To ask advice on private renting

[proseccolime]

It seems that it will cost the best part of £2000

Agency fees and deposit and first months rent - is this normal?

Depends where in the country you are. What are the costs broken down?

Application fee 250

Deposit protection scheme 36

Just over 1000 deposit (this varies)

First months rent 700

Ouch.

Yep. And you usually get a stupid 6 or 12 months lease and either have to pack up and move again when you have barely finished unpacking in the first place or you get to re new the lease but have to pay a renewal fee.

Yes. Just watch those agencies fees are not extortionate but it's perfectly normal to pay a deposit that is the equivalent of between 4-8 weeks rent (depending on where you are, whether you have pets etc). plus the first months rent in advance.

So, a house that costs £800pm in rent could mean paying something like:

£150 agency fee
£1200 deposit (6 weeks)
£800 first months rent
Total: £2150 in advance.

Obviously you should get the deposit back at the end.

Removal van/boxes etc.

What size property? That wouldn't get you a one bed flat where I live, also a lot of agents here would want two months rent in advance plus a deposit, so you'd be looking at around £1000 a month rent times three plus fees etc. So over £3000 it's all comparitive.

This amount seems to be quite normal (depending on your area) my son paid 3 mths rent and an amount for Agency fee's when he first started renting his house,one months rent was for the first month's rent and the other two months was a deposit held in a special account by the EA for when they leave the property once it has been inspected for any damage to the property.
Just make sure you get all the checks from the gas/electric done for when you move in and if any work needs doing make your EA aware straight away.

Why does it make a difference where it is?

It’s just a lot of money. I can afford the monthly rent but not the moving costs so easily.

£525 first months rent.
£625 deposit scheme.
£400 agency fees.

Why does it make a difference where it is?

Usually because rent costs vary across the country I think. We pay £670 for a 3 bed semi in a nice area in Manchester. The same in London areas would be ££££ so the deposit & first month up front would be more. Plus the agents fee probably varies as well.

That’d be cheap in my area. That’s why it makes a difference where you are. You can’t really say whether it’s expensive or cheap unless you know which area it’s in as the variations across the country are so great.

It's extortionate and it does make moving property difficult.

We had to pay £250 for the credit checks and admin fee. £1750 for the deposit (month and a half) then the first months rent.

We had help with the upfront cost thankfully otherwise we'd have been really stuck!

My rent was £2300 a month.
Think all together I paid over £3000 deposit plus 6 months rent in advance as my salary wasnt enough to cover.

Sounds pretty normal I'm afraid. We didn't pay to renew our tenancy after the initial 6 month period, we just let it automatically switch to a rolling contract. We had seen a house and had to pay for £150 referencing only to be then told that the LL didn't want dc. I had taken ds to the viewing and was (very obviously! )pregnant so we essentially submitted all of the paperwork, bank statements etc, paid the referencing fee to be told that we wouldn't get the house because of the dc. We argued and got the money back but it was very annoying.

Unfortunately very normal.
Awful isn’t it? No wonder so many renting couples end up still living together after they split because they can’t fork up the small fortune to break the lease or move elsewhere

unusual for tenant to be charged deposit fee although that is lost in the noise.

referencing/right to rent; if latter not done landlord breaks law. If former not done landlord can have no insurance.

agent fees - yes, huge, and landlord will pay the same. The greed of agents with this is why the fees are being banned. In practice landlords pay double so that may affect rents in high demand areas. I use a big national agent (the HQ are idiots but the branch are excellent) and the fees for doing anything are standardised country-wide though. So in London it is a day's rent and here it is a week's.

deposit - six weeks rent is usual. Your money and must be in a protection scheme. Appreciate it is a big chunk to find.
first months rent - that will be every month.

don't forget council tax, contents insurance and energy bills. Do not rent a shithole thinking it will improve. Read the how to rent guide, get informed.