bxpuser24710519

I have just this last week spoken with two relocation agents one charges the amount of your agreed rental inc. translation of the contract. The other charges 20 % less than your agreed rental no mention of translation of contract but I have asked her. Both have said contract length is one year ! I guess they want that rather than 6 months.

fionamw

OMG ain't that the truth

fargas

If you rent a flat using an agent they will allways charge you, thats how they make their money! Its part of my job!

If you don't what to pay this extra 10% go directely to the owner then you will just make de legal deposit and pay the rent. When you leave the flat you will get you deposit back (if everything is fine in the flat of course, some owners are extremely picky).

Of course there is no legal obligation for anyone to speak English I was just confirming the fact that many Spanish people don't speak English therefore if you plan to rent your place directely to the owner be aware that you might find yourself using Google translate like crazy!

cricketman

This is open to negotiation though. In the flat that we currently rent we agreed to pay half of the agents fees with the owner paying the other half.

Are you assuming that Brits in Spain dont speak Spanish

fargas

I'm saying many Spanish people don't speak English and not anybody who moves to Spain speaks Spanish.

And yes, there are so many empty flats around its a good idea to negotiate.

lynnxa

I have used agents a few times in the past 8 years

I have never paid anything other than what the contract states the monthly rent is

I have never paid any payment as deposit other than what the contract states is the deposit

I have never paid - or been asked for - a separate agent fee

I understand that there might be a 'hidden' charge & the owners actually get lass than we are paying - but I don't think so in my case, as I know the local market pretty well & what we pay is right for the area (actually we have a real bargain atm & plan to never move again!)

& I didn't say there was a legal obligation to speak English - neither is there a legal obligation for us foreigners to speak Spanish

my point really, was - since we're in Spain, why should the Spanish speak English - surely it's us foreigners who should be making the effort understand the locals, rather than the other way around?

Domino

in Granada it is common practice for the person letting to pay 1m rent to the agent. We were warned about this before we moved out there.
I don't know if a landlord will be paying anything to the agent.

lynnxa

it might be common practice - but the LAU states 1 month rent & 1 month deposit

Domino

I have seen ads for properties, on the properties themselves and on the web stating "sin commission"

the LAU refers to the lease of the property not the introduction of the landlord and tenant, the agent arranged the lease, brought landord and tenant together for the signing. after all is completed the agent withdraws from the scene. Rent payment is direct to the landlord as are payment of the untilities.

in the uk many properties are managed so the agent is getting around 10% of the rent each month as a commission from the landlord, but also overseeing the rent payment and the fending all complaints from the tenant, all utilities are the responsibility of the tenant.

thats how I see it IMHE

lynnxa

I've never paid nor been asked for an introduction fee though

snikpoh

I think (maybe) that you may be confusing things here.

Any tenant will have to pay 1 months rent in advance plus the deposit (normally also 1 months rent). Some landlords ask for more but the LAU states otherwise.

In addition, a fee has to be paid to the agent. This can be likened to a finders fee for the tenant and a service fee to the landlord for finding the tenant. This fee is quite variable and can be paid entirely by the tenant, entirely by the landlord or split between the two. It seems that the figure also varies so it's best to find out first!

Domino

Oh I insist on Introduction Fees all the time, thats why my circle is so small and manageable, otherwise I would need a manager.

lynnxa

I'm not confused - I have never paid a fee on top of the month rent in advance & the deposit

maybe the owner has -but I never have

Domino

there and I thought the agencies were going out of business due to bad business practices, such as not being up to date on their portfolio, when all along it was because they werent charging the tenant as they do elsewhere.

Without that income they will go bust even quicker.
ho hum

lynnxa

I'm sure they must be charging the owner a finder's fee, or a % of the rent each month goes to them - of course they aren't doing it for nothing

not that they seem to actually DO anything - certainly the last agent we dealt with took months to rectify things & several potentially damaging structural problems were never fixed despite being reported a few days after we moved in & us reminding them on a very regular basis - but I digress..........


but I still have never paid, or been asked for, a separate fee


maybe some of the agents here do charge one - but not the ones I have dealt with