moving out charge???!!

skippy12

Im moving out of my rented property, controlled by an estate agents. However, i got a letter stating that i will be charged £110 just for moving out!! It got nothing to do with anything being damaged as the inspection has not yet been carried out. Its also not for lack of notice as the tennancy is coming to an end of its 6 months. Are they allowed to do this? Ive already paid a fortune for their admin costs, why should i pay them just for moving out?

Can anyone shed some light? Ive never had this problem with any other lettings agencies

PasturesNew

This is something that's quite common. A booking out/inventory checking fee.
£110 is a bit steep though.

You're paying for them to send somebody out from the office and go through the inventory. I'd have thought 1.5 hours' work in all even if you were a few miles from the office and it was a largeish house.

Check if your original agreement/papers mentioned it.

PasturesNew

For the record, just found this website, which is a company whose sole business is doing inventories for lettings agents. They've got their whole price list online to look at

http://www.unbiasedinventories.com/prices.asp

SquatNow

PasturesNew wrote: »

For the record, just found this website, which is a company whose sole business is doing inventories for lettings agents. They've got their whole price list online to look at

http://www.unbiasedinventories.com/prices.asp

I can't imagine they would get much business... their terms suggest they know the law and are fair and balanced.

The last thing most landlords want.

chappers

I would have serious doubts as to the legality of this charge, if you just want to leave at the end of your tenancy, however it could all depend on what you signed up to when taking out the tenancy.
i personally would refuse to pay this and even go as far as to tell themt to take me to court for the money.
it seems to be more common nowadays to pay an inventory fee on moving in and I would expect that to cover the moving out inventory too.
Agents seem to be charging tenats nowadays, extra for things that used to be included in their management fees, chargeable to the LL, however there doesn't seem to be any reduction in management fees.
Iwould , if still renting refuse to sign up to any agreement that had such fees included.

SquatNow

chappers wrote: »

Iwould , if still renting refuse to sign up to any agreement that had such fees included.

Just draw a nice neat line through the bit about the fees, initial it and sign the contract.

chappers

Not quite sure how that would stand up in court , but I would certainly walk away rather than sign up to ridiculous fees.

skippy12

Thankyou so much to everyone who has replied!! Get this; they will also charge me £88.50 if i was unable to keep the inspection time THEY had arranged! Dont they understand that i have to wrk?! This company has caused nothing but distress since id moved in and found different ways to charge me money.

PasturesNew

skippy12 wrote: »

Thankyou so much to everyone who has replied!! Get this; they will also charge me £88.50 if i was unable to keep the inspection time THEY had arranged! Dont they understand that i have to wrk?! This company has caused nothing but distress since id moved in and found different ways to charge me money.

Name them

poppy10_2

PasturesNew wrote: »

Name them

Foxtons? :beer:

chappers

poppy10 wrote: »

Foxtons? :beer:

Sounds abit cheap for them