My complaint against my landlords is ….

My complaint against my landlords is ….

11:16 AM, 22nd March 2015, About 9 years ago 65

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So glad there is a platform for tenant support – I feel really screwed! My complaint against my landlords is ....

So my partner and I have been living in a property for just under one year. When we originally looked and moved into the property, WE requested two years as we wanted to keep the high London costs to a minimum for the two years we expected to live at the property.

However, I have been made redundant 9.5 months into our tenancy, and can no longer afford the rent in London, and my partner and I have decided to move out of London.

We have the landlord 9 weeks notice, stating we would like to leave on May 16th, (one year after starting the tenancy and one years early termination).

Our landlord has agreed to this and is happy to find new tenant.

HERE IS THE PROBLEM

He has stated that on starting the agreement, our landlord paid the letting agency the value of 7% of 24 months rent (what I believe is a finders fee).

As we are ending the tenancy early, he has said we have to pay that remaining fee! Approximately £1300!!!

I understand that if we end the tenancy early we have to pay until the agreement ends (or as soon as other tenants are allocated) but I don’t see why we have to pay HIS fees?!

Can you let me know if we do have to pay this!?

Thanks

Lewis Fountain


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Comments

14:19 PM, 25th March 2015, About 9 years ago

PS I like analogies involving cars and I've just thought of one. It's not perfect but its good enough. Here goes . . .

If I drive up the road and crash into a shiny new Bentley is the owner being unreasonable in expecting me to pay to fix it?

It was his stupid decision to buy a Bentley, so surely he should just charge me what it would cost to fix a sensible car like a Ford Fiesta?

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

19:22 PM, 25th March 2015, About 9 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Joe Bloggs" at "25/03/2015 - 13:06":

Joe

If normal rules of reasonableness apply, then the tenant should pay rent for the full term that HE negotiated and contracted to, i.e. 24 months. If he manages to wriggle out of the deal for anything less then he's got a good deal.
.

Joe Bloggs

23:14 PM, 25th March 2015, About 9 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Steve From Leicester" at "25/03/2015 - 13:51":

THIS WAS MY ORIGINAL POST:
'what is being overlooked is:
- is it right that the tenant should have to pay for the landlords stupidity in paying the agent such an extortionate and unreasonable finders fee?
- the landlord will benefit from the tenant leaving early as the new rent to an incoming tenant will undoubtedly be higher due to london rent inflation.
rip off antics like this give landlords a deservedly bad name.'
I STAND BY IT.
ITS A TERRIBLE ANALOGY TO COMPARE FEES OF THOUSANDS OF POUNDS WITH THE COST OF A CUP OF COFFEE.
AND WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT COSTA COFFEE BUT SAVOY AND THEN SOME.
AND CLEARLY THE SERVICE WAS FAR FROM ROLLS ROYCE AS ITS ALL GONE WRONG, AT LEAST IN PART DUE THE AGENTS GREED IN ALLOWING A 2 YEAR CONTRACT (WHICH BENEFITTED HIS CASH FLOW). SO HOW CAN YOU SAY THE AGENT PROVIDED A BETTER SERVICE THAN COMPETITORS? YOU PUT ONE SIDED SCENARIOS BECAUSE OF BIAS. WHAT ABOUT THE SCENARIO THAT THE AGENT OR THE LL ARE IN CAHOOTS, OR EVEN THE SAME PERSON.

Joe Bloggs

23:19 PM, 25th March 2015, About 9 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Steve From Leicester" at "25/03/2015 - 14:19":

A BETTER ANALOGY WOULD BE TO CLAIM THAT YOUR BENTLEY WAS DAMAGED WHEN IN FACT IT IS A SKODA. THE OWNER OF THE SKODA MAY HONESTLY BELIEVE IT WAS A BENTLEY, BECAUSE HE IS STUPID, BUT ITS STILL A SKODA.

Joe Bloggs

23:23 PM, 25th March 2015, About 9 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Mark Alexander" at "25/03/2015 - 19:22":

Hi Mark,
if the LL insists on rent for the remainder of the term he will forgo a higher rent due to london inflation and will have all the risk and problems of recovery. the better business solution is to relet at a higher rent and agree sensible compensation based on the reasonable cost of the new let.

9:41 AM, 26th March 2015, About 9 years ago

Ok Joe.there's no need to SHOUT AT ME.

Once we get to conspiracy theories about the landlord and agent being in cahoots it's time for me to quit. As they say on Dragon's Den - "I'm out".

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

10:14 AM, 26th March 2015, About 9 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Joe Bloggs" at "25/03/2015 - 23:23":

Hi Joe

That might be right in some areas on London but this Landlord would have to hike his rents up quite significantly to cover his losses.

Whilst there are better deals around I don't think a 7% fee in London is particularly high, I've seen 18%!
.

Joe Bloggs

10:32 AM, 27th March 2015, About 9 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Steve From Leicester" at "26/03/2015 - 09:41":

Steve,

Your theory that this was some sort of selfless super agent worth his weight in gold is no less preposterous than my alternatives.

BTW - apologies to all Skoda drivers.

Joe Bloggs

10:36 AM, 27th March 2015, About 9 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Mark Alexander" at "26/03/2015 - 10:14":

Hi Mark,

dont forget that 7% was applied to two years rent, so its 14% pa equivalent!

ive never heard of 18% finders fee, but if it exists it is surely merely an invitation to haggle.

i would have thought the compo should be based on future re-letting costs rather than historic.

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

11:13 AM, 27th March 2015, About 9 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Joe Bloggs" at "27/03/2015 - 10:36":

Hi Joe

It's OK to agree to disagree, we all have our opinions and you are as much entitled to yours as anybody else. It's certainly made for a lively debate so thank you for your input.
.

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