Estate agents admin fee.
 

Has anyone here been shafted by agencies, in terms of admin fee? An angency is charging me £375 for a property I am interested in. They claim this fee is refundable if I am not successful in getting the property. Should I trust them? As anyone here been told a fee was refundable and later did not get anything back? :cloud:

I don't know about not getting it back. I haven't been charged an admin fee as a purchaser.

sounds like there trying to sale you a caravan to me click my SPOILER for proper info

Are you looking at renting this place? It's general practice they just take a deposit and the first months rent. Maybe a small admin fee. I don't understand why you need to wait to hear if you were successful and why they need to take £375?

I've only rented once in between selling one property and buying another and I had to pay one month's rent plus another month as deposit and I think there was an £80 application fee which was non-refundable. £375 seems way too much.

£375 is an admin fee. I have to wait for decision because apparently I am not the only one interested, plus they have to do like a gazillion checks-credit score, references etc bloody hell.
I was waiting for their email all day yesterday where they ask for all my required documents, and then conveniently at 5pm on the dot (when I have little chance of doing much on my end at that point) I get the email, saying that their computer were down all day, but if I could kindly transfer the admin fee, plus fill out a homelet form, and forward bank statements, and etc....nah mate, I said well it's too late to go to the bank now and I can't do online banking at the moment. But I will fill out the homelet thing. Sigh I don't know if this property is work this shiz. damn it was never this bloody hard:bawling:

I always thought it was first come first served? If you like a property, you agree to take it, pay and done. I have had to pay a fee for credit checks before but that was it. Think it was about £50. Sounds a bit complicated and expensive!

From personal experience, no I wouldn't trust them.

When I moved years back, the estate agents (pattinsons) wanted a £200 admin fee/deposit/securing viewing type thing. I was assured that I would get £150 of it back if I moved in, full amount back if I didn't. Infact they told me that they gave it to the landlord and it would come out of what I needed to pay (rent in advance and bond). It didn't, landlord didn't know wtf they were on about so I had to pay full rent in advance/bond. Chased estate agent for 6 months, even after moving out of the property and I never got it back.

£350 is the admin fee here for most estate agents for a private let...

But that's only if you get the flat/house!!

Why would you need to transfer the fee to them only for you to maybe not get the house then they have to refund it anyway?

I would find another agency tbh.

Im pretty sure there was a item on 5 live about this recently, as the Landlord pays the Agency to let out his property they should not be charging the tenant a fee as well, as without the tenant no business would be done. A months deposit and month in advance is normal, but why should you pay the agent when the landlord is already paying them, I would go elsewhere they are ripping you off.

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/h_rent...ncy.pdf‎

according to the above you should shop around as not all agents charge an admin fee (not sure why link is not working!). If you really want the flat negotiate with them and get the fee reduced that is far too high, all they have to do is a credit and reference check.

Thanks for the replies guys. I have forwarded the documents yesterday but I haven't paid anything yet. I've been told I will be told if i'm successful on Wednesday, the latest. I think I will argue the price of the fee, and possibly bring up Cherie's points in the argument.