Unscrupulous lettings agent - unethical to go direct to LL?

BlueCat_2

[crossposted from another thread, hope that's ok]

I'm just about to move into a rented place and the lettings agent is charging me GBP42 application fee, and then another GBP92 administration/inventory fee PLUS, as far as i can make out, a further GBP92 fee for my guarantor (as I'll be on housing benefit). I also saw some paperwork on the agent's desk saying that the rent was GBP595 when actually they're charging me GBP795 ...so presumably GBP200 of my rent each month goes direct to the agent. Disgraceful ...

Would there be any point/is it at all ethical for me to write to the owners of the house (who are moving overseas) and offer to pay them the full rent in exchange for me organising any repairs etc with their consent? or would that be completely stupid, both for them and me?

wymondham

If they have opted to use a letting agent, then they have probably done it as they will be overseas and need them to be responsible for the property. I'd doubt the landlord would entertain the idea.

barnaby-bear

BlueCat wrote: »

[crossposted from another thread, hope that's ok]

I'm just about to move into a rented place and the lettings agent is charging me GBP42 application fee, and then another GBP92 administration/inventory fee PLUS, as far as i can make out, a further GBP92 fee for my guarantor (as I'll be on housing benefit). I also saw some paperwork on the agent's desk saying that the rent was GBP595 when actually they're charging me GBP795 ...so presumably GBP200 of my rent each month goes direct to the agent. Disgraceful ...

Would there be any point/is it at all ethical for me to write to the owners of the house (who are moving overseas) and offer to pay them the full rent in exchange for me organising any repairs etc with their consent? or would that be completely stupid, both for them and me?

It would be illegal for them to rent to you, live abroad and not have a managing agent (and servable address) in the UK.

clutton_2

but the LL might want to know that they agent is taking £200 per month from the rent!!!!!!

morg_monster

barnaby-bear wrote: »

It would be illegal for them to rent to you, live abroad and not have a managing agent (and servable address) in the UK.

(sorry for mini hijack OP) - that is very interesting, thanks b-b, our LL lives in Portugal and our agency is OK but pretty slow, LL has encouraged us to email him about little things that aren't worth bothering the agency over or situations where they just unnecessarily complicate things (EG our microwave broke, we emailed LL to ask whether it was in warranty, a new one from Amazon was delivered 2 days later).
In the correspondence over the microwave he mentioned that he was considering getting rid of the agency... I guess this would be illegal then assuming he's still in Portugal? Though much of his family is in the UK - perhaps he would use them as a "servable address"?