Fees estate agents tried to charge uou — Scope | Disability forum
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Fees estate agents tried to charge uou

Harp
Harp Community member Posts: 83 Pioneering
I had a letter a few weeks ago from the estate who does the paperwork for the landlord to state the tenancy agreement need renewal which they want to charge me £120 for a 1 year tencey. In the past it was £75 for 2 years tencey agreement.

I was aware of the new law coming in on June but what exactly what it involves
 I mentioned on Facebook about the fee and few people said they can't charge but it depends what says in your current tenacy. My dad contacted citizen Advice and they said the same we read a few times online that if your current tenacy agreement state you agree to the renewal fee, you have to pay it but if it don't state this, they can't charge you.

I went yesterday with my dad to discuss this with the estate agent who didn't seam to know what they talking about and tried different ways putting fees to say I have to pay it. They didn't back down but they wanted to come out to do inspection of the property which is the first time in the 13 years since I been here. It is strongly odd they want to do inspection now with this new law since they can charge for the inspection.

The other issue we need to find out by the landlord who does the inspections as the estate agent role for the landlord has changed since I been here. They managed  the property till the last renewal where they only a letting agent to the landlord.

I thought I bring this information to you & be aware what you could be or can't be charged for.

Any advice will be welcome
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Comments

  • Chloe_Scope
    Chloe_Scope Posts: 10,586 Disability Gamechanger
    Thank you for informing us able this and I'm sorry the price has gone up so much. I'm not too sure what to suggest myself but I hope someone will be able to offer you some guidance soon.
    Scope

  • Richard_Scope
    Richard_Scope Posts: 3,638 Scope online community team
    Lettings agents can act as a property manager for the landlord. It has been a while since I rented privately though. I have found some information from the charity Shelter. I hope this helps, if not please let me know.
    Scope
    Specialist Information Officer and Cerebral Palsy Programme Lead

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  • Harp
    Harp Community member Posts: 83 Pioneering
    Thank you
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  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,330 Disability Gamechanger
    I've privately rented for many years 3 different landlords and only ever signed one tenancy agreement at the start of a tenancy, after this, it's month by month rolling.

    I'm about to take a new tenancy on a different property (moving for health reasons) and there's no charge for the tenancy agreement with the agency i'm going with.

    You can only be charged for renewing your tenancy if you signed a tenancy agreement before 1 June 2019 which says you have to pay a renewal fee. You can't be charged to renew a tenancy unless this was stated in your previous contract. You need to check your previous tenancy agreement.

    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • david235
    david235 Community member Posts: 170 Pioneering
    Not carrying out inspections for 13 years would be unusual - it is not uncommon to have an inspection every 6 months though it does depend on the landlord and agent. There can be insurance implications for a landlord of not having periodic inspections, also inspections are a good opportunity for a tenant to draw any faults to the agent's (or landlord's) attention.

    It is up to the landlord whether they carry out the inspection themselves or get someone else such as an agent to do it. I am surprised at mention of a fee for an inspection or for any other form of administration - it is my understanding this is not amongst the list of fees chargeable after 1 June 2019 (click here for Shelter's advice on fees relating to the law as it is in England). Most agents' fees are now paid by landlords, who are expected to charge an appropriate rent to cover these fees and any other costs they incur, such as insurance costs.


    As @poppy123456 says, a renewal fee can only be charged now if your existing tenancy agreement says there will be a renewal fee.

    You do not have to renew the tenancy - you could just let it become a periodic tenancy as @poppy123456 has done in her previous tenancies. This continues on a rolling basis - normally month by month. The only reason to sign a new tenancy agreement is if you want the security of a new fixed period - but if you sign for a new fixed period then you are bound by it.

    With agents moving renewal fees to landlords, landlords might be reluctant to offer six month renewals in the future. One agent I know charges landlords around £75 for a renewal following the ban on charging renewal fees to tenants - understandably some landlords do not want to pay £75 in return for a commitment from the tenants to stay for just six more months.
  • Harp
    Harp Community member Posts: 83 Pioneering
    An update

    When I moved here the estate was the managing agent but we had to go to them to get the inventory updated even before I moved in. They not done an inspection till up to now even thou it wasn't for them to do it as a few years ago they was to a letting agent as the landlord feeling they wasn't doing what they should be doing. Also they wad 9 months late with renewal of the tencey agreement which we did remind the landlord at least once.

    They not back down on the fee to the tenancy agreement which I think I shouldn't be paying as it don't say in my current agreement I agree to a renewal. The estate  agent said they will ask the landlord if they should charge which he had no idea if the new law which we mentioned to him when all this started. Take this in mind that the landlord don't know about the new law, yesterday the estate agent got back in touch to say the landlord agrees for me to pay the fee.

    So it seams the estate agents is pasting it on someone else to be responsible for it.

    We wait to get all this in writing to take it further. 
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