Deposit Admin Charges

Kitty777

Hello,

We are just about to renew our tenancy through an estate agent. They have sent us a new agreement in the post but attached to the back is an extra form for us to sign. This form lists the costs of work that may be required should we leave, and will be deducted from our deposit. It includes things like General cleaning, Oven cleaning, Removal of bags, Cleaning windows etc..
But it also states

'Martin and Co charge and administrative fee of £150.00 for this service which is deductible from our deposit'

Are they allowed to charge an admin fee like that? Should I sign it? Thanks!

liviboy

Just shows you the difference. I rented with Martin & Co up in Scotland. The only fee I had to pay was a £200 holding deposit on the house I wanted to rent. This was either then deducted from my first month's rent (as in I paid £200 less in month 1) or returned to me if I chose not to rent the property.

The quicker England (and anywhere else) get on with banning outrageous admin charges like your £150 the better!

G_M

Kitty777 wrote: »

Hello,

We are just about to renew our tenancy through an estate agent. They have sent us a new agreement in the post but attached to the back is an extra form for us to sign. This form lists the costs of work that may be required should we leave, and will be deducted from our deposit. It includes things like General cleaning, Oven cleaning, Removal of bags, Cleaning windows etc..
But it also states

'Martin and Co charge and administrative fee of £150.00 for this service which is deductible from our deposit'

Are they allowed to charge an admin fee like that? Should I sign it? Thanks!

If you agreed to it by signing a tenancy agreement (or other document) in which it was specified at the start of the tenancy, then yes.

If you agree to it now, by signing/returning the form, then yes.

If this is the first time you've been advised of the charge, and you decline to accept it, then no.

Edit. I may have misunderstood (or you were imprecise!):

Is this admin fee
a) connected to check out, if you now leave, or
b) the fee for renewing?

Big difference!

You may also want to read:

* Ending/renewing an AST: what happens when a fixed term ends? How can a LL or tenant end a tenancy? What is a periodic tenancy?

Kitty777

G_M wrote: »

If you agreed to it by signing a tenancy agreement (or other document) in which it was specified at the start of the tenancy, then yes.

If you agree to it now, by signing/returning the form, then yes.

If this is the first time you've been advised of the charge, and you decline to accept it, then no.

I meant more are they legally allowed to do so, I assume by your answer that they are.

G_M

See my edit.

Kitty777

Basically it gives us a price list for cleaning/repairing certain things if we leave and they are not at the standard they were when we moved in.

But the thing I don't like is the fee ontop of that for the estate agent to arrange the work.. We have no plans to leave anytime soon but I can see our deposit getting gobbled up by small things.

G_M

So the £150 admin fee is for managing the check out? Definantely not to do with renewing the tenancy?

OK - then yes, they are allowed to charge this provided you agreed to the charge. They cannot suddenly add this charge without warning or consent at the end of the tenancy.

So - is it mentioned in your tenancy agreement, or any other paperwork you signed at the start of the tenancy?