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letting agency charge / fine query

cowsnhope
cowsnhope Posts: 233 Forumite
in House buying, renting & selling
Hi
I'm just checking something out for a friend; he has just moved out of a flat and his former letting agency have said that he has to give them his utility bills or they will fine him £115 - can they do this, it isn't something he has been asked for before at previous rented flats? My friend has informed the utility company's that he has moved and given them a forwarding address to send his final bills to.
thank you
«1

Comments

  • princeofpounds
    princeofpounds Posts: 10,396 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    No they cannot do that (well, they can try, but it won't work).

    Is his deposit protected, as it doubtless should have been?
  • anselld
    anselld Posts: 8,691 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    No they can't. Numpties!!
  • da_rule
    da_rule Posts: 3,618 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 1,000 Posts
    No they can't, the bills are in his name and are therefore his personal correspondence (in the same way his bank statements are). Unless there was a term in the tenancy agreement but that would be highly questionable.
  • cowsnhope
    cowsnhope Posts: 233 Forumite
    edited 17 March 2014 at 6:48PM
    :-) Thank you.
    I've found my friend deposit registered so that should be ok.
  • phill99
    phill99 Posts: 9,093 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    What rubbish. Fines can only be imposed by a court or someone acting via the judiciary (police for instance). A letting agent can't fine anybody.

    This reinforces my opinion that 99% of letting agents are cucumber washers.
    Eat vegetables and fear no creditors, rather than eat duck and hide.
  • V_Chic_Chick
    V_Chic_Chick Posts: 2,441 Forumite
    phill99 wrote: »
    What rubbish. Fines can only be imposed by a court or someone acting via the judiciary (police for instance). A letting agent can't fine anybody.

    This reinforces my opinion that 99% of letting agents are cucumber washers.

    I think a lot of them would be rather underqualified for a job washing cucumbers...
  • chanz4
    chanz4 Posts: 11,057 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Xmas Saver!
    No they cant, its classed as an unfair term and not enforceable. Bills are between you and the utility only
    Don't put your trust into an Experian score - it is not a number any bank will ever use & it is generally a waste of money to purchase it. They are also selling you insurance you dont need.
  • AnnieO1234
    AnnieO1234 Posts: 1,722 Forumite
    This sounds like they're asking for confirmation the accounts are settled to be honest, not asking to see every bill. It would not be hard to provide a redacted version of the final bill to show monies are no longer due.

    X
  • Kiran
    Kiran Posts: 1,554 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    My first toughts are that they are on a tax fiddle. But I can't see any reason that they should require a copy of bills for a 3rd party contract.
    Some people don't exaggerate........... They just remember big!
  • Out,_Vile_Jelly
    Out,_Vile_Jelly Posts: 4,842 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    It is sensible to ask for proof all bills have been settled (in case the gas/electric is about to be cut off and creates loads of hassle for the incoming tenant)- I suspect this is what they meant and it has got garbled.
    They are an EYESORES!!!!
This discussion has been closed.
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