Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Renting from an estate agent - fees?

2 replies

Confuzzlediddled · 13/10/2019 12:16

Hi I'm hoping someone is knowledgeable about the new legislation on fees.

We've been in our current rental since 2011 and things have changed a bit since then - we had to give a whole host of information before we could view for a start!

Our current home isn't liveable, the landlord is falling to carry out essential repairs and as a result we have damp and concerns over the electrics, not to mention the boiler that decides on a whim if it's going to give us hot water. So it's time to move on.

We viewed a house yesterday and I've told the agent we want it, he's said to fill in another miriad of forms and to pay the £1000 deposit immediately and to move on the 1st November.

So firstly we haven't told our current landord we're going yet, we don't want to do that until we have somewhere confirmed to go to so would need a bit more time! Secondly I had interpreted the legislation that he can only ask for a weeks holding deposit until we actually sign, is that correct?

I'm concerned they'll turn us down, especially as they said they always ask for a guarantor which we don't have (how many people in thier mid 40s would expect to have a guarantor!) my mum is a pensioner and DH hasn't been in touch with his family for 7 years, then they'll have £1k of our money, meaning we wouldn't have the money for another deposit!

Anyone more knowledgeable about this than us? We don't have a deposit to get back from here as we paid 2 months rent upfront instead so wont have to pay the last month's rent (on Tuesday!)

OP posts:
Confuzzlediddled · 15/10/2019 22:44

Anyone?

OP posts:
NorthernSpirit · 15/10/2019 22:56

The estate agent is acting illegally. Since the 1st of June there has been a ban on charging tenant fees. What’s the £1,000 for?

The ‘holding deposit’ can’t be more than 1 weeks rent.

www.gov.uk/government/collections/tenant-fees-act

Since April 2007 - your deposit for the property you live in should be held in one of the deposit protection schemes. And you can’t use your deposit to pay your last months rent.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page