Letting agent admin fee - Please help

brightgirl

Hi, I`m in a bit of a position now as I was supposed to receive the keys to new flat on 15th April but today received an email (see below)

I have been staying with my sister for past 10 years and now family has grown (partner and three kids). So searched and search, eventually found a 3 bedroom flat and paid deposit etc 2-3 weeks ago. I contacted HOMELET who advise me that they only pass on information to agent and will not discuss what the reason is with me. I contacted the letting agent who informed me they cant discuss the reason either but after persistence on the phone, they advised me that the "Sorry but you don`t meet the landlords criteria".

Now I have to waste more time looking for accommodation, have lost £120 admin fee and have no reason why?

All mobile phone bills, credit cards etc have always been on time without any late payments AND i`m on the voters roll too. I even put my accountant down as a referee.

I have been told they will return only my deposit and have lost £120 in admin fee, can they do this? It was paid by Visa Debit.

****Please help with any advise*****

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "KPM Residential"
> Date: 3 April 2012
> To: <???????@yahoo.com>
> Subject: Reference Outcome
>
> Hi ?????,
>
> It is with regret that having carried out a reference on yourself via our external company HOMELET and you have not been accepted as a tenant for the property at Flat ?????.
>
> Due to the Data Protection Act I am unable to disclose the reasoning behind this. If you require any more information please contact HOMELET.
>
> The Administration fee of £120 that you paid is non-refundable, however the deposit you paid of £525 can be returned to your bank account.
>
> We require an email to confirm which bank account you would like the deposit returned to stating your own sort code and account number.
>
> Thanks
>
>
>
> Kind regards

chappers

If they are trying to hide under the data protection then you could do a subject access request (SAR) on Homelet. there is a statutory fee of £10 but they must then disclose any thing they hold on file about you.

steve1980

Have you got anything adverse on your credit file or your partner?

The main cause of failing the check is the salary to rent ratio and/or affordability checks.

Admin fee will be non refundable as Homelet charge no matter what but the agent will know exactly why you've failed as the email/fax will have been sent through with the reasoning.

The Landlord bit is a load of rubbish though.

Good luck.

Edit: Just noticed the bit about your accountant. I'm assuming that ypu are self employed? Could be based on the accountants info he has passed through about your salary/profit etc.

Better_Days

Certainly make a subject access request under the DPA to Homelet to find out what the problem is. It is easy to make a SAR and you may find that there is an inaccuracy that needs to be corrected and which could cause further problems in the future. You will find a template letter here on the Information Commissioner's site
http://www.ico.gov.uk/for_the_public/personal_information/how_manage/access_info.aspx

Once you have made the SAR you may find that a simple error can be rectified and you can proceed with Homelet.

jjlandlord

brightgirl wrote: »

I have been told they will return only my deposit and have lost £120 in admin fee, can they do this?

I think it would depend on what this "admin fee" was for.
If they did perform the credit check, and it was not mentioned that they would refund it if the checks were unsatisfactory, they are entitled to keep the part of the fee covering credit checks.
So depending on the circumstances and how much you fight, you might get back back part of your £120.

chappers wrote: »

there is a statutory fee of £10 but they must then disclose any thing they hold on file about you.

By statutes they may charge up to £10.

Certainly OP may want to formally request the info just to check what the report contains.

> Due to the Data Protection Act I am unable to disclose the reasoning behind this.

That's rubbish.
But perhaps they don't even know the details and just relied on a 'score' mark supplied by homelet...

princeofpounds

Due to the Data Protection Act I am unable to disclose the reasoning behind this.

BS alert!

But perhaps they don't even know the details and just relied on a 'score' mark supplied by homelet...

Quite possible.

chappers

Also could have just been the LL just liking the sound of another tenant better

brightgirl

KPM Residential contacted me today by phone. They apologised and stated that they will return the admin fee.

Thanks for all your help people.

steve1980

brightgirl wrote: »

KPM Residential contacted me today by phone. They apologised and stated that they will return the admin fee.

Thanks for all your help people.

A bit wierd! Maybe they saw this thread!

brightgirl

steve1980 wrote: »

A bit wierd! Maybe they saw this thread!

Quite possible. If the tenancy was OK then admin fee might have been justified. Imagine estate agents collecting £120 everytime and declining tenants... If they had just one a week they could become thieves.