A survey conducted for a property sales platform shows a very substantial majority of the public against any agents’ fees being levied on tenants – and those who do accept fees believe they should be lower than the current average.

TheHouseShop has commissioned a YouGov survey to get insight into public opinion on the issue before the end of the government’s official fees ban consultation.

Research from Citizens Advice places the average fees charged by letting agents at £337 per tenant, however the new survey results show that just two per cent of people thought tenants should have to pay more than £250 in fees to secure a property.

Some 46 per cent think tenants shouldn’t pay any administration fees or charges beyond a security deposit and first month’s rent. When excluding respondents who selected the “don’t know” option, this figure rises to 54 per cent.

The results for tenants renting directly from a private landlord showed more definitive support for an outright ban on fees, with over 60 per cent saying tenants shouldn’t have to pay any admin fees to secure a property.