Wife and stepdaughter moving in with me

Mozzanov

Hi,

I am currently preparing evidence for my wife and stepdaughter's visa applications. Part of that will be providing the tenancy agreement, a letter from my landlord saying he's fine with my wife and stepdaughter living there with me and the latest council tax bill.

My main concern is the letting agent. The property is not managed by them (just advertised and referenced, everything after that has been handled by the LL), but instead the landlord's company, so I'm going to ask him for a letter (at the moment it is just a verbal "no problem") to make it formal. However, if the letting agent got to know then I'm sure they would want their £300 reference "fee" (the only contact they have is close to the end of the six months to do a "renewal"). I'm not sure how they will reference someone in another country - a good opportunity to add extra "fees", I guess. (Maybe I am too cynical.)

Anyway, I digress. If the letting agent does find out and wants [STRIKE]to extort[/STRIKE] some money from me, any advice on how to handle it? Show them the written agreement and refer them back to the LL?

BitterAndTwisted

A letter from the landlord saying that he agrees to your wife and step-daughter living there with you does not make it a new tenancy. Therefore there could be no fees to be charged. A contract exists between the LL and their agent only, and you are not party to it, soif there are any fees demanded they would be demanded from the LL, not you.

Mozzanov

That makes sense and sounds reasonable to me. Thank you.

G_M

So your wife is a joint tenant named on the tenancy agreement, and named on council tax records? Or is this a statement that is required to the effect that she will have somewhere to live?

Either way, that is a matter between you and the landlord. He owns the property. He receives the rent. He is the one named on the tenancy agreement.

Where does the letting agent fit in?

marvin

G_M wrote: »

So your wife is a joint tenant named on the tenancy agreement, and named on council tax records? Or is this a statement that is required to the effect that she will have somewhere to live?

Under UKBA rules you have to prove adequate residential conditions and this includes, if not a home owner, having the approval of the landlord to the person staying there.

Another of the racist rules on bringing foreign spouses to the UK as you do not need this if they are UK or EU born. You just get married move in together.

Mozzanov

It's a statement required to show that she will have somewhere to live (the CT part comes after - my CT bill is to further support that I have residence there).

Regarding the letting, the reason I ask is because for one property I looked at (also unmanaged), I mentioned to them that my wife and stepdaughter would probably (but not guaranteed, that's in the hands of the UKBA) be moving here in the summer and they told me they would need £325 to do a reference for her, too, if I was going to take on the property. (I asked them how they would manage to do a reference for someone in Russia, with no history in England. There answer was - "I don't know.")

marvin

As it involves a Russian citizen (I married a Russian citizen in the UK in January Our Wedding Photo Album)You may be better asking HERE

It is a forum connected to a company that arrange these things and there is a lot of well informed people who have gone through the process.

You do not need to use the service to use the forum (I did not and I have used the forum for lots of good advice) but may get a better answer for you.

Just if someone tells you to contact the people at Real Russia ignore them there is nothing they can do you can't and services like this often a big waste of money.

I am timco on that Forum oh and good luck with UKBA I got in just under the old rules (and I am a home owner in partnership with the Mortgage company!) don't fancy the new ones much.

Mozzanov

Thanks, mate. I use that one and it's great. I'm Moz on there.

I love the wedding photos. Such a lovely couple and what a wonderful place to have got married! It brings a tear to my eye (I'm a softy really) to see such wonderful occasions.

tim123456789

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

A letter from the landlord saying that he agrees to your wife and step-daughter living there with you does not make it a new tenancy. Therefore there could be no fees to be charged.

I fail to see any reason why (wearing my professional businessman hat), if someone comes to me and asks me to provide a business service for them, separate to the one that I am already providing for them, that I may not charge them a fee because the work doesn't involve changing the original contract.

Sorry, that's just plain wrong.

There is no reason at all why the LA/LL in this case cannot charge a fee for this new service should they chose to do so.

(Whether it's morally right for them to do so, in this case, is another matter)

tim

BitterAndTwisted

Eh, I think you need to read the OP's post properly first before you get all indignant about it.

They weren't fretting about the LL charging a fee for drawing up the letter (which they might choose to do, but haven't to date) but concerned that the LETTING-AGENT would demand a referencing-fee. About someone who has no credit-history in this country.

Mozzanov

Exactly. If the LL wants to charge a fee, I'm happy with that. It's his property and managed by him. That's clear in the contract and was mentioned several times by the LA.