Autumn Statement 2016: Letting agents to be banned from charging tenants upfront fees

Sootoo

It would have been better to put a cap on what Letting Agent's can charge - they have to pay for the checks and the admin involved and, at the end of the day they are a company doing a service (whatever you think of them) and have to make a profit.

RJMacready

I've just received a letter through from the property agent (dated 23 November) about renewing my tenancy (which is up on 2 February), there is a fee to renew the contract, am I right in thinking this is now illegal?

Miss_Samantha

RJMacready wrote: »

I've just received a letter through from the property agent (dated 23 November) about renewing my tenancy (which is up on 2 February), there is a fee to renew the contract, am I right in thinking this is now illegal?

No it is not illegal.

The government has only stated that they intend to make upfront fees illegal as soon as possible.

RJMacready

OK, thanks for the reply.

Pixie5740

RJMacready wrote: »

I've just received a letter through from the property agent (dated 23 November) about renewing my tenancy (which is up on 2 February), there is a fee to renew the contract, am I right in thinking this is now illegal?

Not unlawful yet but you don't need to pay it because you don't need to renew your tenancy. You could nothing at let it become periodic.

Marktheshark

If rents rise to cover the cost then that has to be better.
The actual renter pays rent.

Letting agents are scamming and ripping off vulnerable people by taking multiple fees, often on properties already let.

I have seen with my own eyes someone ripped off for £600 by a letting agent only to say they failed a £4 credit check.
They were unable to provide a copy of this credit check or state what the pass criteria was.

Think how many others they can pull the same trick on.

It has to stop and the punishment must be the same as money lenders if caught.

RJMacready

curiously, they don't give me the option of ignoring it & letting it go into rolling period tenancy:

'Please note that the section 21 notice enclosed with this letter gives you notice to leave the property at the end of the current tenancy, however if an extended tenancy period is confirmed between yourself and the landlord this notice is not applicable.'

then at the end:

'should we not hear from you within 14 days of this letter, we shall deem that you do not wish to extend the Tenancy and that you will be vacating by midnight on the 2 2nd February 2017.'

slowpoke_rodriguez

I'm sure the Landlord will be pleased to have a few weeks' void as a result of the LA's greed...

Pixie5740

RJMacready wrote: »

curiously, they don't give me the option of ignoring it & letting it go into rolling period tenancy:

'Please note that the section 21 notice enclosed with this letter gives you notice to leave the property at the end of the current tenancy, however if an extended tenancy period is confirmed between yourself and the landlord this notice is not applicable.'

then at the end:

'should we not hear from you within 14 days of this letter, we shall deem that you do not wish to extend the Tenancy and that you will be vacating by midnight on the 2 2nd February 2017.'

Of course you have the option of a periodic tenancy. It's either Contractual law or Statutory law depending on what your current tenancy agreement says (if anything) will happen at the end of the fixed term.

A Section 21 notice does not end your tenancy. It is just notice that your landlord might go to court to get an eviction notice. Note that it is your landlord or a solicitor representing him that would need to go to court, not the letting agent. Now, would a landlord go to the trouble of evicting a tenant who is a known quantity and pays the rent on time? Not if they had any sense because it would cost them in a void period and probably more tenant finder fees for the letting agent.

It's an aggressive move from the letting agent so I guess the question you have to ask yourself is, "are you feeling lucky punk?"

See Ending/Renewing an AST for further information.

marksoton

RJMacready wrote: »

curiously, they don't give me the option of ignoring it & letting it go into rolling period tenancy:

'Please note that the section 21 notice enclosed with this letter gives you notice to leave the property at the end of the current tenancy, however if an extended tenancy period is confirmed between yourself and the landlord this notice is not applicable.'

then at the end:

'should we not hear from you within 14 days of this letter, we shall deem that you do not wish to extend the Tenancy and that you will be vacating by midnight on the 2 2nd February 2017.'

What a bunch of t055er5. I'd ignore every time.