Any UK tenants know about 'admin fees'?

[ZombieGenesis]

Recently been house hunting, four of us (students) and time has been running out. Yesterday we found quite a decent property we were interested in letting, but on the phone to the agents I was told about an 'admin fee' that we apparently had to pay. Not the security deposit on the house, just an admin fee for the agents.
£180... each. For four of us.
I thought that was ridiculous and asked some friends who also have places in the same area, and the most kind of fee they claim was £70.

Does anyone know about this? I'd rather not enter into anything without a broader understanding.

 

[Nickolai77]

Sounds iffy to me, i havn't come across admin fees. At most you should have to pay a deposit. Does your university have a housing agency? If so go through that.

 

[Lopsided Weener]

If you're going to a uni in an area that you don't know, then you should do everything through the uni. Even if you're not getting accommodation directly with that uni, if you call them up then they'll still help you out in getting some private accommodation sorted out.

 

[kurupt87]

Well, if you've used a private agency to find you a house they're going to charge you for their service; whether you take a house they recommend or not. You're right though, that's a hell of a price.

That's why using your Uni's housing list and checking them out yourself is the better, and cheaper, option.

Chalk this one up to inexperience and don't do it next year.

 

[robot slipper]

Yeah that sounds like a typical lettings agency to me. They are thieves and I don't know how they get away with it. When I wanted to get a flat recently they wanted £165 to do "admin". I doubt it costs them anywhere near that much to check my references and print out a contract. Also, they would have wanted £70 each time the contract needed renewing (it was a 6-month contract). £70! To print out a 3-5 page document! How is that possibly justified???
On top of that, there was a security deposit (6 weeks rent) and they demanded that I take out home insurance to cover accidental damage. Surely thats what the security deposit covers, in case god forbid I put a nail in the wall??!! And then if the boiler breaks or somethings leaking you certainly don't see them hurrying to help you. GRR. END RANT.

Yeah so get a list of agents/list of private landlords who specifically let properties for students from your uni. They will hopeful be far more reasonable.

 

[ZombieGenesis]

Well, if you've used a private agency to find you a house they're going to charge you for their service; whether you take a house they recommend or not. You're right though, that's a hell of a price.

That's why using your Uni's housing list and checking them out yourself is the better, and cheaper, option.

Chalk this one up to inexperience and don't do it next year.

This isn't something we'd have to pay for turning it down though. If we decided to walk away we wouldn't have to pay them a penny.
We also wouldn't get the house though, and it's a really nice house...

I tried working through the Uni but they really did not help. Two days after the housing opened up, they were already out of properties. I guess Winchester is a desirable area?

 

[Tulks]

Yeah that sounds like a typical lettings agency to me. They are thieves and I don't know how they get away with it. When I wanted to get a flat recently they wanted £165 to do "admin". I doubt it costs them anywhere near that much to check my references and print out a contract. Also, they would have wanted £70 each time the contract needed renewing (it was a 6-month contract). £70! To print out a 3-5 page document! How is that possibly justified???
On top of that, there was a security deposit (6 weeks rent) and they demanded that I take out home insurance to cover accidental damage. Surely thats what the security deposit covers, in case god forbid I put a nail in the wall??!! And then if the boiler breaks or somethings leaking you certainly don't see them hurrying to help you. GRR. END RANT.

Yeah so get a list of agents/list of private landlords who specifically let properties for students from your uni. They will hopeful be far more reasonable.

I also am no fan of letting agents. The convenience of having one office to call with any problems isn't worth the actual hassle of dealing with them, let alone the exorbitant fees.

Private lets are the way forward, but you find fewer properties with a large number (3+) of bedrooms due to the HMO regulations often being a pain in the arse for a private landlord.

 

[razer17]

Recently been house hunting, four of us (students) and time has been running out. Yesterday we found quite a decent property we were interested in letting, but on the phone to the agents I was told about an 'admin fee' that we apparently had to pay. Not the security deposit on the house, just an admin fee for the agents.
£180... each. For four of us.
I thought that was ridiculous and asked some friends who also have places in the same area, and the most kind of fee they claim was £70.

