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TODAY'S OTHER NEWS

Really? Around half of agents back fees ban, survey suggests

A survey of letting and estate agencies suggest around half broadly back the changes to the private rental sector outlined in the Queen’s Speech - including a ban on letting agents’ fees.

 

The survey - conducted for software company Goodlord - spoke only to 130 agents across the country. 

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Only 42 per cent felt the current process of securing a rental property was understood by tenants while just under half - 49 per cent - felt the current lettings process was efficient.

 

However, when asked about specific measures over half of agents backed a ban on agents charging administrative fees to tenants for moving into a property or renewing a tenancy, and a cap on the size of deposits.

 

There was also a stark regional divide with agents in London and the South East the least likely to regard the current process as efficient or fair. 

 

 

Other measures apparently backed by substantial numbers of agents included a cap on rent rises so they do not exceed inflation (backed by 47 per cent) and on compensation for private tenants evicted through no fault of their own (42 per cent). 

 

Around 35 per cent felt tenancies should last for three to five years as a minimum. 

 

The research, conducted in May this year, also interviewed 1,000 tenants. 

It found that there was deep mistrust of landlords by tenants, with only a third of tenants having a “great deal of trust” that their landlord will fix things in good time, keep rent increases to reasonable levels or return their deposits.

The survey also shows that younger tenants under 35 feel particularly vulnerable to poor treatment from landlords.

  • jeremy clarke

    Sorry, don't believe any of this! I talk with many agents and landlords and would say that the opposite is the case; many agents will suffer financially if fees are banned outright and landlords fear that yet again they would be the losers iv deposits are capped. As for longer tenancies, yes we are seeing tenants staying much longer but very few want to be tied to 3 or more years, the last tenants of ours that asked for a long tenancy and the landlord granted 2 years, split up after 8 months and wanted out ASAP!

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    This is one of the most misleading articles I have seen.
    Agree with the comments made by Jeremy Clarke.
    Ban fee's, reduce income lead to staff redundancy's.
    Smaller deposits, landlords having to pay out 1000's to make good damage, rent arrears or the pay the vastly increasing court fees for trying to gain possession.
    Longer tenancies are already available but only work in a small amount of cases.

  • Matt Williams

    Absolute rubbish!

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    Absolute nonsense!

    They'll be saying next that 54% of turkeys voted for Christmas

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    Goodlord! What nonsense.

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    Agree with the comments above.
    Why is LAT even bothering to publish such utter nonsense ?

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    Hey Government- here's an idea why not roll out the fees ban in London only. London seems to be a law to itself and the housing market including property prices differs there to the majority of the UK. It would be more appropriate than imposing such fool-hardy and punitive measures on the hardworking agents (and ultimately tenants) in the rest of the country.

  • Neil Moores

    Jeremy Clarke's response summed up the problem. A 2 year tenancy where the tenants want to leave after 8 months. I would just let them go once I had found a new tenant and then charge the old ones the fees that the landlord would pay me to find new ones....................oops, no, won't be able to do that shortly. looks like they'd be stuck for the full 2 years or would end up with CCJs each for breach!

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