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-   -   A Serious Question Regarding UK Letting Agents (https://britishexpats.com/forum/sand-pit-116/serious-question-regarding-uk-letting-agents-592236/)

Bison Feb 18th 2009 9:27 am
A Serious Question Regarding UK Letting Agents
 
So my mother has been renting a property for the last 5 years and has never had to pay an admin fee when it came to renewing her tenancy contract.

So first thing, are the agents legally allowed to charge 34.50 for writing a letter to my mum asking her to renew?

Secondly there is this one cow there who is always rude to my mum during inspections and has harrassed my mum by calling her 7 times in 3 days chasing the said 34.50 admin fee which my mum refuses to pay on principal.

So any advice, what can be done?

Bison

Charismatic Feb 18th 2009 9:30 am
Re: A Serious Question Regarding UK Letting Agents
 
Get the landlord to weigh in asking them to drop the fee or he'll not list with them again?

Seems a bit silly anyway since I thought letting agents made their money from fees charged to landlords not tenants?

BangleMan Feb 18th 2009 9:33 am
Re: A Serious Question Regarding UK Letting Agents
 
Originally Posted by Bison (Post 7297148)
So my mother has been renting a property for the last 5 years and has never had to pay an admin fee when it came to renewing her tenancy contract.

So first thing, are the agents legally allowed to charge 34.50 for writing a letter to my mum asking her to renew?

Secondly there is this one cow there who is always rude to my mum during inspections and has harrassed my mum by calling her 7 times in 3 days chasing the said 34.50 admin fee which my mum refuses to pay on principal.

So any advice, what can be done?

Bison
Suggest she sees what is written in her tenancy contract, and if its mentioned in there she cant really complain...

Bison Feb 18th 2009 9:41 am
Re: A Serious Question Regarding UK Letting Agents
 
Suggest she sees what is written in her tenancy contract, and if its mentioned in there she cant really complain...
And what about the 7 calls in 3 days that are continuing?

Spugsy Feb 18th 2009 9:42 am
Re: A Serious Question Regarding UK Letting Agents
 
Originally Posted by Bison (Post 7297148)
So my mother has been renting a property for the last 5 years and has never had to pay an admin fee when it came to renewing her tenancy contract.

So first thing, are the agents legally allowed to charge 34.50 for writing a letter to my mum asking her to renew?

Secondly there is this one cow there who is always rude to my mum during inspections and has harrassed my mum by calling her 7 times in 3 days chasing the said 34.50 admin fee which my mum refuses to pay on principal.

So any advice, what can be done?

Bison
nope we had to pay about the same when we renewed agreements, that\s just the way it is.

BangleMan Feb 18th 2009 9:43 am
Re: A Serious Question Regarding UK Letting Agents
 
Originally Posted by Bison (Post 7297189)
And what about the 7 calls in 3 days that are continuing?
if she owes it, arent they just chasing the money ?

Sky Blue Feb 18th 2009 9:44 am
Re: A Serious Question Regarding UK Letting Agents
 
Originally Posted by Spugsy (Post 7297195)
that\s just the way it is.
I can hear that 80's piano now...

BangleMan Feb 18th 2009 9:47 am
Re: A Serious Question Regarding UK Letting Agents
 
Originally Posted by Sky Blue (Post 7297201)
I can hear that 80's piano now...
whatever happened to Bruce Horsnby and his Range ?

Sky Blue Feb 18th 2009 9:51 am
Re: A Serious Question Regarding UK Letting Agents
 
Originally Posted by Bison (Post 7297148)
So my mother has been renting a property for the last 5 years and has never had to pay an admin fee when it came to renewing her tenancy contract.

So first thing, are the agents legally allowed to charge 34.50 for writing a letter to my mum asking her to renew?

Secondly there is this one cow there who is always rude to my mum during inspections and has harrassed my mum by calling her 7 times in 3 days chasing the said 34.50 admin fee which my mum refuses to pay on principal.

So any advice, what can be done?

