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Original poster

Question for tenants who are with agencies

40 replies

SardineQueen · 15/02/2012 08:37

Hi there

I was wondering, if you rent a property and it's through an agency, does the agency charge you anything when you renew after a year?

Thanks :)

OP posts:
QED · 15/02/2012 08:39

I haven't been charged anything by the agency on renewal (although that doesn't mean that some places don't....)

strawberrypenguin · 15/02/2012 08:41

Yes, all the agencies I've rented from do

QED · 15/02/2012 08:48

Am feeling lucky that mine don't then - also didn't have to pay anything when XH moved out and I took over the tenancy on my own.

Original poster
SardineQueen · 15/02/2012 08:51

Thanks QED.

I am trying to work out what is best for me & the tenant and I suddenly wondered if they had to pay on renewal as well, as I was shocked that they had to pay something when we started up given how much I was paying!

Money for old rope IMO.

OP posts:
Original poster
SardineQueen · 15/02/2012 08:51

Oh xposts

Strawberry how much - is it a % of a flat fee? What is it even for?

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strawberrypenguin · 15/02/2012 08:57

We've had anywhere between £50 to £100 depending on agency. They say it's for admin costs because it costs so much to print a couple of bits of paper and file them then click a few buttons on a computer Angry I hate rental agency's in case you can't tell :) had much nicer experiences renting direct from LL though I can see potential benefits to both options

Original poster
SardineQueen · 15/02/2012 09:05

Shock that's outrageous!

So potentially they want £500 quid from me and £100 from him to print off a document, make two phone calls and do some light filing. I'm really gobsmacked.

Last person who rented I sort of knew and we did it privately and this new chap has been there a year is a really good tenant and so I thought maybe we could do it privately to save money. However I have a feeling that the agency will kick off. Guess I'd better dig the paperwork out.

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scaryteacher · 15/02/2012 09:52

My agency (I am a landlord) charges me when they get a new tenant, but after the initial AST expires, go with the rolling tenancy and no more charges. I am paying them £150 every month fora fully managed service, so they make their money out of me anyway.

Original poster
SardineQueen · 15/02/2012 10:10

I think there is a lot of variation ST, in what landlords pay. I expect it depends on a lot of different factors.

I was more trying to find out what tenants pay as they have never mentioned that.

I have dug out my agreement and there is nothing to say that I am tied to them, even though when I called the agency the person said that as they had placed the tenant, even if for year 2 I had a private agreement with the tenant, they would still be entitled to their %.

That sounds wrong to me.

I think they are a bunch of shysters TBH. Although they did find me a good tenant.

OP posts:
scaryteacher · 15/02/2012 10:30

I don't think they charge my tenant either once the initial AST has finished.

mousymouseafraidofdogs · 15/02/2012 10:32

they try to charge us each year when the renewal is due. we kindly decline each year and haven't had any problems so far.

blackteaplease · 15/02/2012 10:42

We rented ours through an agency initially as our landlord didn't want the hassle of viewings and references etc, then at 6 months when the renewals were up he proposed that we ditch agents. We were supposed to pay £60 admin for renewal of contract.

We are now on a rolling contract with our LL and have been for 3.5 years with no problems at all. We pay our rent to him by direct debit and contact him if any major works need doing (like the boiler, twice).

Original poster
SardineQueen · 15/02/2012 11:04

Tenant already pays direct to me and I do maintenance, am contact for problems, go round and say hello etc etc

I think it's an obvious decision to make I'm just quite scared of the woman at the letting agency Blush

Now I have read my agreement with them and it says nothing about subsequent years, am a. pissed off that the other person said I would be charged even if I went private with tenant and b. fairly secure that I can just tell them that I don't need their service any more.

OP posts:
RitaMorgan · 15/02/2012 11:08

Agencies are such a rip off. We just had to pay £350 to rent a new house Shock Given that a credit check apparently costs £12...

mousymouseafraidofdogs · 15/02/2012 11:11

to be fair to our agency, they are really good at doing the maintainance and quick repairs. I still don't want to (and don't) pay 150£ every year for a printout of the new contract.

McTemp · 15/02/2012 11:15

Our agency tried to charge us £35 when we renewed last year. We told them we would "drop the money in" when we were next passing, with no intention of ever doing so! That was 10months ago now, and they've never chased us for it!

Original poster
SardineQueen · 15/02/2012 11:17

I don't think the scary lady will let us get away with any of these ploys Grin

I spoke to her yesterday and she was willing to negotiate on renewing the contract - her starting point is a few hundred quid. It suddenly occured to me that they might drop my fees but still charge the poor old tenant through the nose.

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ajandjjmum · 15/02/2012 11:23

When DD found a sharer for her flat, the agent insisted that he went through them, and charged him £100 for the pleasure of signing an agreement that was already in existence. No checks were done.

The second sharer has been there for three months, and I have no intention of telling the agent.

They've been useless and there are still things they haven't done from when she moved at the end of August.

Agincourt · 15/02/2012 11:26

yes, ours charges as well and this year i haven't renewed but have let it roll on as I know my landlord and he seems more than happy for me to carry on living here so i don't see the point. Am I being foolsih Confused

Original poster
SardineQueen · 15/02/2012 11:36

No I think you are being very sensible agincourt Smile

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blackteaplease · 15/02/2012 13:56

If you already do all maintenence, meet and greet and get rent paid to you then go for it. Can you write a letter to the Agency to avoid having to speak to the scary lady?

tardisjumper · 15/02/2012 14:00

They charged us £70 and will charge us £90 if we ever want to leave. They were the cheapest in the area. I don't understand why landlords use them as they are soooo shite.

Original poster
SardineQueen · 15/02/2012 14:05

tardis I tried to do it myself and had a whole lot of probs which was why I went to an agency in the end.

they did find me a very nice tenant, very quickly. That was a service I thought was worthwhile (although still not cheap).

This ongoing fees for printing out a piece of paper thing is taking the mickey though. I suppose it works for people who have properties that are a long way from where they live, and who want arms distance on the whole thing. But for someone like me it doesn't make sense so am going to go direct with the client I think.

Thanks all Smile

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Original poster
SardineQueen · 16/02/2012 08:50

OH MY GOD I have just heard from tenant and he has to pay them over £100 quid whether it is renewed through the agency or not.

That's just outrageous isn't it. How can that even be legal?

OP posts:
FriggFRIGG · 16/02/2012 09:58

Yep,we have to pay £100 every 6 months!

The house is a Victorian terrace and is in a shite state,the sash windows are broken and don't shut properly,central heating system is shot,kitchen is older than me...
And we will lose all of our deposit because to house is falling apart (cheap threadbare carpets,radiator randomly fell of the wall...) and no one will answer our phone calls and come and fix anything,agency says its the LL's problem,LL says it the agencys job,I wouldn't mind paying so much if they were actually using it on the upkeep of the house!

I cannot wait to complete on the house we are buying.