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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think £485 is extortionate for a rental check-in fee?

78 replies

lill72 · 13/05/2015 20:44

This is the reduced rate - it was supposed to be £900! As they failed to mention at the beginning, they took £500 off. It still seems way too much. Why do tenants have to pay for this?

What should I do?

OP posts:
Original poster
lill72 · 13/05/2015 21:56

Oh sorry the £300 deposit is goin towards the deposit - not the rent.

OP posts:
TheCrowFromBelow · 13/05/2015 21:58

They've asked for cash, not card payment?

Something not right there.

Bearbehind · 13/05/2015 22:00

It's not illegal- immoral maybe but not illegal.

They hold all the cards- they know you want the place so are chancing their arm.

I'm sure they'll provide you with a made up breakdown but what will you do then?

You could call their bluff and say you weren't advised of the charges before you paid your deposit etc so won't be paying anything further and if they disagree you want your money back and walk away.

The 2 downsides to that are- you either have no flat to move to or you've royally pissed off your landlord from day 1 and he'll likely increase your rent in 6 months or something else equally immoral.

It's not fair but they can call the shots.

pod78 · 13/05/2015 22:01

Yes definitely ask for a breakdown and exactly what you will get in return.

Are they trying to say it is some sort of ground rent? That is the only time I've heard of a management company being involved. But perhaps the letting agent is being paid to find a tenant and then the day to day management (repairs etc) will be farmed out to this other company. There's probably some kind of clever tax dodge behind it all!!

I'd be wary of paying cash and would do everything to avoid doing so, but if you really have no choice, you must absolutely get a clearly signed and detailed receipt for the payment.

Just from my experience, I would not choose to rent through an agent that isn't straight forward and fair in the lead up to signing. We've takne properties with this kind in the past and have always lived to regret it - they tend to be the same in other aspects eg terrible at communication and getting repairs done, and it is just not worth it - even if the property is great. It can absolutely RUIN your experience of living in your home. Instead, I'd look for the better agents in your area and try to take a property with one of them.

Original poster
lill72 · 13/05/2015 22:02

Yup, cash.

And though the estate agent told me he was reducing the price, it is the management agent who sent through an email stating I was to pay 'the reduced price of £485'

If the estate agent was going to pay the difference, surely the wouldn;t tell the managing agent they had made a mistake???

all way fishy to me

OP posts:
pod78 · 13/05/2015 22:13

The redress scheme sounds a step in the right direction Pheobe. But I would think that it actually only applies to customers once they have signed a contract and become tenants, rather than as prospective tenants. But this tactic is worth a try for sure.

But as I said earlier, if you have to go to these lengths with them already, i can only imagine what sort of hell you'll be in once you have moved in. Even this new dispute service could take months to resolve a problem. By which time you'll have probably decided you can't stand it any longer and just have to leave - cue another round of fees and moving costs Sad Angry

best of luck with it lill

PhoebeMcPeePee · 13/05/2015 22:14

When you say managing agent do you mean the one who will look after the rental of the flat or the managing agent of the building? If it's managing agent of the building and they're asking for ground rent or service charge payment it's the landlord's responsibility not yours! I would also strongly advise against paying anything in cash if you are in any way suspicious Hmm

Original poster
lill72 · 13/05/2015 22:20

Phoebe - I found the property though an estate agent, but they and now I have to deal with this 'managing company' who manage presumably all the properties for this landlord and others.

What does ground rent mean?

Do you usually pay a check-in fee? or chekc out fee? or neither?

I am so confused.

OP posts:
Gabilan · 13/05/2015 22:23

The only time I've been asked to make a cash payment was back in the days before people had internet banking and you could do a quick transfer. Back then it was either cash or cheque and if they didn't know you and the cheque exceeded the guarantee card amount they could ask for cash fairly legitimately. Not so now.

pod78 · 13/05/2015 22:30

Yes, money laundering regs are VERY strict with payments now - we couldn't pay any of our fees in cash for those reasons. So it is even more fishy when you take that into account.

