Arragement Fee [Landlord nonsense]

TheDean · 12 Nov 2008 at 11:30

All,

Landlord has decided he wants to up the rent. 12 Month tennancy aggrement expired 2 months ago. He is yet to provide us with a new contract.

He is now saying he is going to charge each tennant £35 as an 'arrangement' fee for a new contract, and apparently for the privalidge of signing another 12 month agreement.

Legalities?

Abraham · 12 Nov 2008 at 11:32

legal to charge the arrangement fee, has been written in to my last 3 contracts, never paid it though.
not sure about you currently not being contracted

Morba · 12 Nov 2008 at 11:37

Yeah, been the same for mine that have been extended, bloody arrangement fee my ass. Never paid it though, argued it off each time :]
If its one contract that you all sign then £35 each is a joke, if its individual ones then fair enough.

TheDean · 12 Nov 2008 at 11:40

Morba said:
Yeah, been the same for mine that have been extended, bloody arrangement fee my ass. Never paid it though, argued it off each time :]
If its one contract that you all sign then £35 each is a joke, if its individual ones then fair enough.

Well course he's going to print each indivudual ones off, as he'll get a shed load more money. The thing is, he has never charged us for this before....

I have just left him a rather irate voicemail brading the charge 'bull****'....in a nice way.

platypus · 12 Nov 2008 at 11:42

Ask him for a breakdown of the costs he has had to meet in order to arrange the contract.

TheDean · 12 Nov 2008 at 11:45

platypus said:
Ask him for a breakdown of the costs he has had to meet in order to arrange the contract.

breakdown will equal:

1) go to pre-prepared contract on Pc
2) print off
3) drive 20mins to house
4) get all contracts signed
5) drive home
6) Laugh all the way to the bank

I'm more than happy to print them out myself, have them all signed, then sent them back to him recorded delivery.....

platypus · 12 Nov 2008 at 11:48

Still, ask him. It will at the very least inconvenience him.

You could also then query as to how these steps construe a £35 fee.

And then, possibly start a high-court action to be charged a reasonable fee.

TheDean · 12 Nov 2008 at 12:28

I do love a bit of high court action.....

We'll see what happens. He knows full well he's taking the mick, so if he's being reasonable, he should just let it go.

TheDean · 12 Nov 2008 at 13:14

Looks like my voicemail has done the job. He has waived the £35. Thought he would...good old Landlord

Abraham · 12 Nov 2008 at 13:31

It is common practice for the charge to exist, but I dont think it's common that it actually gets charged/paid

Killa_ken · 12 Nov 2008 at 13:33

You'll find it actually does cost that much, over here its $60 to get it all done, none of that money goes to the landlord.

Abraham · 12 Nov 2008 at 13:35

who does it go to then?
The costs involved at my old work were printing out the contract and the time of the person who printed out the contract, I can assure you those costs do not amount to £35

Skiddley · 12 Nov 2008 at 13:44

Tell him to drop the arrangement fee and negotiate on the rent hike. He's desperate for your custom.

TheDean · 12 Nov 2008 at 14:47

Killa_ken said:
You'll find it actually does cost that much, over here its $60 to get it all done, none of that money goes to the landlord.

What are you on about? I never mentioned a letting agent.....he is a private landlord, and no, it doesn't cost anywhere close to that