Accidentally overpaid letting agent.

[ThePartyArtist]

I've just had a shock as I thought I'd set up a one-off direct debit, but I actually set it up recurring! Which means we've paid the letting agency for our old flat while we haven't been living there. We paid £200 in October which should've been a one off, as we ended the tenancy at the end of that month - however due to my error we paid them the same amount in November, December and January. I've rung them today to request a refund of the £600 and they said they can do this less an admin charge of £25. I know £25 is a small amount compared to the overall amount, but AIBU to think we shouldn't pay anything; they should just refund us the amount we paid in error? I know it is my fault but as we weren't even their tenants after October I also feel we should be entitled to 100% of the money back.

[OlennasWimple]

Well, I guess they will incur some costs in refunding the money, whether that's £25 I don't know. I don't think it's outrageous TBH

[ClaudiaWankleman]

I reckon Judge Rinder would give you the whole amount back, but if I were you I would just accept the £25. It's a very small proportion of the overall sum. Annoying but just one of those things.

[NarkyMcDinkyChops]

The admin fee is standard, they will have to do admin to pay it back to you. It was your fault entirely, you should be happy you're getting most of it back.

[LamppostInWinter]

I think it sounds reasonable tbh, it was your mistake which they're having to do work (if not a great deal) to rectify.

[dementedpixie]

I think it's reasonable too as it's not their fault you kept paying them the standing order

[TheFilthiestPersonAlive]

Letting agents can be total bastards, I'd just be pathetically grateful they were refunding your money without being difficult!

[abbsisspartacus]

How did they not notice?

[WeedlesHatOfDisappointment]

I'd rather lose £25 rather than £600, for something that was entirely my own fault. Sorry OP, probably not what you want to hear, but it's a small price to pay.

[seesensepeople]

Isn't it the letting agent who would have set up the Direct Debit? The OP would have set up a Standing Order. So if it is a DD then the error must have been by the Letting Agent so you should be asking for a refund PLUS interest.
Also, your bank should offer the DD guarantee for those DDs which have not been managed correctly.

[harderandharder2breathe]

Considering it's your error and it will take them time to do the refund, I think £25 is fair

[dementedpixie]

I bet it's a standing order that the OP set up and nothing to do with the letting agent. A lot of people get the payment types confused.

[TarragonChicken]

This was stated in my contract with my previous lettings agent. I think you'll have to accept the £25. Don't get me started on lettings agents and fees...

[FatBottomedGal]

I absolutely don't think £25 is fair as there isn't a chance in hell it will cost them that to set up a bank transfer. Having said that, I've dealt with agents in the past and there is pretty much nothing you can do about the stupid fees they charge, so you just have to swallow it unfortunately

Such money-grabbers!

[EggnogChai]

You are aware that it costs money for business accounts to transfer money? It also costs wages for someone to sort out your mistake. So yeah you should take some responsibility for your mistake.

[usernumbernonsense]

Am I missing something? or am I being thick? Surely they write a cheque or do an immediate direct transfer for the full amount. Either option takes less than a minute.How on earth does that cost £25?

[ClaudiaWankleman]

Well first there is the time spent going back through accounts to find the OP's transactions (might take up to an hour depending on how many payments a month they get and whether the OP has given them a time/ date range. Then there are business account fees and also the time spent getting the payment authorised (may have to go to a couple of people as it's not a 'normal' payment).

None of that is the business' fault. It's unfortunately the OP's.

[notretiringyet]

I previously worked for 2 letting agents. The first one would have just transferred the money back to you with no charges. The second would have charged you £25 they were robbing sods who would try and get the last penny out of tenants and landlords. Can't believe that the way the system works that your letting agent didn't notice the payment coming in😨 I think you will just have to agree with the £25.

[harderandharder2breathe]

They need to look through their payment history to make sure they did get the extra payments, which takes time. Then raise a manual refund, which takes time. Because the OP didn't miss £200 out of her account for three months. Why should the business do it for free when it's not their fault?

[ClaudiaWankleman]

You have a 0% chance of getting any interest. It wouldn't be right for you to get any.

[Allthewaves]

Take administration fee charge if you get your money back quicker

[Jaynebxl]

Ask for interest? You do know what interest rates are like right now don't you?

[Roomster101]

I think it is an unfair charge as it wouldn't take more than a few minutes of their time to check the mistake and transfer the money back. If the mistake was the other way around and you needed to give them money I bet that they wouldn't accept you charging them £25.
It is probably worth paying though as otherwise you will have to take them to court which would be a lot of hassle.

[NarkyMcDinkyChops]

It doesn't matter if anyone thinks the charge is fair or not, OP has to pay it or she won't be getting her money back without a long and difficult process.
She voluntarily put money in someone elses account and failed to notice for months. If she wants it back, pay up. Simple as that.

[MovingOnUpMovingOnOut]

If it is a Direct Debit claim it back under the guarantee via your bank.

If (as I suspect) it's a Standing Order cancel it with the bank first and I would phone them and haggle about the £25. They have no right to the money and should have returned it without you having to ask. What sort of accounting and reconciliation procedures do they have they didn't notice?! I'd offer them the option of paying their costs which if they're sending via Faster Payments or BACS will be nil. If sending via CHAPS £25 or they have a book-keeper who charges to do transactions then that is fair enough. If they were uncooperative I'd mention you could reclaim it via the courts.

Yes it was your error (if a SO) but that doesn't mean they get to keep £600 that doesn't belong to them and make a profit from your mistake.