Does anyone know about this? I'd rather not enter into anything without a broader understanding.

The estate agents will take a fee, because that's how they make money. They can set it to whatever they want, because usually they'll choose a price point that is reasonable and they know people will pay.

the only thing I'd suggest is seeing if you can find a different house, or see if the one you want is listed with a different agent with a lower fee.

I am a student myself, but luckily our university has an in-house estate agent who don't charge an agency fee.

 

[Simonccx]

Its fair, though i dont like it, but generally yes they have a right to charge you, some landlords just take the cost themselves and charge you extra, just consider it as rent up front. Nasty but necessary. Also make sure they live up the the contract, agents who charge fees should act proffessional, if the house isnt up to standard when you move in, inform them and threaten to with-hold rent until the issues are addressed, likewise if there is any damage which occurs it should be up to the agent (once informed) to provide speedy remedy, make sure they do, you paid for it!

 

[fix-the-spade]

Does anyone know about this? I'd rather not enter into anything without a broader understanding.

An 'admin fee' is a fairly valid charge I bump into a lot.

However, I have never (EVER) been asked to pay and admin fee upfront. When renting it usually came out of my deposit on leaving or was worked into the lease and clearly documented. Never had an admin fee be more than £100.

If you were talking to an agent, get the address and track down the place's proper owner, go to them direct. If the agent is the owner, ask for everything in writing before you pay a penny. £180 per person up front sounds like someone's trying to scalp you to me.

 

[Snork Maiden]

Recently been house hunting, four of us (students) and time has been running out. Yesterday we found quite a decent property we were interested in letting, but on the phone to the agents I was told about an 'admin fee' that we apparently had to pay. Not the security deposit on the house, just an admin fee for the agents.
£180... each. For four of us.
I thought that was ridiculous and asked some friends who also have places in the same area, and the most kind of fee they claim was £70.

Does anyone know about this? I'd rather not enter into anything without a broader understanding.

I paid a non-refundable deposit of £100 on my student flat, and an "admin fee" of about £180 on my current flat, but that was between two people.

Certainly what you've been asked to pay is too much, but when you say "time is running out" the agent almost certainly knows that. Demanding an admin fee certainly isn't illegal so your only options are either to walk or accept the payment, because if you pay it I wouldn't expect to be able to reclaim it. That said, if you bring it up as an issue with the agent it's entirely possible they'll bump it down.

 

[Wadders]

We had to pay £60 each for a fee for some company called Maras who supposedly check on credit history or some crap like that, so maybe that has something to do with it?

£60 was more than enough, £180 sounds excessive though :/

However, just to let you know, you cannot win with estate agents. They will be cunts, they will treat you like crap, they will bleed you dry because they can. In my experience at least...

 

[kurupt87]

Well, if you've used a private agency to find you a house they're going to charge you for their service; whether you take a house they recommend or not. You're right though, that's a hell of a price.

That's why using your Uni's housing list and checking them out yourself is the better, and cheaper, option.

Chalk this one up to inexperience and don't do it next year.

This isn't something we'd have to pay for turning it down though. If we decided to walk away we wouldn't have to pay them a penny.
We also wouldn't get the house though, and it's a really nice house...

I tried working through the Uni but they really did not help. Two days after the housing opened up, they were already out of properties. I guess Winchester is a desirable area?

Wichester eh? Looks like a pretty right wing place. Wouldn't surprise me if there's a deal between the Uni and the local letting agencies. If you can't get the house without going through the agency then that looks to be possible. And is the choice between paying + getting a house and not paying + getting no house really a choice?

Get onto your Union and say, "Oi mate, this aint on. The Union needs a bigger role here." Might even be enough to get you elected if you're interested in business; unless it's full of rich students of course. You'd have to get the letters away from the letting agencies though, could be tricky.

Maybe I'm seeing things that aren't there but the Union, as an intermediary, should provide enough properties for everybody interested; just if you get there late don't expect them to be in prime locations. Mine always did.