Romans letting admin fee of £624!

wibbler

My friend is moving into a rented house with another person, and Romans letting agency have just told her that the "admin and referencing fee" is £624.

Am I right in thinking that's a gross overcharge? Or is that a standard level of charge nowdays?! Seems even higher than the "extortionate" charges mentioned on this forum already...

cherryblossomzel

I just viewed a place, their fees for one tenant is £375 and £528 for two. It is extortionate, but sadly seems to be the norm.

PasturesNew

It's disgusting, but "the new norm". People say renters can "just move", but they can't. I had to stump up £2,500 to get the keys to my last (small) rental, with the holding fee, referencing fee, deposit, first month's rent up front, checking in fee ..... and some random VAT.

£2,500 is more than a lot of people can lay their hands on.

AdrianC

So don't rent through them. Rent through a different agent, or direct from the landlord.

If you REALLY want that property, then find the landlord's name and address from the Land Registry (it'll cost you a couple of quid), and write to him to tell him that you find his agent's fees extortionate.

marksoton

nathandearth wrote: »

My dad and I are in the process of moving to a new rented property through Romans right now, and we're facing fee's in excess of £1000! And I feel utterly sick and angry to be honest. We're in the Reading area, and the admin fee is £500, additional tenant [me I guess?!] £200, check in fee about £180 I think, then I think we may have to pay for contents insurance £150, and there's something about a fee for needing a guarantor for £200 but I'm hoping we don't need that. In fact that one should be ok. I'm also slightly expecting that they'll make up a few extra fee's along the way too. Then there's the deposit from our current place which I feel doubtful they'll pay back in full [if at all!] and I feel pretty powerless to do anything about it all to be honest, which is the depressing part. I feel like there should be a higher authority we can turn to to provide some justice and regulate fair prices in these matters. But let's look at the positives. Now I can add the emotion of being royally screwed over and ripped off to my list of life experiences. I've learnt many lessons during this process....the main one being to henceforth avoid Romans like the plague!

So why not rent elsewhere this time? You keep paying and they'll keep taking the proverbial...

armyknife

What a despicable business culture we live amongst or are subject to in this country nowadays.

Marktheshark

It is a landlords market, people were holding banners and frothing at the mouth only last month with signs welcoming refugees.
Well, here is the ugly side of immigration nobody wants to talk about.
We are full, very very full indeed.

And who does it benefit for rental prices to sky rocket...
The middle class second home renters.

G_M

It is extortionate, especially when put in the context of the landlord also paying them fees to find a tenant.

Sadly it is increasingly common and tenants often have litle choice but o pay as the next agent will also charge..... and competion for good properties is stiff in some areas.

I've not used agents for a while now, but when I did, I always asked them what they charge tenants - I want happy tenants moving in, not tenants who are p*ssed off before the tenancy has even started. I also want tenants who can afford the rent month by month, not tenants who have been cleaned out by 'my' agent!

There's much I dislike about the Scots system (I'm not in favour of landlord licencing), but the illegality of agent fees for tenants I am in favour of.

marksoton

Marktheshark wrote: »

It is a landlords market, people were holding banners and frothing at the mouth only last month with signs welcoming refugees.
Well, here is the ugly side of immigration nobody wants to talk about.
We are full, very very full indeed.

And who does it benefit for rental prices to sky rocket...
The middle class second home renters.

I'm no fan of current immigration policy but come on.That's not the issue here.

Enough houses are not being built.

Those that have been are ridiculously priced.

RTB should be abolished.

The whole house buying/renting process in England needs legislative change.

Every man and his monkey have taken full advantage of the fact the above hasn't happened. Namely agents and LL's.

usefulmale

marksoton wrote: »

I'm no fan of current immigration policy but come on.That's not the issue here.

Enough houses are not being built.

Those that have been are ridiculously priced.

RTB should be abolished.

The whole house buying/renting process in England needs legislative change.

Every man and his monkey have taken full advantage of the fact the above hasn't happened. Namely agents and LL's.

But how can importing even more people help?

marksoton

usefulmale wrote: »

But how can importing even more people help?

I don't recall saying it would. But it's a completely different argument to the OP's question and not relevant.