I hope you find somehwere nice lill, you've clearly had a sressful time of it - I can't amagine much worse than moving whilst pregant whe it isn't really your choice

PhoebeMcPeePee · 13/05/2015 22:33

Ground rent is an annual charge a leaseholder (ie the owner of a leasehold property nothing to do with renting ) pays a freeholder so you should have nothing to do with this. IME landlord & tenant usually share the cost of check-in & check-out so make sure you know end of tenancy charges now so you don't get stung again. I would also argue the landlord should be responsible for making a new inventory (ie detailed list of property & contents) as this can be used for future tenancies but you pay for checking in (ie condition of property & contents at start ) OR check-out (ie condition of property & contents at end)
HTH

Original poster
lill72 · 13/05/2015 22:38

Thank you that is helpful.

Just to give you idea of the property - it was totally refurbished last year and is a 2 bed unfurnished property. So ie it is new and not furnished. Not massive.

We now live in a old 2 bed house which needed a large condition report as there was a lot wrong with it. I cannot imagine someone having to the same amount of effort with our new property.

OP posts:
PhoebeMcPeePee · 13/05/2015 22:40

If it was new last year & already been rented out ask why the previous inventory can't be used for the check-in. Cheeky fuckers Confused

Jux · 13/05/2015 22:42

Get a receipt, if you can't get out of paying it. Insisting on cash seems very fishy.

We rent out our basement - used to use an EA who charged tenants for background checks etc, but in the contract we were responsible for paying for the inventory and other checks. It can take a while as they have to take lots of photos - wear on the carpets etc, so they can say for sure that when the tenant leaves that further wear is 'normal' or not. But, yeah, we paid it as LL.

Original poster
lill72 · 13/05/2015 22:45

Phoebe - from what I recall the agent mumbled something about it taking 3 hours to do an examination of the place and a condition report - can they claim this is what the charge is for?

OP posts:
PhoebeMcPeePee · 13/05/2015 22:46

I've been out of the lettings business a few years but just checked a couple of the companies I used to use (prime central London) and they're coming in at £175-£250 for inventory make & check-in and around £80-£120 for check-out. They are having a laugh if that's all it's for so ask them to find someone cheaper & feel free to message me if you want a couple of companies in London.

Original poster
lill72 · 13/05/2015 22:55

Phoebe - thank you. I will PM you now.

OP posts:
Jobless123 · 13/05/2015 23:06

It's because estate agents are cunts,

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 14/05/2015 03:35

Even if it takes 3 hrs to do the work
.. They are still charging £300 per HOUR...

They are conmen - would deffo have a nose around re cash payment... As long as you don't compromise moving in!

Also have you got the landlord details? I know our landlord was appalled when she realised how much we were expected to pay... In fact there after went to self management...

I've found several times once we've moved in - we have just refused to pay anything extra we were not contracted to pay..

One agent wanted us to pay an extra 500£ when we were extending after 6 months... They said for referencing... Wtf?! They couldn't explain their reasoning, other than they wanted our money...

We found a swift - sorry,no we are not paying this charge has often sufficed.

Hope you get a swift and cheap resolution... Oh and CAB I found invaluable for legal advice re housing

Bearbehind · 14/05/2015 07:18

I'm not sure the cash part is such a big issue, unless it's a mansion the first months rent and deposit will be well under the Money Laundering regulation limit.

When we rented we either had to bring cash on the day we got the keys or pay by bank transfer far enough in advance that it cleared before check in day and that was a national high St estate agent. They wouldn't accept a card payment on the day- I'm guessing because your card isn't registered at your new address maybe?

MidniteScribbler · 14/05/2015 07:53

This seems odd to me. I have an investment property and I pay one week rent when a new tenant moves in to cover the costs of lease renewal/inspections/etc. There is no cost to the tenant for this, and I wouldn't expect there to be. It's all part of the cost of being a landlord.

Justusemyname · 14/05/2015 07:59

No one voluntarily drops £500 off a genuine costing bill!

passmethewineplease · 14/05/2015 08:00

All estate agents are rip offs.

It cannot cost what they charge to perform simple tasks.

I detest them, another reason I voted Labour as they said they would look to regulate them and their outrageous fees.

Lucyloves101 · 14/05/2015 09:11

What!?? We rented our flat our short term as currently in NZ and we paid the estate agents for the inventory (as we should it's to protect our property!). £900 is absolutely 100% taking the piss.

iseenatree · 14/05/2015 09:27

They should make landlords pay all the fees, that's how it works in Scotland. They are already getting their mortgage paid for them what more do they want.