Letting agency fees

rosalina212

Hi all,

Was hoping to get some advice - I've been viewing flats in London and found one I really like.

I put forward an offer for the rent asking price to move in the middle of May. I asked if there would be any additional fees and was told there would be admin fees of £550. I accepted this.

The agency accepted the offer and asked me to pay two weeks rent and the admin fees (payment to proceed). Once I had done this, I was sent an offer confirmation letter with an additional £130 check in fee.

I have asked the agency to remove the fee but they don't want to. I really don't think this is ok as before making payment they told me there wouldn't be any other fees (via email).

If you have any advice on how I can get them to remove the check in fee I would really appreciate it!

need_an_answer

does the company have a website?

What fees are displayed on that website in relation to new tenancies?

What does the email regarding to the fees that you have actually say?
If you could quote the wording in the email that may help.

rosalina212

Thanks for your reply!

This is the email form the agent:

If the application is accepted, you pay two weeks plus the admin fee and that’s the payment to proceed, we then start references (another online form) and then you get a contract!

I asked him to confirm the admin fee, and he said:

I forgot you both haven’t seen the form yet. It’s £275 per person

These are the potential fees as displayed on their website (Stirling Ackroyd):

Before you move in:

Administration fee
£275 (inc. VAT) per tenant

Referencing (includes identity, immigration and visa confirmation, financial credit checks,obtaining references from current or previous employers/landlords and any other relevant information to assess affordability) plus arranging the tenancy agreement

Additional tenant fee
£275 (inc. VAT) per tenant
Processing the application, associated paperwork and referencing

Guarantor fee
£75 (inc. VAT) per tenant
Covering credit referencing and preparing Deed of Guarantee as part of the Tenancy Agreement

Check in fee
From £55 (inc. VAT). Price depent on property size
Attending the property to undertake a Schedule of Condition prior to occupancy of the property

During your tenancy:
Tenancy swap/assignment fee
£430 (inc. VAT)
Contract negotiation, amending terms and updating your Tenancy Agreement during your tenancy

Renewal fee
£430 (inc. VAT)
Administration costs to cover the renewal of a tenancy documentation

need_an_answer

The fees in my opinion are easily available to read on the website. Potentially you should have familiarised yourself with that information and been aware of it when you started the application process.

rosalina212

Is this the case even though he said there weren't any other fees when I asked in my email?

Marvel1

If you can hold off looking until after 1st June, no fees to pay.

rosalina212

I'm slightly concerned as I have already paid the Payment to Proceed of £1300 before being presented with this document and I don't know if they will give it back

Wanderingpomm

They won’t be able to charge a check in fee in June. Can you delay your move until then?

steampowered

What were the terms of your "payment to proceed" - did you get anything which says it is refundable?

If it is refundable, you have three options I suppose:
1) Find another property
2) Pay the fees
3) Try to renegotiate the rent due to the fees (unlikely the landlord would agree I think)

It does suck that your tenancy starts in May rather than June so you just miss the fees ban, but that's life unfortunately.

rosalina212

Wanderingpomm wrote: »

They won’t be able to charge a check in fee in June. Can you delay your move until then?

I could but I have paid this agency £1300 payment to proceed already. I was rushed by them to do this before I was sent this document with the additional check in fee. I was not told about this fee beforehand, it feels very underhand to me. I don't know if they will refund the £1300...

Wanderingpomm

You were rushed because they want to make as much as they can before fees are banned. I can imagine how that conversation went.
Don’t feel too bad about it. Agents are experts at conning money out of people.