Estate Agency Fees

[MrPahoehoe]

Hello everyone, I was just wondering what (if any) legal standing I have to refuse to pay what I consider to be an unjust charge.

Myself and my flatmates just moved into a new rental house. This was advertised on some rightmove style internet site, by an estate agency. When I first phoned the agency they advised me that we would have to pay a fee, if we moved into a property shown to us by a landlord we contacted through them. They told me that I would have to contact the landlord of the property, but they couldn't tell me his number until I was registered with them, so they took my details and pretty much hung-up on me: advising that I'd have to call back when they'd put it in the computer. So I called back later and finally got the number. After speaking to the landlord, seeing the property several times and speaking to him several times more we took the property. After we'd been in there for about 3 weeks we got a letter in the post advising that we now owe the agency �284. This really rankles with me as they only thing they did was to tell me the landlord's number, I never actually spoke to them again. I sorted everything out and they did nothing, which is why it feels quite unjust. I appreciate that this is a free country and they can charge what they want, but I expect some level of service from an agency, but they left all that to me, which took a fair amount of time and effort.

Not only that, but about �40 of this is VAT. I'm not sure, but I don't remember ever having seen VAT on something that is intangible: a service, is this ok?

[joko]

they told you of the charge - did they tell you the price?

did they tell you it would be much lower?

if so you may have a case, but if you were told of a charge, and agreed without asking how much then i don't think you have a leg to stand on.

i believe these agencies also perform credit checks, and criminal checks etc on behalf of the seller - at your expense.

[Ethel]

I can tell you for definite that VAT is payable on most services, including estate agency fees, so that answers one question.

Have you signed anything with this agency? When you signed up, were there terms and conditions? If so, did you read them and confirm that you had read them by ticking the box?