First Time Renter - Need help with Estate Agents

StaceyJW

Hello,
I'm currently having a nightmare with trying to find a property to rent near the Glasgow region. My husband and I have recently moved up to be closer to his family.
They are currently in abundance but fly out of the estate agents at a rate of knotts. We've been looking for two months now and have lost a couple of really nice places. We're trying to find a furnished place, which seem to be few and far between making it harder but we could furnish a place if we had to.
One was ideal but went before my husband even got to view it which was infuriating because we were going to take it but wanted to check first that there wasn't anything odd about it.
They've said that we can put down a £200 reservation fee before seeing a place but we don't get this back if we don't like it. Personally, I don't understand this logic because you don't get to see the full picture from the awful and limited photos on the website. Also, they're really inflexible with viewings and I've only been able to see one because they won't do evenings or weekends. My husband is going and doing the first recce and then I'll go and see it if it passes his first inspection.
So we're in this position again. My husband went to see it yesterday and has tried to book an appointment for me but the earliest is Saturday and there is someone going to see it tomorrow. It's a bit of a compromise with the location so I'm willing to take the risk but my husband is keen to put down a 'reservation' deposit. Plus it needs a lick of paint and a good clean because it's looking a bit tired and the previous owner had a dog.
Oh yes, and apparently if it falls through on their side, they just give you the £200 back without any repercussions!
So after my ramble, is there a way to 'reserve' a property prior to seeing it so that you have first refusal within an appropriate time limit of course? I'm just getting a bit frustrated because I can't help with the viewings and we keep losing, what look like, nice properties. One estate agent even had the cheek to turn us down because it was a family home and we're just a couple. They completed discounted the fact that I want my family to come and stay with us from time to time. And we could more than afford it!
Apologies, rant over now! Any ideas on how to approach the situation would be greatly appreciated...

Gonzo1987

Not sure how it works in Scotland - but they are giving you an option there to 'reserve' the property..... just an expensive one. I'd check if that really is non refundable.

I think it works on a first come first serve basis... if the first person that views it offers the asking price why continue to look for more renters? The agent has to put all offers made forward to the landlord - even if someone says they want the property and the offer is accepted, this may still fall through.

good luck!

princeofpounds

They've said that we can put down a £200 reservation fee before seeing a place but we don't get this back if we don't like it

I think in Scotland this is actually illegal.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2012/11/illegal-charges-on-tenants22112012

This gives you a sense of the type of people you are dealing with here.

That £200 of extra 'bidding power' should never go to the agent anyway - that's money taken out of the landlord's pocket in terms of competitive rent.

bebewoo

Wow £200 before you have even seen the place?
Are all of the estate agents doing that or just one?
That is so dodgy it's beyond belief. Don't do it.

StaceyJW

I think it's just the same in the UK and I totally understand the first come, first served concept...they're not biased and they are a business
It's the reservation fee I don't understand. I could understand if they let us put £200 down as long as we had a viewing and made a decision within 24/48 hrs say whilst they continue to show other people round the property but still give us first refusal but the fee seems to be a deposit and in that case why don't we just give them a deposit....?
Only one agency has mentioned this, I might call up another one and see if they have the same process. My husband seems to this it's viable but I don't seem to get his perspective.
Also, you pay for a credit check and something which is £75 and I wouldn't mind paying that to show that we're serious because this can be transferred to another proprty with them if required so wouldn't be a complete waste of money.

princeofpounds

My husband seems to this it's viable but I don't seem to get his perspective.

Sigh.

It is nothing more than a bribe.

bebewoo

It's not the same in England.
You see the property and only if you like it do you put down a reservation fee to take it off the market whilst references etc are being processed. The fee is then taken off the first months rent if references are successful.

No way do you pay £200 before you have even seen it.
You are being scammed and you are defending them.
It is a well known trick to charge a reservation fee to show people around a property, there was a spate of this in Manchester a while back, there was a programme about it on BBC1.
The scammer keeps all of the fees. Sometimes the property is really up for rent, sometimes not, either way the scammer makes thousands.

clark24

The only thing a letting agent is legally allowed to take in Scotland is the deposit and first months rent (or more rent if applicable)

No other fees are legal, the LA is breaking Scottish law and I'd avoid them as if they are happy to break that law then who knows what other dodgy dealings they are up to.

southoftheriver

I really wish England would pull their finger out and take some initiative from Scotland when it comes to letting agents. OP a fee before you see somewhere is rubbish. Don't buy into it.

Pixie5740

princeofpounds wrote: »

I think in Scotland this is actually illegal

Absolutely right. The only things a tenant can be charged are the deposit and rent. In my experience though letting agencies charge you all kinds of "fees" which you end up paying as they have you over a barrel. Hopefully when you contact other letting agencies they won't charge you this reservation fee.

Good luck with your search.

dimbo61

First come first served concept!!!
Now as a Landlord I would want to check the details of any tenant I was handing the keys to a £100,000 pound property.
Credit checks,employer checks and reference checks and I would want to be happy with some one before they get the property.
Just because you view first does not mean you get the place.
I would also report the letting agent so hopefully they will be fined and shut down