Lettings Agent fees / costs

[bigandclever]

Can someone in the know tell me whether the costs below are about right or exhorbitant?

Me, looking to rent a flat, have to pay a non-refundable £250 for 'refence checks' and a further 35% of 1 month rent plus VAT for 'agents fees' (which in this case amounts to nigh on £600). Plus of course a months rent up front and a month and a half for the deposit, but that's expected.

I expect they're taking the proverbial but, having never done it before, I don't know.

Ta!

[gradeAfailure]

Sounds waaaaaaay too much to me - rented our place 4 years ago mind, but I think all the agency/reference check fees came in at less than £300 for both of us together.

[BrabusMog]

Never heard of that agents fees bks being passed on to the tenant, but everything else is above board. If by above board you mean a fking absolute rip off!

[bigandclever]

Ah, here's where my post went

I'm sure you'll be delighted to hear that the fees have magically come down by 40%. I must use the word 'exhorbitant' more often in my correspondance with would-be-footpads.

[RichBurley]

The landlord should pay agent's fees, not the tenant. They are taking to pi-fifty five.

[The Tea Boy]

RichBurley said:

The landlord should pay agent's fees, not the tenant. They are taking to pi-fifty five.

rich rich rich!!!
If we charge the landlords more, they do it themselves, fair enough, but then what about the mess they create when they dont know what their doing and you as a tenant are stuck in a rut because of your landlords incompetance????
better to pay a bit more and know your working with a company than an even more dodgy individual!!

All IMO ofcourse!!

Matt

[Menguin]

The Tea Boy said:

RichBurley said:

The landlord should pay agent's fees, not the tenant. They are taking to pi-fifty five.

rich rich rich!!!
If we charge the landlords more, they do it themselves, fair enough, but then what about the mess they create when they dont know what their doing and you as a tenant are stuck in a rut because of your landlords incompetance????
better to pay a bit more and know your working with a company than an even more dodgy individual!!

All IMO ofcourse!!

Matt

To be fair the letting companies I've had dealings with leave me much more willing to deal with landlords directly!

[The Tea Boy]

Menguin said:

The Tea Boy said:

RichBurley said:

The landlord should pay agent's fees, not the tenant. They are taking to pi-fifty five.

rich rich rich!!!
If we charge the landlords more, they do it themselves, fair enough, but then what about the mess they create when they dont know what their doing and you as a tenant are stuck in a rut because of your landlords incompetance????
better to pay a bit more and know your working with a company than an even more dodgy individual!!

All IMO ofcourse!!

Matt

To be fair the letting companies I've had dealings with leave me much more willing to deal with landlords directly!

its 50/50 IMO, some tenants treat the property with the respect it deserves and get all their money back etc, but i would say 80% of people i deal with dont, all im allowed to work from by the law under the TDS and DPS and i have to work form the inventories we carry out, if i were to pick fault with something not mentioned or detailed it would get thrown out if it went to the ICE.

But then again some agents are better than others just like car retailers, decorators, solicitors, resturants etc etc were all in the public service and different people have different ideas on levels of service.

In fact im leaving my company because im not happy about a few things but thats because I have high hope and expectations of the service I personally can give.

Matt

(ps non of the above was directed at you saying you were scum!! just to be on the safe side!!