Hrm...

[denny]

So I went to take a second look at a flat yesterday, and it looked okay. I saw the landlord, who seems like a nice guy, and we had a chat about a few odds and ends. I shook hands with him on a tentative offer of 800 a month, which he said he'd be happy with but I'd have to put it through the agency who'd put us in touch.

I rang the agency and put the offer, and they rang back while I was on the tube and left me a message. The message said the offer was accepted, but as I'm not looking to move in until the 5th of June and the flat is going to be ready from the start of next week, they suggest that I pay 50% of the rent for the next month to 'hold' the property.

[Poll #721583]

Comments

[uberredfraggle.livejournal.com]

I have had to pay a holding fee before but not that much! I can understand it partly but it is a lot. What happens if you need to back out? Are they planning on keeping it?

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's 'empty rent' I guess. I don't get it back if I change my mind.

[uberredfraggle.livejournal.com]

In that case and reading below that the flat is not finished then yes it is cheeky and you are in the right to dispute it.

[ev1ldonut.livejournal.com]

50% rent during an unoccupied period is fairly common practice, and I had to put up with it a lot during my university time. Something that can't really be avoided. I can see it from the point of view of the owner, but for a period of just one month it is a bit annoying, normally when I had to do it, it was for a period of 3 or 4 months.

Could be worse, one place I had to pay full rent in the period before I was able to move in... *sigh*

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

I'd never heard of it before, although I suppose I can see the point over a period of several months.

In this case, the guy hasn't even finished doing DIY at the property yet, so I think it's a bit of a cheek personally. Also I'm pretty sure it was the agency's idea, not the landlord's - I specifically mentioned my moving-in date to him last night (and I've been clear about it all along) and he didn't say anything then.

[ev1ldonut.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...

Well, given that you already talked to the landlord, and it's such a short period, then I'd try and argue it out with the agency. Maybe say that the landlord made no mention of a holding fee, plus you aren't happy to pay one on a property until all the work is finished. You could posibly try talking to the landlord again to see what he says about it?

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

I've told the agency 'no' for now, they said they'll get back to the landlord and then get back to me. If they say he's not happy to waive it, I might phone him direct to see if this is really coming from him or whether it's their idea.

[azekeil.livejournal.com]

Ah, if the DIY's not finished, then how can you move in? In that case, simply say you'll give him rent from when he gives you the keys and you can move in (it may make moving easier if you've got both properties available at once?)

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

I can't afford to rent them both for more than a week, and I'll be crippled from surgery up until at least the moving in date I've given them.

I imagine he'll have finished the DIY by the middle of next week, maybe sooner if he wants to really work hard on it.

[azekeil.livejournal.com]

Well go and look at other properties while this one is haggled over. If you have alternative options you can afford to screw him down over the 'empty rent' business.

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately the timing of my next few months is complicated... finishing up at this job means I can't duck out to look at flats, they need me in the office full-time (and the flats are half a day's journey to go, look at, and return). My surgery will mean I won't even be able to look at flats for a good while after it - possibly up to a month. I was really hoping for this one to work out without too much aggro.

Ho hum. At worst, I'll end up commuting from Wimbledon to central London - it adds an hour to my morning, which I could really do without, but that's life.

[sepheri.livejournal.com]

Yep, me too. Three months worth of rent for the summer period until we moved in in the September. It sucked

[aiwendel.livejournal.com]

they've Suggested you pay it?
Can you suggest that you don't...

Have you bargained the price of the place down though? If so you have less of a leg to stand on in refusing the fee....

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

I've point-blank refused to pay it. The agency is going to get back to the landlord now and see what he says.

I bargained the price down from ~825 a month to 800 a month.

[robert-jones.livejournal.com]

That's what I was about to suggest. You (and they) have to form a view on how likely they are to find a tenant willing to move in immediately. I'm sure in some places that's realistic, but generally one expects a flat to stand empty for a while. I would say they were trying it on. No reason they shouldn't, of course, but no reason you should go along with it either.

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

There does seem to be an air of 'what do you mean, you don't want it this week?' in this particular neighbourhood. Half the agencies refused to even talk to me when they found out I was looking six weeks in advance, they said they'd call back in four weeks.

[aiwendel.livejournal.com]

sounds like the right thing to do :)

[aiwendel.livejournal.com]

Still it's definately worth bartering to see if you can get the fee down...

[hythloday.livejournal.com]

Either the chap has accepted your offer, or he hasn't. If he hasn't (and if they're haggling about terms, that sounds like it's the state that it's in), shrug and keep on looking - if he has accepted, then he has no business trying to squeeze more money out of you.

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's not officially agreed yet - nothing in writing.

They've engaged my stubborn streak - I'd rather commute than pay rent on something I'm unable to so much as visit.

[the-falconer.livejournal.com]

Don't know what it's like now, but when I was looking for somewhere to rent a few years back, the London property market was very very much a landlord's market. Places would frequently dissappear from the market between me booking to see them and turning up. As such, this kind of arsing around from landlords is not uncommon (and in fact, when we found the -perfect- place, we ended up paying 100% rent for a few weeks before we wanted to move in, so we didn't lose it).

[ciphergoth.livejournal.com]

Did they state the availability date in the advertising? If so, and you're trying to negotiate a later moving date than what they stated, then it's pretty reasonable to ask for less than the full rent to bridge the gap. If not, it's fucking outrageous to spring this on you.

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen it advertised - the agency approached me with it, knowing my requirements (including moving in date). So yeah, a bit opportunist I feel.

[missyasmina.livejournal.com]

This is just one of those things...a buisnessman will do to try to earn more money.
When the land-lord told the agency he had shooked hand with you on that flat, they probably said; Ok, now lets just see if we can get him to pay some rent for the weeks before the moving-in date, before you two sign anything.

Its not rude nor right&proper.
Its up to you to do some bargening.
The land-lord wants someone that he thinks is capable of paying the rent without any problems, which you are. But if its easy to rent out flats in that area you may still have to pay a little to make sure you keep it.

Maybe suggest you can pay for one week before you move in, and thats it. Its 4 weeks they want you to pay 50% rent for, which you said no to,right?
So that will be half of what they asked you for. I think they would accept that, as it would save them both work and money. If you could afford it of course.

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's still about 200 quid, which I really can't spare. I'm already looking to rent both flats for a week as it is, in a month when I might not get paid by anyone. :-\

[missyasmina.livejournal.com]

Ohh.. I see. :-\