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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think admin fees are ridiculous?

35 replies

TheBloodManCometh · 15/09/2014 19:15

I hate unnecessary fees. HATE them.
I get particularly pissed off with "transaction fees" and "booking fees" on websites - why should I pay a fee for paying for something??

I'm looking around at potential flats to rent in London, as I may need to find one for work.

The letting agent I was looking at charged a "one off" fee of £450!!
I can understand landlords paying a fee, but tenants? £450 is extortinate.

OP posts:
Nomama · 15/09/2014 19:17

Well, they do have to collect references, do credit checks and all sorts of other things. So YABU to think they should do it for free. But NU at all for being pissed off at the exorbitant charges they get away with levying!

Original poster
TheBloodManCometh · 15/09/2014 19:19

Last time I rented a property it was free Confused that must have been a damn good deal!

I understand that they need to do the checks but that's no more than £50-£100 IMO. And that's expensive!

OP posts:
UncrushedParsley · 15/09/2014 19:22

Yes, it's a Made Up Charge. Any costs incurred could be rolled into the cost of whatever it is. Just gives the impression that something is cheaper than it actually is.

enriquetheringbearinglizard · 15/09/2014 19:24

I recently booked a restaurant and was charged a fee. It was only a couple of quid each place, but it went against the grain really. Same as tickets.

It's like you go into the supermarket, choose and pack your own shopping and they add a 'service charge' on your bill for letting you do it Hmm

HungryHorace · 15/09/2014 19:37

Nomama, an agent charges the landlord for those things. And then also charges the prospective tenant. Rip off merchants.

Nomama · 15/09/2014 19:42

I didn't say they were justified, HungryHorace, quite the opposite! I was just pointing out that someone has to pay them.

Maybe blame the landlords - after all, they are the ones who chose the agents (joking... if you have read my previous contributions to landlord threads you know that was a sarcastic suggestion).

windchime · 15/09/2014 19:49

A letting agent I know charges long-term tenants an admin fee each year to carry out credit searches. She doesn't do anything of the sort; just charges it and prints off a new contract. If they pay their rent - great. If not, she evicts them, of course. She is very rich.

taxi4ballet · 15/09/2014 19:52

ATG theatre tickets - they add on an admin/transaction fee all the time. Why don't they just include it in the price of the tickets?

Grrrr

nancy75 · 15/09/2014 19:59

Those admin fees are usually on top of credit checks, referee checks and booking in inventory ect. We are moving at the moment and one agent has an admin fee of £475 + all the checks. It takes the piddle!

TheOpaqueAndJelliedTruth · 15/09/2014 20:01

YY, it's so annoying.

Most places round here charge yearly to renew the contract, and refuse to let you go onto a rolling contract. They send out the eviction notice as a routine thing, so if you don't sign the new contract, you've already been told you have to go. Hmm

I also looked round a house recently where the draft contract included an (unenforceable) clause that they would inspect every twelve weeks and if you did not let them in, they would charge £25. Hmm Hmm

I think the situation in Scotland is better, is that right? I believe they're illegal there.

Andrewofgg · 15/09/2014 20:03

UncrushedParsley You are right. It reminds me, old fart as I am, of pre decimal days when the price of white goods was quoted is "guineas" which made them look a bit less than they were.

Younger readers may not even know that a guinea was one pound one shilling or £1.05!

londonrach · 15/09/2014 20:04

Avoid fox something and a few others. In my corner of london the estate agents are awful. No morals. They get away with it.... Go local if possible. Talk to people. In our area only one is worth dealing with. Local knowledge will tell you. Please ask your your neighbours....

Serenitysutton · 15/09/2014 20:04

I have to say I used to work for a ticket agent- they can't wrap their margin (well, it's not a margin as such as it covers the cost of providing their service as well as profit) in the price of the ticket as they are just an agent- they have no ownership of the ticket, the full face value of which goes to the venue/ promotor.

But yes, they are annoying. Credit checks don't cost £400

zipzap · 15/09/2014 20:06

I Particularly hate the ticket type ones that charge you an on-line processing fee - but then if you go to the venue in person you get charged too Hmm

tumbletime · 15/09/2014 20:08

OP I'm not sure what the laws in England and Wales are but in Scotland it is actually illegal for letting agents to charge tenants any sort of fees, they are only allowed to take the deposit and rent. The thing is not many people actually know it is illegal so many many agents still charge fees illegally although councils are trying to crack down on this. If you are in Scotland (or the laws are the same where you are) you can refuse to pay them. The problem is that if they have the property you really want then you're stuck in a bit of a hard place as if you refuse to pay the fee they will no doubt just let the property to someone else. What you can do ia pay the fee then once you're in the property write them a letter to say you have now been informed that those fees are illegal and you demand that the money is returned or you will report them. That usually works!

Ragwort · 15/09/2014 20:09

enrique - a restaurant booking fee Shock - that is shocking, but why pay, surely no restaurant is that good, just say no thanks and eat at home. It's only by paying these fees that these places get away with it.

And yes, I have worked in restaurants for years and never heard of such a thing.

Original poster
TheBloodManCometh · 15/09/2014 20:10

not illegal in england unfortunately Sad

OP posts:
WestEast · 15/09/2014 20:14

We had to pay a £300 admin fee for our flat, for references and paperwork. Ok I get that references are chargeable, they're about £53 per person but I object to the best part of £200 for the estate agents to press print on their computers to print out our contract!

enriquetheringbearinglizard · 15/09/2014 22:47

Ragwort, yes a booking fee for a meal in a restaurant, but the get around was that you officially purchased a ticket to an event because it was a pop up restaurant, albeit one that's operating for a couple of months and the event is meals in a restaurant.
On the day drinks, coffee etc. were extras to the 'ticket' price and then 12½% for service added to the whole thing including the 'ticket price' paid in advance Hmm Never again.

My friend told me about Agent's charges for renewing a six monthly rental and I didn't believe her. Her daughter's rented the same place for a couple of years and paid out for the 'checks' every six months. Scandalous IMO.

whois · 15/09/2014 23:47

One of my ex-lodgers had to pay something like £250 admin fee for a credit and reference check. The agents never got in touch with me.

MrsMarcJacobs · 16/09/2014 00:36

My favourite is when letting agents hit you for another 450 pounds for renewing the lease.

Fanjango · 16/09/2014 00:38

Most insurance companies now offer online buying and managing of car insurance. If you are doing all the work, and printing the documents, why do I still pay them £25 to alter the policy? Rant, rant Grin

MrsMarcJacobs · 16/09/2014 00:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsMarcJacobs · 16/09/2014 00:39

The charge was for issuing another ticket. :(

AgaPanthers · 16/09/2014 03:15

Letting agents are lying thieves, generally.