Short term rental property - how to stop being ripped off? Post Reply

[joolia]

Hi - we are having to move into a rental property for 9 weeks whilst our house is undergoing building works. We've found a flat close to where we live and have paid a weeks rent as deposit. The agent (a large London estate agent) has been a little vague about additional costs but have finally produced a statement - in addition to the tenancy agreement fee (which I was expecting) they have added £100+VAT for "check in" - i.e. checking the inventory for an unfurnished flat plus £276 for cleaning at the end of the tenancy which I think is completely unreasonable for a 2 bed flat (we have 2 small children but no pets). Do we have any grounds to refuse these payments or appeal that they are unreasonable? We are a little stuck in that we need to move out very soon but equally do feel we are being ripped off.
Many thanks
Julia

[calgary]

Not sure that you'll be able to get out of the fees though interesting to note that the ASA is actually starting to take a look at it: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/mort ... nting.html

The fees can be quite ridiculous but there's not reason why they shouldn't be up front about them. When we moved here from abroad we incurred £700 for background check, I don't recall a check-in fee but perhaps it was part of the £700, and at the end a cleaning fee w/checkout of £350. (We were pleased with the checkout fee given our Swiss cleaning fee - no checkout fee- was 1500 sfrancs.)

[abbeville2]

Hi there,

I am feeling your pain. Estate agent fees are exhorbitant (at least it feels that way). Anyway, my experience is that there is a check in and a check-out. Landlord pays check in and you pay check out. The landlord is expected to have delivered you a professionally cleaned flat. When you leave, you are expected to have it professionally cleaned. Definitely speak to your estate agent, but it sounds pretty typical.

[FLH03]

Hi, I share your annoyance - I had similar, moved into a 6 month rental, had to pay a month's rent in advance, plus a 6 weeks' rent security deposit, plus admin charge of £150 per adult (for credit reference check and tenancy agreement) and inventory charge £60, all with VAT on top.
The inventory though was useful - even though rental unfurnished as it was a record of the condition of the house, and we made sure it had every scratch, picture hook, floor dent, damp patch, etc on there, as I was severely done over by a previous landlord years ago, as this had not been recorded at the outset. Please check everything on there (preferably before you move in) turn on the boiler and radiators, taps, showers etc - our white goods were supplied by the landlord, great you think, but when it came to actually using them, the tumble drier was broken no heat at all, the dishwasher - heating element doesn't work on the lower half and the washing machine is totally utterly cr*p, (it wets clothes takes the powder, but doesn't clean them or spin then properly). The drier was replaced, within a few weeks, they won't change the DW and WM until they actually break, but it all takes time, and you are only there for a short time, they have you over a barrel.

I also resent the "professional" cleaning charge, the cleaning was an average contract/agency clean not actually "professional" at all.

If I was doing it all again, I would ask the agencies for list of fees up front and hope that if I was lucky enough to be in position to negotiate between properties that I might recoup my costs through that. Actually I am not doing it again, ever, too stressful and too costly. Good luck though to you.

[Nell200]

ALthough I sympathise I think you should also see it from a landlords view, I was a nervous first time landlord so used agency, they got proper professional inventory this include photographing holes in drawers, marks on carpets, stains on walls.,,this was to protect the tenants. Mine was part furnished, they did a very thorough job took photos etc so you could compare on exit day.
I also used professional cleaners, never seen a flat scrubbed within an inch of its life so well.
They even scrubbed the lightbulbs.
when my tenants checked out one handed the key over to me on doorstep and rushed off before we could check inventory. soon saw why, massive iron shaped burn on floor of bedroom carpet.seriously!
Garden parasols cushions etc left to to rot on floor, had had it professionally cleaned but Christ knows What it looked like before as it sill had Mildrew in bottom of glasses in cupboards. And the clean was nowhere like the one I had for them.
Estate agent was there - I had managed it myself for the second year and she said she would have charged for whole bedroom to be decorated - huge grease marks on walls. Holes in walls etc.
Huge rugs dirty stuff left for me to dispose of,garden had to be cleaned up. She said she would have charged for Gardener and for stuff left to be disposed of.
And this from a clean eating guru who documents her life on Instagram as being so so perfect ..tenant not me!
The inventory I would go for - it's there to protect you as well as them, every mark present on move in is documented. So no argument over who caused it. Clean up seems a little high, but you need a professional clean in and out.

[Nell200]

ALthough I sympathise I think you should also see it from a landlords view, I was a nervous first time landlord so used agency, they got proper professional inventory this include photographing holes in drawers, marks on carpets, stains on walls.,,this was to protect the tenants. Mine was part furnished, they did a very thorough job took photos etc so you could compare on exit day.
I also used professional cleaners, never seen a flat scrubbed within an inch of its life so well.
They even scrubbed the lightbulbs.
when my tenants checked out one handed the key over to me on doorstep and rushed off before we could check inventory. soon saw why, massive iron shaped burn on floor of bedroom carpet.seriously!
Garden parasols cushions etc left to to rot on floor, had had it professionally cleaned but Christ knows What it looked like before as it sill had Mildrew in bottom of glasses in cupboards. And the clean was nowhere like the one I had for them.
Estate agent was there - I had managed it myself for the second year and she said she would have charged for whole bedroom to be decorated - huge grease marks on walls. Holes in walls etc.
Huge rugs dirty stuff left for me to dispose of,garden had to be cleaned up. She said she would have charged for Gardener and for stuff left to be disposed of.
And this from a clean eating guru who documents her life on Instagram as being so so perfect ..tenant not me!
The inventory I would go for - it's there to protect you as well as them, every mark present on move in is documented. So no argument over who caused it. Clean up seems a little high, but you need a professional clean in and out.

[vaidehi22]

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