a tenant!

And in your great scheme of things thirty quid might not be here nor there, but with respect it is when it comes to us as it's not a small amount! And come on £30 for a reference! It's daylight robbery! I may as well leave my house unlocked, tell thieves I'm going out and tell them to help themselves..

Baker89

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

No, they wouldn't have paid it, you would have.

With respect I wouldn't have.

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

I understand your indignation about the circumstances of your eviction and do understand your anger about how you feel you have been treated but they have you over a barrel if you want the reference. Your only recourse is to employ some friendly persuasion to get them to reduce the fee.

Now, if you want some help to delay your eviction until you have secured your onward move, you are welcome to it if you need it.....

How would I go about persuading them in a friendly manner?? And yes I am frustrated (so don't take my posts as personal to you) I'm just extremely disgusted at the tactics employed by the agency in question.

I would appreciate some help to delay the imminent eviction if you feel you can please provide it?

G_M

Try the landlord. Ring him and have a chat.

He wants you out. If you have trouble getting a new place, obviously you won't be leaving in Feb so he'll then have the time, cost and hastle of going to court. Much better for everyone if you get a new place organised and move out.

So ask the landlord to provide a reference. Most will not charge. In fact he might be shocked to hear his agent is charging you and making your onward move more difficult.

G_M

1) which country?
2) how many tenants?
3) HMO?
4) what tenancy agreement? Fixed Term dates?
5) deposit paid?
6) deposit registered?
7) Notice given? How long? How given? When?

BitterAndTwisted

What I meant (and probably didn't express very well, so apologies) is that any new prospective landlord, if they are sensible and cautious, wanted to be certain that your current landlord/agent isn't giving you a glowing reference because you are a troublesome tenant that they are glad to see the back of, they wouldn't take at face-value any reference they furnish. A sensible landlord would want to take up a reference from the landlord of the property you occupied before this one.

However, not all landlords are sensible and cautious.