£100 Credit Check!!!

Tiddlywinks

jimjames wrote: »

I guess its normal via an agent. The checks I use are between £15 and £30 depending on the level of check. Another service is £60 so much more reasonable numbers that some LA are charging.

The price will vary depending on the level of the check - some are more comprehensive than others.

For most LAs it's not just a simple credit agency check - they will ask for references (previous landlord, employer and, sometimes, one other) and require photo ID to avoid identity scams. Plus check bank statements and utility bills.

Some landlord insurance policies can be linked to these checks and be compulsory in obtaining cover.

Also LAs do have to make a profit otherwise why be in business?

poppasmurf_bewdley

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

Oh get a grip - and this is from someone with 3 generations of family and personal experience in uniformed service in peace and war - none of us have ever expected 'special' treatment, just equal treatment.

Yes, he may have seen some hairy stuff BUT so have an awful lot of others. Your son signed up to be a soldier and will be proud of his time but I bet he doesn't see himself as special (if he does then he was in the wrong job to start with!).

Your son is now a civvie and will be treated just the same as anyone else - he will have had access to a wealth of resettlement services that would have explained all this stuff to him. As a recent leaver he will still have access to those services - better to point him to the reasonable professionals so that he gets a decent answer not your rantings.

He needs to pay the fees or find somewhere cheaper - you trying to play the 'hero card' on his behalf is, frankly, insulting to everyone.

The one thing all uniforms need to come to terms with is that one day they will return to being a civvie.

Kindly point out where I have demanded 'special treatment' for my son, or expected it?

I said nothing in my post except MY opinions of estate agents who rip people off. You didn't even read my post correctly as you seem to think he had already left the services whereas I said he was 'soon to leave'. And I did not play 'the hero card' by pointing out that the money he would have to pay to the EA would come from his bonus for serving in Afghan.

For your information, my son and his girlfriend have decided to tell the Estate Agent to stick their charges where the sun doesn't shine - and I am pleased that they have.

david29dpo

Good for you! And i would tell the LL if you can.
I am sorry to say thought that you sons occupation is a little irrelevant to the story.

vectistim

To some extent this is a funding of letting agents issue. As more agents enter the lettings market they compete with each other for landlords by reducing fees to landlords, they will then seek to recoup this lost income by charging tenants instead.

eg: Lets say you as an agent let out a property at £600 and the tenant stayed for 18 months.
You charge 10% - that gives you £60 per month x 18 total £1,080

Lets now say you struggle to obtain business charging landlords 10%.
So you reduce it to 8% that gives you £48 per month x 18 total £864.
This makes the landlord happy and allows you to secure the business but your income from that piece of business is reduced by £216.
You can then catch back up by charging the tenant more for referencing (and charging to renew the tenancy every six months)

ilovecheese

We just paid £420.00 in "fees" to rent a property.

I think it is a total rip off, but we wanted the house so we have to pay it. It is very difficult to find a privite LL.

They also charge £100 every time we renew the contract - again, if you cannot find a private LL then what choice to you have?

We are not in a position to buy, so we have to pay these "fees" if we want to live in a house!

Okydoky25

That's cheap I've had to pay £200 each ( even tho I'm not on this one as I'm now a housewife so didn't see the point) and then £60 to extend after 6 months and then £60 yearly after that it's a rip off!

Tiddlywinks

poppasmurf_bewdley wrote: »

My son is coming out of the British Army soon, and he and his partner have been looking to rent a flat or house in this area.

They have been to view a property today. Rent is £475pm with a £500 deposit, both of which they were prepared for. However, they were also told by the Estate Agent that they want £100 each for a credit check.

When they told me, I exploded and said the Estate Agents were thieving bas**rds as it costs about a fiver to have this done. I know they have the money to pay but it really annoys me that my lad has just come back from Afghanistan and these creeps are trying to screw money out of him that he risked his life to earn while they sit in their warm little offices.

Is this normal? It's not something I've come across before. I said they should tell them to stuff the place and tell the Landlord he's lost a tenant because of the Agent's greed.

poppasmurf_bewdley wrote: »

Kindly point out where I have demanded 'special treatment' for my son, or expected it?

I said nothing in my post except MY opinions of estate agents who rip people off. You didn't even read my post correctly as you seem to think he had already left the services whereas I said he was 'soon to leave'. And I did not play 'the hero card' by pointing out that the money he would have to pay to the EA would come from his bonus for serving in Afghan.

Well, firstly, maybe the fact that you even mentioned that he was coming out of the army - is that really relevant to your query regarding LA fees? No - so why mention it? After all if he were just moving jobs with Tesco I bet you wouldn't have felt the need.

Secondly, you mentioned that the LAs were "trying to screw money out of him that he risked his life to earn while they sit in their warm little offices" - again, not really relevant to their fee structure.

Many people in many occupations have dangerous jobs - they still pay the going rates - that's part of life and the choices we make.... so, that's my issue with how you approached this subject.

Ex-forces / ex-police or ex-whatever = civvie.

gazfocus

I think that the problem is, your son may well have told the letting agents to stick their fees but 99% of letting agents have very similar fees so your son is going to find it difficult to avoid paying them. When I moved into my previous rental house, I had to pay £140 fee (just for myself). When I moved to where I am now, it was through the landlord direct so only had to pay £35 which I paid direct to the referencing company.

skintmumof2

The only way round it if they really like the house is to go direct to the landlord and do your own private credit checks. This does depend on if the house is agent managed by the agency or if the landlord is just paying them to find a suitable tenant. If its the latter then you and the landlord can do the checks yourself if he has no other interested tenants.
Thats why im glad i private rented...but then private renting is a pig with repairs etc at least with an agency you ring the agency and they sort it out.

jordanchaos

The rent and deposit sound unbelievably low! That said I live in one of the costliest city to wages in the UK. I hope he gets a nice place that he deserves for him and partner.