Fee to move onto rolling tenancy?

[MummyPigLovesAppleSauce]

We are hoping to buy our first home this year and therefore don't want to sign a new fixed term agreement for our rented property. It's managed through a letting agency but we have come to know the LL ( they live next door) and I'm sure they will have no issue with us moving onto a periodic tenancy.
Just informed the letting agency of the plan as our agreement is due to end soon and they want to charge us £72 to move onto a periodic tenancy. That's not right, is it? I thought we would move onto one automatically if we don't renew. They can't charge us to not do anything can they?
Confused!

Anyone?

agencies CAN charge whatever they want, and rest assured your landlord will be paying the same again. The inflated fees for doing not much is why the baby is going to be thrown out with the bathwater for fees where work IS required.

speak to your landlord, the agent works for him. You have no agreement with the agency, he does.