onlineamiga

Hi all.
Was just wondering what the latest thing is on agent fees when renting long term. Like some seem to want to ask for 250 euros for the pleasure of being shown round the house and drawing up a scabby piece of paper. It seems a bit harsh to me. And i though the owners paid the agents for finding the tenants. Not the tenants. Was just wondering if there was any actual legal binding on this. Or something to use as ammo when they start trying it on.

Basically the owners of my apartment have decided to put the rent up. This is despite the fact rent has reduced. I can rent something of the same spec for like 100 euros cheaper now. They wont budge either. So looks like they are going to have an empty apartment for a while. Other crunch is I got a week on saturday to move into my new place!

So also if anyone knows of any nice vacant apartments in the estepona area that dont want 2000 euros for the pleasure of receiving the keys Id be greatful. Im happy to pay months rent and a deposit. But i aint doing anymore than that!

lcortez

A lot of expat agents seem to want a months rent as a finders fee,try looking in the Costa del Sol news,theres a lot of private landlords advertising in there who seem more reasonable
Didnt you ask this same question a few weeks ago?
Also its illegal to put the rent up without prior notice,usually 2mths,their taking the p**s,personally would tell them to shove the flat where the sun doesnt shine,and go elsewhere,as you have:curse:

Also another place for private landlords is the FridayAd,which has a Spanish edition covering the CDSJust follow the links on the GB edition

onlineamiga

lol finders fee. Makes me laugh. I FOUND IT in the paper!!

I have told emw here the sun dont shine. They mentioned the rent increase about a month ago. I didnt ask this question about a few weeks ago. I was asking something else about the living index. That was their base for putting the rent up.
Thing is the 11 month contract expires at the end of this month,.

Ive hopefully got a few leads which should be cheap to move in. Just gotta start looking at apartments now

lcortez

Good luck with that

rachelk

Don't ever pay an agent to show you flats or to "register" you

The best flats I've had here were private lets from the newspaper, internet or word of mouth - no agents involved. Although it's a private let you can still make in an official contract registered with the Ayuntamiento. Some websites allow you to search for particulares only and filter out the agencies.

But yes, I know that often when you see an ad in the newspaper it's really from an agency. The giveaway is a reference number.

lcortez

Or a recurring phone number

twyntub

Just do the old 'is it a car dealer' trick. Ring them up and ask about 'the flat'. If it's a genuine private deal, they'll know what you're talking about.

lcortez

Just as an aside to the main question,how have you found living in Spain in a long term rental,(aside from current difficulties of course)?
Has it been generally ok?,Was it relatively easy to find?,What kind of work do you do?
(Only ask about work as GB landlords can be a bit snobby)

onlineamiga

Hi thanks for your replies.

I got my last apartment through an agent and No i would never pay to "register" or simply be shown a flat. Then again Im extremly lothed to pay fees if I decide to take the apartment on. Surely thats up to the owner? They pay the agent to find a tenant. Not charge the tenant to find the flat?

Ive also found that despite going through an agent, the level of service was rubbish to say the least in my apartment. I discovered the dishwasher didnt work. A bit annoying after buying everything a dishwasher needs. It made all the right noises but didnt actually clean a darn thing. So I tried to fix it myself using my extremly limited dishwasher skills and couldnt. So rung up the agent. 2 weeks later they came with the owners to look at the dishwasher. Who claimed that it wasnt there dishwasher because it was dirty... Well yes if you put dirty plates in a dishwasher and then it doesnt work its going to be dirty! Not my fault! So after arguing that one they backed down. Then said that I needed to call the manufactorer of the dishwasher to send someone out to fix it.. Excuse me? I needed to call?? ME?? Errr no!
So I spoke to the agents and asked them to call. Afterall, they have a far better grasp of spanish than I do.

They never did. I perhaps didnt persue it as much as I should have done but it never got sorted.
Also when i moved in, I asked for an electronic fob for the garage. At present ive been having to get out of my car and use a key to open the garage door. Not a major thing really. But a fob is nicer. I never got one.

Then they want to put my rent up?? I dont think so!

Yes agents are crap. Which is why I would never pay one to move me into an apartment. Especially under the current climate where there seems to be more empty apartments than people wanting them.

valenciatim

Andrew, normally in Spain, it is down to the tennant to get things fixed and then negotiate with the landlord to sort out the cost!
Also agencies normally charge a fee for a rental.
It certainly doesn't work in the same way as the UK!
Tim

lcortez

Certainly seems a bit of a nightmare,perhaps it could be just a dodgy agent?
If its one of the big ones on the internet maybe it would be an idea to let people on BE know who they are so others can avoid this nightmare!

PS;wouldnt bother with FridayAd had a look on your behalf and theirs noting on it!

twyntub

After reading that story, don't you have that feeling in the back of your mind that they'll retain some of your deposit for the broken dishwasher?

onlineamiga

Oh yes I forgot to mention that it took them 9 months to send me a water and electric bill. Then was suddenly wanting like 380 euros off me. Im like err. you can have that in 50 euros a month installments So they'll take that off the deposit.

They do have an internet presence but they are an estepona real estate company. Ahh name and shame, they deserve it. Estepona Rentals aka Estepona Home.
To be fair I think most of the problems was the actual owner.

Looking at some apartments tonight. woo hoo. I will sound like i want it then go completely off the idea when I ask about agent fees

jdr

Just tell them it`s illegal to charge it and you have plenty of offers without a charge, just a months rent and a month in advance.

onlineamiga

Well went to see a couple of properties in Estepona today. First one the woman who was going to show us was ill and had forgot or something. So i didnt see it. Then the second one was OK. But wasnt south facing and the agent wanted 2 months + deposit + half month rent to get keys!

So the decisions made. Im off to Casares Del Sol. Its a lovely new urbanization 10 mins closer to Gibraltar. I already know someone that lives there. Infact I had the option of moving next door to him! But i took up a lovely penthouse apartment (roof terrace with views out to sea and mountains) and its 100 euros cheaper than what im paying now just pay a deposit and next months rent and ive got the keys. Infact i move next weekend! woo hoo I got myself a 2 bed 2 bath place with a/c & sky. Theres a huge communal pool, underground secured parking and storage room, 24 hr onsite security all for 650 just pay electric and water. Bargain. http://www.casareslets.com/gallery.htm for some piccys. The woman im dealing with is the wife of someone i work with. So all good trust

So let this be a message to estate agents and landlords. If you try and be greedy and give crap service. Your tenants will bugger off and find something better!

Now to find a load of boxes so I can pack!