UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hello,

Apologies if this has been asked many times before. Essentially the letting agency who helped me to find tenant last year came back and requested renewal fee. I wonder what the definition of renewal is? If no new contract has been signed and we are just rolling the existing contract, do I still have to pay for the renewal fee? Seems like a rip-off to me.


Thanks,

Christina

It certainly is a rip-off... but you must have signed the Terms of Business you signed with your eyes open? Is this clearly outlined for you? If not, challenge it, for sure. Or simply just refuse if you think you'll have no more dealings with them... they might just go away.

The languages in the ToC isn't very clear, it just said fees are applicable at X % if tenancy agreement is renewed. But it hasn't specified if a rolling contract constitutes a "renewal". The worry is that if i don't pay up, they could take me to the small claims court and that'll be bad for my credit record...Dilemma..

That's the point to argue then.

Your position is that moving from the fixed term of an AST to SPT isn't a renewal, therefore you don't believe the fee is due. Have you made this point at this juncture?