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Tenancy admin fees

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OffshoreToon
OffshoreToon Posts: 2 Newbie
in House buying, renting & selling
So I've paid a holding fee and an admin fee for a property. I then found out that admin fees are illegal from June 1st. I still have to give written consent to progress with the application. Is there any way I can get out of paying the admin fee? I'm not due to become a tenant until June 11th.

Here is a bit from their email...

"Further to our telephone conversation we confirm we have received your payment of £200.00 as a reservation fee on the above mentioned property. Please note that this reservation fee could be non-refundable should you choose not to go ahead with the tenancy for any reason. Please see costs below. Should the landlord decide not to proceed with the tenancy to you for any reason, then the reservation fee will be returned in full.

We have also received the amount of £186.00 including vat which is the referencing and administration fees. We will soon email you the application form via our independent referencing agency. Once you submit the application on-line this money is also non-refundable. It is therefore essential that you have disclosed to us any issues that may affect your referencing checks before you submit the form. Please do not hesitate to call us if you have any questions regarding this."

Comments

  • Comms69
    Comms69 Posts: 14,229 Forumite
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    No. It is not yet June 1st.


    Just like any law, it is effective from a specific date and not before.
  • OffshoreToon
    OffshoreToon Posts: 2 Newbie
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    Yeah, but they still need my written consent to move forward (so the fee is refundable) and I won't be moving in until June 11th.
  • Comms69
    Comms69 Posts: 14,229 Forumite
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    OffshoreToon wrote: »
    Yeah, but they still need my written consent to move forward (so the fee is refundable) and I won't be moving in until June 11th.



    So ask for a refund. But I doubt you'll get the property again.


    They can refuse your business
  • need_an_answer
    need_an_answer Posts: 2,812 Forumite
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    The position is that letting agents will charge you for this service if it is carried out before the 1st June.

    After 1st June the fees are not paid by the tenant,more than likely they will be passed to the LL to absorb.


    Whatever happens the potential is that the work will still be done to reference etc,its just that the tenant wont be the one facing the bill.

    Make of that what you wish but if you instigate a tenancy before the 1st june you will need to cover those fees.

    After 1st june its very probable that rents might rise...……
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  • cashmonger
    cashmonger Posts: 411 Forumite
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    I see the front page of this forum is littered with these posts with the agents all doing a mad dash for all they can get before the hammer comes down as predicted.
  • Johnhowell
    Johnhowell Posts: 692 Forumite
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    cashmonger wrote: »
    I see the front page of this forum is littered with these posts with the agents all doing a mad dash for all they can get before the hammer comes down as predicted.

    And probably for the next year until the final date 1 June 2020 when fees for renewals can not be charged to the tenant either.

    J
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