Can I go onto a rolling tenancy at end of 6 months or will agency force me to pay or

cashmonger

...move?

With my current landlord after a few years I didn't receive a new letter from the agents to renew and by unspoken agreement it ended up as a rolling tenancy.

I just found out that the renewal for the agents I have paid my admin fee to will charge me another £125 renewal fee after 6 months.

I was getting worried of not fidning a property so I wanted to secure it at the weekend but having done some reading around I'm seeing that agent has 1 star almost unanimously and known for being the worst for high fees and bad service.

I presumed all would be extortionate from my previous dealings so thought they would all charge extremely high prices for admin and renewal. But on further inspection I'm now seeing that there is a huge variance in both. But the renewal fee is the main one Im bothered about since admin fee is only a 1 off. Paying £120 for nothing is really annoying. I saw another one listed in same building only charging £42 renewal fee.

Nice news to read today of the ban on fees but I won't wait around for that as it could be shelfed indefinitely but nice windfall if it does eventually come to pass.

I am wondering what the best thing to do is. Maybe get 6 months now with these agents and I'll be in the new city and then I'll have plenty of time to shop around and see if there is anything better in that time. The flat seems perfect but it could be sullied by extreme fees.

Went a bit off track there but would I be able to just contact the landlord directly and ask them if they are willing to go on a rolling contract? because I imagine it would be mutually benficial since I read they are also subject to the fees from the agents. Will I be allowed to contact the landlord directly or will the agents forbid me from knowing the landlord's information? It will be in my contract by law won't it so I could float them a letter towards the end of the 6 months?

Pixie5740

You don't have to ask because periodic tenancies start automatically.

See G_M's Ending/Renewing an AST for further information.

molerat

They cannot force you into renewing a contract but they could issue a S21with 2 months notice if you don't. Of course you can contact the LL to discuss but many LLs are hands off managers, that is what they employ LAs for.

cashmonger

Having said it a contract secures you from rent raises end being told to leave for that time period.

I know they can't force me sing a new one but I mean the agents could force me out somehow if they thought I was losing them money couldnt they somehow? since the property will be in high demand I guess they would not want me in there not paying their high renewal fee when they could find someone else to do so.

And I suppose they get the relisting fees from the landlord again so that would also be in their interest.

Should I ask the landlord directly or is that a faux pas since he doesnt want to be bothered, since, as you said, that is the reason he hired agents so he didn't have to deal with the tenant directly?

I guess I should not bother myself with this at the moment and get settled into the new city and see from there. Just afraid of signing my life away to a really bad letting agent who will kill me with fees.

Pixie5740

Your contract is with the landlord not the letting agent. Is it in the landlord's best interests to end up with a void period between tenants and pay the agent fees for finding a new tenant? No it is not.

The letting agent can issue a Section 21 on behalf of the landlord but they cannot take you to court to get the possession order, the landlord would have to do that.

cashmonger

When I go in to sign the first contract can I take it away and have my lunch and read it rather than them breathing down my neck pressuring me to sign?

Ie can I leave the office with it and read it at my leisure (within an hour or so) or they would try and keep me in the office making up something like you dont own the papers or something?

jimbog

cashmonger wrote: »

When I go in to sign the first contract can I take it away and have my lunch and read it rather than them breathing down my neck pressuring me to sign?

Ie can I leave the office with it and read it at my leisure (within an hour or so) or they would try and keep me in the office making up something like you dont own the papers or something?

I'm sure you can. Perhaps email them and ask for them to send you an electronic version first?

cashmonger

Yes I just read an article saying the same thing was about to say . That would be the preferred way. Thing is though if you like the property then what can you do? Of course still read it but apart from signing away your first child or any gross errors things like smallprint fees you just have to take on the chin don't you.

gettingtheresometime

Didn't you say that there are other lets in the same building?

If there are then you could look at them if the LA gets awkward - or they with the sane LA?