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100 quid for a credit check!

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When I was househunting in Sheffield, I was appalled that estate agents expect you to pay for your application to rent a property, and this per tenant at rates which can reach 100 pounds. Is this a new practice? Last time I rented through an estate agent was when I was a student and there was none of that.

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I think many of the main letting agent's charge a fee these day's, there was a thread about Mike Jolly estate's having large fee's somwhere. From what I have read the fee is payable before you even get conformation of a letting

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Offer to produce a 2pound experian report, google them or equifax, think it can be done online - if they wont accept that look for private lets on here or the Star. 100pounds is disgusting!

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£100 is actually pretty cheap for agent's fees. We're looking to move at the moment and have been quoted 'Application Fees' of up to £150 for the first applicant and £50 for additional applicants. I think it's a greedy, abhorrent practice.

 

What's even more sickening is that the fees are non-refundable (so if you don't get the property you could be losing this amount each time, particularly if you use more than one agent). Also, what do they do with all your highly sensitive, personal information? I object in principle to providing bank details etc to merely be 'considered' for a tenancy. It's akin to the anti-ID card argument I suppose: just becaused I have nothing to hide doesn't mean I'm prepared to divulge all. Surely a verified reference and proof of income is sufficient.

 

This is why we're only dealing with private landlords. Obviously not as many properties to choose from that way though.

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£100 seems about average for the money-grabbing letting agents. Last time I rented (3 years ago now) I paid about £120 in application fees, plus the deposit, plus a month's rent - over £900 overall! Then they gave me a list of fees for various things, which was over two pages long. They seemed to charge for every slightest request (either to the tenant of the landlord) - for instance they charged the landord a fee every time they contacted a plumber (or other such tradeperson) to fix a problem at the property, in addition to any charge made by the plumber! I seem to recall they charge £30 just to renew the tenancy - when all they need to do is print off a new agreement. They even charged you if you wanted a reference for a future tenancy.

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Compared to some of the fees I have been quoted £100 is not too bad! I have come across everything from £35 per adult to £215!!

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Thanks for giving me the lowdown. They're a greedy bunch these estate agents. I did actually get a house through an ad in the star with no application fee. So the story has a happy ending. For me anyway! There should be a watchdog for this!

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thats good! Im glad to hear it, they just dont do enough for you as tennants to ever justify playing 100quid and the like up front

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I think tennents should be able to credit check the landlord too. After all, it's important to know that he can afford to pay the mortgage on the house you're renting. if I'm giving them all my personal information, I should get the same information back about them.

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