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Charge for credit reference check-unfair?


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Hi guys,

 

I wonder if anyone could help me.

 

I am moving into a new flat fairly soon and today paid the amount for the credit reference check. I was told the charge would be £120 and never even thought about much more of it.

 

I then asked what the £120 was for and was told it is a non-refundable amount for just a credit check. Now I feel that is a bit extreme for a credit check and the letting agency are purely trying to profit on a service which costs them very little in reality to have done for them.

 

Further to this the payment was taken by the landlord without use of chip and pin (I believe the details of my card were put directly throughout heir site) including my cvc code.

 

Is there anyway I can contest the amount of £120. I don't mind paying but I feel taken advantage of for something I can not be guaranteed!

 

I live in Scotland if that makes a difference for legislation.

 

Thanks

 

C-130

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In England/Wales, a credit check would cost your landlord between £10 and £50 depending on how 'in-depth' it is.

 

It was a fee that you agreed, and I can't see any chance of it being recoverable. Just because beans cost more in 7/11 than Tesco, doesn't mean you can claim back the difference.

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I would agree with that but they should not make a profit from thing such as a credit reference check.

 

Same as a bank should not charge ridiculous charges for being in overdraft or missing a direct debit. As it was put forward to me that this charge is purely to cover the credit check then I pay £1200 to cover admin charges and then I pay deposit and one months rent.

 

How can one justify £1200 as an admin fee when other agencies can do for free!

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£120 is prob £100 fee + VAT. Also a full tenant check (often referred to as credit check) can involve more than getting you current credit file (at comm rates) eg bank checks, last LL ref, employment status checks etc Yes, Agency will also take a profit from that £100.

 

I am more interested how they justify a £1200 admin fee.

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While there are costs involved, many agents take advantage of both landlords and tenants as they invent fees for all sorts of things and usually have their hands in both the landlord's and the tenant's pocket in every stage of the process (sorry to any good agents out there, but that is my personal experience both as a landlord and a tenant).

 

The best solution is to shop around, negotiate the fee down, challenge fees, try to rent directly with landlords, insist that fees are refundable if the check is failed, try to get landlord to agree to pay the fee if the check is passed, tell your friends etc. etc.

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