Check out fee

Guest101

Hi all,

Quick question. When we moved into our old property we paid a £35 check out fee to the agents. Fine so far.

But when we left the landlord decided to do his own check out inventory. Again fine, the house was left in a great standard. But should we be asking for this fee back? Since the agents are no longer carrying out the work?

bryanb

Guest101 wrote: »

Hi all,

Quick question. When we moved into our old property we paid a £35 check out fee to the agents. Fine so far.

But when we left the landlord decided to do his own check out inventory. Again fine, the house was left in a great standard. But should we be asking for this fee back? Since the agents are no longer carrying out the work?

I'd guess the landlord should get the fee. (from the agent)

Guest101

bryanb wrote: »

I'd guess the landlord should get the fee. (from the agent)

Can I ask why? I see it as a breach of contract personally, but am open to opinions

dodger1

Guest101 wrote: »

Can I ask why? I see it as a breach of contract personally, but am open to opinions

Then an opinion you shall have . You paid a check out fee and you had a check out. Assuming LL hasn't also charged you then for me that's fine.

Guest101

dodger1 wrote: »

Then an opinion you shall have . You paid a check out fee and you had a check out. Assuming LL hasn't also charged you then for me that's fine.

Well a check out must happen, for the landlords benefit. It's something that I agreed to pay the agent, not the landlord.

My understanding is that LL paid check in, I paid check out. To the agent. Why should I pay the LL for doing something which in essence is there to protect his investment? I understand paying the agent, but this just doesn't make sense to me.

If this was the case, it's a change of contract and think I should've been consulted.

Floxxie

A check out fee is just that - you have been checked out. It would be the landlord who should be asking for the fee back from the agents as this would appear on his statement. Presumably he and the agent have this sorted.

ging84

i'm not sure i understand

you pre-paid a £35 checkout fee to the agents when you moved in?
now you've moved out and you have been charged again for checkout fee by the landlord?

What is in the tenancy agreement?
i personally don't agree the tenant should ever be charged check in or check out fees, it's purely for the benefit of the landlord protecting his investment, but then i have the same opinion of basically all the fees.
I read some of the deposit protection scheme depute case studies, if a checkout fee is written into the tenancy they seem to consider these clauses enforceable and side with the landlord, unless the fee is excessive, in which case they may reduce it to a more reasonable amount

Guest101

Floxxie wrote: »

A check out fee is just that - you have been checked out. It would be the landlord who should be asking for the fee back from the agents as this would appear on his statement. Presumably he and the agent have this sorted.

Obviously a lot of people disagree and thank you for replying.

I'm not awfully bothered about £35, it's more the principle.

The inventory is primarily in place to protect the landlords assets, the check out is therefore in place for the benefit if the landlord. On principle I agreed for the agents to carry out this work. The landlord is being paid by me therefore to protect his own property. He is also clearly biased ( regardless of personal attachment with the property.)

I see it the same way as booking a luxury taxi and getting a dingy cab, I've still gotten to my destination, but not what I paid for.

Anyway I accept that overwhelmingly the support has been that I am reading this situation incorrectly, thanks for the replies.

Guest101

ging84 wrote: »

i'm not sure i understand

you pre-paid a £35 checkout fee to the agents when you moved in?
now you've moved out and you have been charged again for checkout fee by the landlord?

What is in the tenancy agreement?
i personally don't agree the tenant should ever be charged check in or check out fees, it's purely for the benefit of the landlord protecting his investment, but then i have the same opinion of basically all the fees.
I read some of the deposit protection scheme depute case studies, if a checkout fee is written into the tenancy they seem to consider these clauses enforceable and side with the landlord, unless the fee is excessive, in which case they may reduce it to a more reasonable amount

Thanks, not quite. I have paid once, for the agent to do the check out ( I agree with u about fees, but needed a house quickly).

My main gripe is that I paid the agent to perform a service, they aren't doing this and the LL is. I agree that the LL is protecting his investment, so why should I pay him this?

With agents I understand that it's employees time etc, in theory at least .

Alter_ego

Guest101 wrote: »

With agents I understand that it's employees time etc, in theory at least .

Landlords also use their time to do a checkout.

Guest101

Alter_ego wrote: »

Landlords also use their time to do a checkout.

Yes they do, to run their business. To protect their investment. It's a choice the ll makes, especially in this case where I contracted the agent to carry out the work

To carry on my example a taxi driver will wash his vehicle, this is at his expense but part of his chosen method of earning