�100 for a credit check for a flat??

[joko]

My sister has organised to move into a flat.

But she is due to sign etc tomorrow and they have just casually, told her she is to pay �100 for a credit check.

Is this correct? It seems a lot and it seems odd not to mention it before and just sort of casually throw it into the conversation.

Can she get one done herself and send it to them or must she go through the company?

cheers

[Loosehead]

Sounds like yet another "Charge" from the letting agency. A credit check costs about �2 but that bears no relation to what they charge. It'll be a condition so she either has to jump through their hoops or tell them to go forth...... I bet they charge also for "Inventory", "administration" and anything else they can think off. Money grubbing b@stards. On the other side, she'll never get her deposit back either, letting agents are professional extortionists.

[ummmm]

They use to call admin fee

[flyciderman]

You are a bit stuck at this late stage, but a a normal chage by a the market leader is less than �10.00.

Ask them to show you the document that specified this charge and why did they not tell you about it at the start, I bet they will back down

[smurf618]

Unfortunatly yes, this is about the average charge by most agencys these days. My brother is just moving in to a flat and he told me he has to pay �100 admin fees for credit checks and such like. Just another way to legally steal from us.

[sutherambler]

I am a landlord. I bear the cost of credit search and do it on "Home-let"( Do a google searc for website) There are various searches starting at �25.
I really think it is about time estate agents stopped taking all these extras, although I know some estate agents only make this charge if the reply is negative - which I think is fair.

[Suzy~Q]

I worked for a 'reputable' letting agency a few years back - it was common practice to charge for the 'contract' even though no solicitor was involved. The contract was simply a template where the lessors name, address and the monthly rental etc was added. When I questioned why the fee was charged the Manager told me that there was no need to apply the fee at all, but it generated extra income, which of course helped increase the 'commission' paid to the employee - my guess would be that the 'credit check' works along the same lines and that it wouldn't hurt to challenge it. The 'legitimate' charges are a minimum 10% of the rental paid on a simple rent collection basis. If the property owner also requested property checks during the rental period this resulted in a higher percentage being taken from the rent paid.