Bison
Not much really its the new way of landlords and agents making a few more quid when you renew your lease, well some agents in london now charge about 300 quid for the privelege...

highways Feb 18th 2009 9:56 am
Re: A Serious Question Regarding UK Letting Agents
 
I renewed my current tenancy agreement many times without paying any fee. However, I think I had to pay a fee to renew my previous contract with a different agent few years ago as far as I remember. It probably varies from contract to contract but I'm not sure if there is a law about it.

Spugsy Feb 19th 2009 5:09 am
Re: A Serious Question Regarding UK Letting Agents
 
Originally Posted by Sky Blue (Post 7297201)
I can hear that 80's piano now...
some things will never change!

Razzy Feb 19th 2009 7:11 am
Re: A Serious Question Regarding UK Letting Agents
 
Its outrageous. Under the terms and conditions of the tenancy your mother will have the right of "quiet enjoyment". Furthermore if she has an Assured Shorthold or Assured Tenancy she does not need to renew it - it becomes a periodic tenancy automatically once the original term has been served. If she doesnt renew for a fixed term the only risk is of the landlord serving a two month notice. He has the right to do this to seek to end the tenancy without any reason. This is usually only done where its not an investor landlord and they really do need it back for personal use or sale.

I recommend writing to the landlord - (it is obligatory to show the landlords name and address on the tenancy agreement so she should have these details). I would cc the agent. They should be advised that you believe that the agent is breaking the terms of your mothers agreement under clause x - breaching her right of quiet enjoyment at the inspection visits and because of her behaviour and that the agents are demanding money from her for renewals. Explain that this is causing much stress and anxiety to the extent that she has considered not renewing at all because of the conduct of this agent. Send both letters by recorded delivery. The agents probably dont have any worthwhile complaints policy but the owner of the property is their bread and butter so if he takes his business elsewhere then good.

Spugsy Feb 19th 2009 7:26 am
Re: A Serious Question Regarding UK Letting Agents
 
Originally Posted by Razzy (Post 7300724)
Its outrageous. Under the terms and conditions of the tenancy your mother will have the right of "quiet enjoyment". Furthermore if she has an Assured Shorthold or Assured Tenancy she does not need to renew it - it becomes a periodic tenancy automatically once the original term has been served. If she doesnt renew for a fixed term the only risk is of the landlord serving a two month notice. He has the right to do this to seek to end the tenancy without any reason. This is usually only done where its not an investor landlord and they really do need it back for personal use or sale.

I recommend writing to the landlord - (it is obligatory to show the landlords name and address on the tenancy agreement so she should have these details). I would cc the agent. They should be advised that you believe that the agent is breaking the terms of your mothers agreement under clause x - breaching her right of quiet enjoyment at the inspection visits and because of her behaviour and that the agents are demanding money from her for renewals. Explain that this is causing much stress and anxiety to the extent that she has considered not renewing at all because of the conduct of this agent. Send both letters by recorded delivery. The agents probably dont have any worthwhile complaints policy but the owner of the property is their bread and butter so if he takes his business elsewhere then good.
as I said, we had to pay about that every 6 months when we renewed, we contacted the landlord and he said that it was up to the company, they sorted contracts and fees.

Don't forget you usually pay a fee when you first get the place as well, we paid a months rent as a fee to the ****ers.

Slingshot Feb 24th 2009 5:04 pm
Re: A Serious Question Regarding UK Letting Agents
 
Originally Posted by Spugsy (Post 7300742)
as I said, we had to pay about that every 6 months when we renewed, we contacted the landlord and he said that it was up to the company, they sorted contracts and fees.

Don't forget you usually pay a fee when you first get the place as well, we paid a months rent as a fee to the ****ers.
I fired mine and now do it all myself - agents generally turn out to be crap if you have a problem with the tenancy
I got sick of paying them a monthly premium for management for doing sweet FA

Cham128 Feb 25th 2009 9:54 am
Re: A Serious Question Regarding UK Letting Agents
 
might be worth asking this in the moneysavingexpert.com forums, that's where the whole bank charges thing started and so you may even start a revolution.

I can't see how they can justify that cost though unless it's legal fees, which it shouldn't be as the contracts are fairly standard... I think your mum should charge them for her time wasted trying to get this signed.


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