Chrysalis Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 (edited) Ok my sister is still looking for somewhere, she is employed 5+ years permenant not agency and is in a managerial position. You would think be easy to find somewhere. First of all on 3 different properties she tried to offer lower rent, the first 2 said outright no, the 3rd one agreed but now keeps saying wait, its been 6 weeks so my guess is they waiting for someone to offer full price. Meanwhile another LA wants this off her a p*** take or what. £80 application fee - paid £90 credit check - paid haggled down to £50 £90 employment check - paid haggled down to £50 They wanted photo id drivers licence or passport, my sister had to do 40 min drive to pick it up, they said without it application is rejected so basically noone without photo id can let of this agent. They also want a guarantor, guarantor has to have these requirements. (a) employed for 3 years ( earning 26k a year or above © provide photo id (d) provide last 6 months wage slips or last 3 year accountants details if self employed (e) £50 fee for guarantor non refundable (f) proof of address on top of photo id (g) pass credit check £90 fee non refundable This is all for a 2 bed flat that costs £450 a month my sisters salary is 30k. I am also looking for a place but since I am on benefits I have zero chance, I thought things were bad 2 years ago but now everyone who is letting out has took greed and paranoia to a new level. Private rental market needs some serious legislation. For myself every single letting agent rejects benefit claimants, I found a private landlord in cromer (where I want to move to), his property empty 2 years, we both agreed terms. When he informed his LA he found his own tenant they said they will sue him if he signs up a tenant without them as breach of contract, he said fine we do it through them, as soon as they heard I am on benefits they said no, he argued with them for a while saying its his property he accepts who he wants, but they wouldnt budge saying company policy. He apologised to me and said he needs to take legal advice before we proceed. The market has gone crazy. Edited June 19, 2009 by Chrysalis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vested Disinterest Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 I've never encountered such draconian T&Cs. Particularly not the guarantor after all those other checks (they are probably not doing them!). Is your sister 23? Maybe it's an age thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Posted June 19, 2009 Author Share Posted June 19, 2009 she is 25 (26 this year). Very unreasonable, the LA told her to ask around at work saying it as if its a normal thing to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeymadman Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 You don't ask for a guarantor unless it's a student let, someone on benefits, or someone with a really smelly credit record. Well, unless of course none of the above apply but you are mad. Good luck to them finding anyone to rent that out; to sign as a guarantor for anything you'd need to be clinically mad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.steve Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 This is all for a 2 bed flat that costs £450 a month my sisters salary is 30k. Sounds to me as if the agent has someone else in mind to rent that property. Consider contacting the owners, you can (probably) buy information about them from the land registry for £3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybernoid Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 This is not even remotely normal, £260 for reference checks and application for a start is ludricous. The most Ive paid is 100 quid for everything they need to do, and those hoops they're expecting her to jump through in order to rent are completely bizarre. Go to another letting agent, no-one else will be doing anything like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Financial Hack Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 That's crazy. I'm looking for a new place right now, and the highest I got quoted in total fees (including ref checks on 2 people) was £130. Never been asked for a guarantor and my credit rating is fairly shit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRMX9 Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Just ask to see the same guarantees from the landlord - you don't want to pay your rent and get evicted because they aren't paying their mortgage and get repossesed. Frankly if any landlord is using such an expensive agency with ridiculous conditions I wouldn't rent from them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonToManchester Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 The agant I use in Manchester charges tenants around £400 in fees. These include all sort from registration to checkin and everything else inbetween. Some of them are non-refundable. I don't like it but there the only agent that seem to do a decent job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LettingsLady Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 The agant I use in Manchester charges tenants around £400 in fees. These include all sort from registration to checkin and everything else inbetween. Some of them are non-refundable.I don't like it but there the only agent that seem to do a decent job. They're being ripped off. We charge £100 plus VAT for everything and we are ARLA accredited. How much are they charging you in fees? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spot Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Friends of mine have just sold (valued at £215K in 2007, sold last week for £166K) and are now looking to rent and they're telling me similar stories with £200 required for credit check, etc. Gobsmacked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonToManchester Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 They're being ripped off.We charge £100 plus VAT for everything and we are ARLA accredited. How much are they charging you in fees? Around the 500 for just finding a tenant and doing the paper work. There are cheaper agents but when ever I have used them there paperwork has just been rubbish! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LettingsLady Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 Around the 500 for just finding a tenant and doing the paper work. There are cheaper agents but when ever I have used them there paperwork has just been rubbish! So really they are charging a similar amount to the tenant - that doesn't seem fair. Don't you think it might put tenants off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonToManchester Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 So really they are charging a similar amount to the tenant - that doesn't seem fair. Don't you think it might put tenants off? Oh yes I'm sure it does! But what I have found is that the tenants these guys give me stay alot longer. I think this is partly due to after having paid a large fee not wanting to pay more fees. The cheaper agents just provide crap paperwork things not being signed so then I have to go to the hastle of chasing it up. Thats why I use the more expensive agent. BTW I am in no way saying cheaper agants offer a crapper service, I'm just saying thats the case in Didsbury Manchester Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest theboltonfury Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 The agant I use in Manchester charges tenants around £400 in fees. These include all sort from registration to checkin and everything else inbetween. Some of them are non-refundable.I don't like it but there the only agent that seem to do a decent job. I expect most of their time goes towards turning what you have written in to something resembling English. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Financial Hack Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 I expect most of their time goes towards turning what you have written in to something resembling English. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.