New rules on fees that can be charged to tenants and pets

[decisionsindecisions]

I have some friends who have rented their property for the past four years. Unexpectedly my friend's mother died and she "interited" her cat. Luckily their current landlord had no issues with this and simply charged an additional pet deposit of £100.00.

They now need to move house as they are relocating. They cannot find anywhere that will accommodate pets. It appears that landlords who were previously happy to take a chance on this and charge an additional deposit for the pet are no longer happy to do so because they can only take a deposit which a maximum of five weeks rent.

AIBU to think that there is possibility that many pets will need to be rehomed because of this issue? I don't blame the LL for this at all by the way. It just means that they are less likely to take a chance on someone/a family with pets because of the new rules on deposits.

Oh, and secondly?

Thought you’d given in.

Eh?

I said I take it case by case. I have allowed pets in the past. Also tenants haven’t asked, but got one anyway. That’s my complaint. If I said no, and they got a pet that’s the same. But I’ve always said I DO look at it case by case.

Please actually read the post before jumping on me.

Often when you go full managed with a letting agent - they ban pets (and sometimes even people on benefits) as it’s easier for them to maintain (and evict) the property. Nothing to do with the Landlord at all.

Often when you go full managed with a letting agent - they ban pets (and sometimes even people on benefits) as it’s easier for them to maintain (and evict) the property. Nothing to do with the Landlord at all.

It's everything to do with the Landlord. If the landlord wants to accept pets, and tenants on benefits, then they simply tell their agent to do so.

Only completely disinterested landlords allow their agents to dictate the terms (or ones who somehow don't seem to realise that they are paying for the agent - they're usually the same ones who don't realise that if an agent cocks up, with notice or a gas inspection for example, it's actually them that are legally responsible)

Ooh! Do I know you lyra ?

L'm just arguing with a landlord who wants it to be my fault he had no gas certificate. I'm an inventory clerk!

He'll get bugger all from me torward his fine, but I may inform his tenant, who is currently suing him!

OK, I won't. But the hassle he is giving me over his mistake is REALLY annoying!

Often its the insurance company that doesn’t allow benefits, not the LL or the LA.

Often when you go full managed with a letting agent - they ban pets (and sometimes even people on benefits) as it’s easier for them to maintain (and evict) the property. Nothing to do with the Landlord at all

I was thinking this too. Often it's the agent tail wagging the landlord dog, especially if the landlord doesn't live locally themselves. They just leave everything to the agent. The agent probably doesn't even ask the landlord if they get a request for a pet, just say no.

Not quite the same, but when I bought my current house, we wanted to pay a 5% deposit rather than the usual 10% deposit as we were accepting a smaller one from our buyers.

The solicitor said no.

We asked the seller and they said the solicitor hadn't asked them and immediately agreed.

So I can completely imagine the same sort of thing happens with lazy letting agents.

I don't think so Curious it's just something I see time and time again on LL forums.

"But the agent said..." or even worse "The agent didn't tell me..."

It's the same with "The agent said I can go in with no notice" or whatever. Some LLs just don't bother to find out for themselves, even though everyone knows that many lettig agents are as dodgy as fuck.

I did learn the hard way that some agents do think they are in charge when my first tenants left. I happened to see them on check out and discovered that they had reported a couple of minor repairs and the agent had told them I wasn't bothered whereas the agent (when I asked) just told me that drippy taps and really difficult front door lock aren't things they consider major. Even though we had a contract that said they passed everything to me. Since then I deal with the tenants myself.

I think the rose of letting agents has been one of the main things wrong with private rentals. I think less went wrong when landlords dealt with it themselves.

Too many letting agents are shit and the fees they charge are horrendous. I'd like to do see this sector of the market gone or severely restricted.