Starting to rent and want to be safe

Zyx

Hi guys,

I am going to start renting and I was told I will get the forms emailed to me.
Then he said I will also have to transfer some money, fees, etc?

Is it normal to transfer money to the agency bank account?

I just want to avoid being scammed.
Thanks!

Zyx

I just got the email and it says I must transfer the money as soon as possible as they will keep marketing the property until someone pays the holding fee.

Can someone confirm this to be normal?

HappyMJ

Zyx wrote: »

I just got the email and it says I must transfer the money as soon as possible as they will keep marketing the property until someone pays the holding fee.

Can someone confirm this to be normal?

That is normal.

I would visit the agency and pay using a credit card. You'll have to pay a small fee on top but you will get protection from your credit card supplier if the agency fails to deliver.

easilydistracted

I'd say its very normal to be asked for various fees up front to reserve a property, but not to send them by bank transfer. As HappyMJ says, pay on a card.

I presume you have seen the property and been into the agents to check they are legitimate? If not then it could be a scam.

Also for around £3 you can check with the land registry that the person offering the house to rent is really the owner.

Zyx

It's an agency so not the owner.
It's in London and it is being viewed 24/7. I don't have time to go into their office and pay as it will probably be gone by then.
I have sent them the money and they confirmed that it is reserved for me now. I also signed the form they sent to me online. They just need the ID documents such as payslips, passport scan and so on.

It feels legit.

HappyMJ

Zyx wrote: »

It's an agency so not the owner.
It's in London and it is being viewed 24/7. I don't have time to go into their office and pay as it will probably be gone by then.
I have sent them the money and they confirmed that it is reserved for me now. I also signed the form they sent to me online. They just need the ID documents such as payslips, passport scan and so on.

It feels legit.

I hope you've seen the property.

A passport scan is not good enough to meet the requirements of Right to Rent so to me it already sounds like a scam. The landlord/letting agent must see the ORIGINAL document. There's no way that a scanned copy which can very easily be modified can be accepted.

https://www.gov.uk/check-tenant-right-to-rent-documents/how-to-check

booksurr

Zyx wrote: »

It feels legit.

welcome to the world of property let through an agent.

THE paramount concept to take on board is that the agent is in business to make money, just like the LL is.

The agent therefore will come up with "charges" wherever possible if that means they (not the LL) get to keep that money. They expect to get paid whereever they do "work", just the same as you do.

Understand that start point and, although you will doubtless find occasions where you are VERY annoyed with yet another set of "charges", the fact remains both you and the LA are out to make money from whatever "work" it is that you "do".

Respect that stance and you will not get a stroke or other stress related condition.