How to rent without being ripped off

Tobster86

The rip-off I refer to is the £300+ fees that letting agents want for doing a £2 credit check and printing a couple of copies of a document.


Basically, the situation I'm in is thus:
Last year I got a new job near Malvern. Myself & my OH came down to look at a few properties. Disgusted by said agency rip-offs, we decided to go with a house let by an independent landlord we'd seen that wasn't our first choice but ticked most of our boxes.

A year and a half later we've concluded that the house has a really bad mould problem. I've told the landlord, but after discussing with a neighbour who reports that previous tenants have moved out for this reason, I seriously doubt the landlord will do anything to fully rectify the problem. It's a very illusive problem with no obvious signs of moisture ingress and I suspect will involve quite expensive renovation to fix, although I'm no expert.

So, coughing my lungs out with the worst chest infection I've ever had, I'm considering moving out.


Can anyone advise or report on how viable it is to haggle with agencies over the fees, and suggest what would be a reasonable amount to pay?

Alternatively, can anyone suggest the best means to find independent landlords?
Does anyone per chance happen to be letting a nice semi-rural house with good access to Malvern and want a responsible pair of young professionals as tenants?

PasturesNew

They've got you over a barrel mostly .... if you don't take a place, somebody else will - and their methods/systems make it difficult to view and get to the point where it could be yours.... and it's impossible to find out the truth about the fees etc before you commit....

I'm nearly £400 lighter this week..... credit check, admin fee, tenancy fee, inventory ..... it's endless.... just when you think you've got the hang of it they'll invent some new ones. Oh - and the Govt won't care.... all that lot's bl00dy VATable!!!

G_M

Although I take issue with

for doing a £2 credit check and printing a couple of copies of a document.

I agree with the general sentiment.

It's not usually a £2 simple equifax report, it's a tenancy credit check. The likes of ParagonAdvance, Letlink, Homelet etc charge £15 - £45 for these (depending on extent of the check eg with employer refs etc it costs more). And letting agents are running a business, so covering their own admin fees to obtain the check by ParagonAdvance etc, and their profit margin, is not unreasonable.

Where I agree with you is that £300 is way over the top, and too many agents really do take the micky!

Sadly, as Pastures says, you are over a barrel. You want the tenancy? You have to play (pay?) ball!

By all means negotiate, but much depends on the market and whether there are other potential tenants available.

Remember too, that though the landlord is losing rent each month the property is empty, so may happily negotiate in order to fill the property, the agent has little to lose if the property stays empty, so will be keener on getting the full £300 fees!

As a landlord, I either use an agent on a tenant-find basis (and credit-check tenants myself far more reasonably!), or advertise in local papers, or on the internal noticeboards of large local companies/office blocks.

theartfullodger

To avoid being ripped off, move tae bonnie Scotland. There all such fees are illegal...

see,,,

http://www.reclaimyourfees.com/

& have been since the Rent (Scotland) Act 1984...

Come on Engerland, keep up!!!

la_farfallina

I have signed the HM Government e petition calling for letting agent fees to be unlawful.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/37757

Farf

Tobster86

G_M, thanks for your post. Could you advise on how I should typically expect a landlord to react to a prospective tenant asking to do business privately, without the agency?

theartfullodger, I love Scotland and you've just tempted me even more (I moved from north to south, and now want to go as far north as possible!). It's my & OH's current long term plan to buy our first house up there but at this rate the move could be sooner.

la farfallina; signed and shared on Facebook, thanks.

G_M

Tobster86 wrote: »

G_M, thanks for your post. Could you advise on how I should typically expect a landlord to react to a prospective tenant asking to do business privately, without the agency?

There are two problems:
1) Although once you are a tenant (ie after you've been accepted) you have an absolute right in law to get your landlord's name AND address, until then the letting agent has no obligation to tell you who the LL is.

2) Landlords tend to fall into 3 camps:
a) those who find their own tenants and set up the tenancy themselves
b) those who delegate this job to an agent (because they are abroad/too busy/too ignorant etc)
c) those who ask an agent to find prospective tenants, and then make their own decision about which to let the property to

But once they've decided which approach to take, they are unlikely to switch.

If the agent won't put you in touch with the landlord (which they won't unless the LL has instructed them to), your only option is to pay £3 to the Land Registry, download the property Title document, and this will give you the owner's (landlord's) name and.... an address. Hopefully it will be his actual address, but often it will be the address of the rental property!

tbs624

OP - see here for info on the Inquiry in to the Private Rented Sector. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4255533

You'll see from the small poll on here that LA regulation and the topic of their fees come top of the list of concerns. Raise you concerns via your own MP and maybe consider responding to the consultation?

If you want to avoid LAs ( understandably) you could try going via the local LL association or contact the NLA/RLA/GRL to see if they have a list of local LL members - many of them will self-manage their properties. Try the local Council - some Councils hold lists of "accredited" local LLs. Try putting your own "property wanted" ads, stipulating "no agencies"

The majority of LLs who don't use LAs will still want to credit reference you but are more likely to charge you the actual costs of the third party checks rather than adding on a cut for themselves
( vary from circa 16 quid to 60 quid).

Ask if the LL is new to property letting and if the property is their own former home - some newbie LLs will do everything by the books others but haven't got a clue. (See the sticky up at the top regarding consent to let on residential mortgages)

Tobster86

Thanks for your replies again.

I have another couple of questions;
-Do you think there's any scope (to independent landlords or letting agencies) to supplying your own up to date credit record i.e. Experian etc?
-How would you (or an agency) view a default registered by Scottish power in a credit report which is currently under dispute with supporting correspondence paperwork?

Fire_Fox

Penetrating damp is not the cause of mould, in fact that is not the most likely to lead to mould as salts being drawn through the plaster inhibit mould growth. The issue could be an internal leak, condensation caused by your lifestyle and poor ventilation or rising damp (but see salts comment).

What action have you taken? Have you altered your lifestyle and are you using an electric dehumidifier? Have you written to the landlord about the mould and your health issues, has he had any investigations done? Have you contacted Environmental Health at the local council? If you don't you are leaving this for another tenant to suffer.
http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/repairs_and_bad_conditions/disrepair_in_rented_accommodation/what_is_disrepair

G_M

Tobster86 wrote: »

Thanks for your replies again.

I have another couple of questions;
-Do you think there's any scope (to independent landlords or letting agencies) to supplying your own up to date credit record i.e. Experian etc?
-How would you (or an agency) view a default registered by Scottish power in a credit report which is currently under dispute with supporting correspondence paperwork?

1) I doubt it though of course it's up to the individual landlord/agency to decide. As explained earlier, a tenant credit check is NOT the same as a simple (£2) Experian report.

2) personally (as a LL) I would look at what kind of default and dispute. If for example a CCJ was registered (but the applicant was disputing any CCJ was ever incurred) I would probobly want proof no CCJ existed. If it was a single late payment, I wouldn't be too bothered.