Tenancy Extension Fees

Princey

Princey

Princey

Soldato
Joined
26 Apr 2003
Posts
5,747
Location
West Midlands
Hi Guys,

I need some advise as I'm pretty rattled about this.

I'm currently renting a property and I have been for 4 years in August, each time the AST has been extended 12 months rather than moving on a periodic tenancy which occurred a £60 'admin' fee each time, high but manageable. However for my 5th year's renewal they now want a £144 'admin' fee which I find totally unjustifiable and unreasonable and I am desperate not to pay just out of principle. It feels like they are doing it 'just because'. When I signed up initially my declaration (linked) said it would be £60 to extend but I'm not sure if that's just the 1st instance and my tenancy agreement has no mention on renewal fees. Has anybody been in this situation before?

http://marwoodhomes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/MARWOOD_Sutton_Reservation_Form.pdf
 
Estate agents are absolute scum. Mine tried charging me to go onto a rolling tenancy. They can get shafted. Bit different to this, but just wanted to get that out there :p
 
I paid renewal fees for years. Last time, based on a few posts on here, I ignored them. They sent reminder after reminder and I kept giving them the cold shoulder and eventually they just gave up. This was KFH.

I despise estate agents, bottom feeding scum. As Family Guy so eloquently put it: "Life's safety net job".
 
How can they be ignored? Did you just end up on a periodic rolling tenancy then? I will be calling them in the morning and if that leads nowhere I will call the landlord explaining that why after 4 years I am leaving.
 
I'd be tempted to ignore them and go onto a rolling tenancy, let the landlord know why. They'll still need to give you notice to evict you and that can potentially start to cost them more time and money than the extra money they'd get from this silly renewal fee.
 
Well I have been re-reading all the small print in my agreement and I found this. I'm not very good with the legal talk and what not but that reads to me like I should only be charged £36 each time?

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I went straight to the LL direct and explained the EA was trying to strong arm me into an extortionate extension fee, they agreed to deal with me direct. Been fine since.
 
One word.

Scum.

They are all taking the **** with these "admin" fees when they do nothing. Renewal fee? that'll be 100+ get ****** mate. Current place i'm renting we paid 60 quid initial admin fee and after 12 months were up went onto a rolling tenancy so can leave at any point just have to give 30 days notice. Been here for a couple of years now.
 
Yeah, do you even want a new tenancy agreement? Signing renewal docs effectively locks you and the landlord into another 12 months, rather than the automatic move to s rolling contract with a fixed notice period (for you both)

If you're not fussed about the extra protection that 12 months on paper gives you, then the landlord is the only one really benefiting from it (eg, if he wanted to sell the property as part of an investment portfolio, then the fact that the sitting tenants have x months on their agreement is valuable, or if he were trying to get another mortgage for a new property, the mortgage lenders may want that contrast in place, etc). So in that case, say you don't want one. If they insist and you don't mind, then fine but certainly at no cost to you.

And as others have said, contact the landlord directly. If the property is managed for him by the agency, he may know of none of these charges.
 
Ignore letters, don't pay, go on to a periodic rolling tenancy.

I've said it before on several threads but there is no reason to be paying these fees, letting agents thrive on ignorance and fear.
 
Coincidence that the £144 / 4 (the amount of times you've had a fee) happens to come out at £36? I reckon they're backdating the £36 payment for the previous few times as well.
 
It seems that they are getting desperate. I expect house sales (and prices subsequently) to go down big time in the following couple of years. Brace your selves
 
Thanks for the all the advice guys. I will be calling them on Monday quoting the prices in my contract and also what was signed on the declaration, I will also be contacting the landlord directly. I will keep you updated.
 
No problems up here. Been free for a while now. No fees for diddly. You guys down south should think about changing dat legislation :D
 
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