Tenancy renewal fees

runningfool

Hi all

My letting agent wants to charge quite a fee for renewing my 6-month tenancy.

They say the fee is the half the cost of the Memorandum of Agreement with VAT etc. (essentially it's a template of a paragraph printed out with my name and address on on their headed paper - not even the dates have been entered). I am assuming if I were to sign for 12-months (which is an option) I would be charged double.

Is this fair? It's nearly £50 for printing two letters. It was even hand delivered as they are in the same village!

They get their money from the landlord for looking after the property (there are still things outstanding on that score) and charging me for this seems to be incredibly unfair - can I negotiate it?

Many thanks

DRP

runningfool wrote: »

Hi all

My letting agent wants to charge quite a fee for renewing my 6-month tenancy.

They say the fee is the half the cost of the Memorandum of Agreement with VAT etc. (essentially it's a template of a paragraph printed out with my name and address on on their headed paper - not even the dates have been entered). I am assuming if I were to sign for 12-months (which is an option) I would be charged double.

Is this fair? It's nearly £50 for printing two letters. It was even hand delivered as they are in the same village!

They get their money from the landlord for looking after the property (there are still things outstanding on that score) and charging me for this seems to be incredibly unfair - can I negotiate it?

Many thanks

do you really want to renew the contract?

If you are talking about the end of a 6 month AST then you can just let it roll onto a monthly cycle without any renewal for contract. After all, 6 months is hardly long-term security.

tim123456789

runningfool wrote: »

Hi all

My letting agent wants to charge quite a fee for renewing my 6-month tenancy.

They say the fee is the half the cost of the Memorandum of Agreement with VAT etc. (essentially it's a template of a paragraph printed out with my name and address on on their headed paper - not even the dates have been entered). I am assuming if I were to sign for 12-months (which is an option) I would be charged double.

Is this fair? It's nearly £50 for printing two letters. It was even hand delivered as they are in the same village!

They get their money from the landlord for looking after the property (there are still things outstanding on that score) and charging me for this seems to be incredibly unfair - can I negotiate it?

Many thanks

yep!

If you don't sign it the tenancy will automatically become periodic so the LL/MA have to go through the process of giving you notice. Doing so because you wont sign a new fixed term would be foolish (but is not un-heard of)

If the LL really realy really wants you have a new fixed term and you are happy to agree, just say that you will agree tolthis on tthe condition that the fees are zero.

And FWIW the deposit tribunal almost certainly wont uphold this fee as a deduction against your deposit if you dont pay it

runningfool

Yes - definitely want to renew - and am happy to for 12 months but just think the fee is high - that's the sticking point.

theartfullodger

Agents can charge whatever fees they like (except in Scotland where they cannot charge such fees..) - so yes it is too high, doubt you'll get them to change...

Labour was going to regulate letting agents: Dave decided not to bother: Go figure.....

runningfool

Thanks Artful - does that mean I cannot contest it?

theartfullodger

You can contest away, you can propose another figure, anything you like - but they don't have to agree and can issue S21 at any time....

tim123456789

theartfullodger wrote: »

Agents can charge whatever fees they like (except in Scotland where they cannot charge such fees..) - so yes it is too high, doubt you'll get them to change...

Labour was going to regulate letting agents: Dave decided not to bother: Go figure.....

No, there were going to force them to register, nothing more

tim

theartfullodger

tim123456789 wrote: »

No, there were going to force them to register, nothing more

tim

Thanks: Can you kindly point to the draft bill then??

runningfool

Thanks but not sure what S21 is...?

tim123456789

theartfullodger wrote: »

Thanks: Can you kindly point to the draft bill then??

no

(waffle waffle because my post was too short!)