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Craig W

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Just 15 minutes work, that's all it was. I am curious though, did the accompanied viewer wake up the house where the viewings took place or did they have to drive/commute there? Are the running cost of the car free? Before they drove to the viewing did they have to pick up keys from the office? The office where they keep the keys, is that a free office with no charge for power, business rates, insurance, etc? Presumably all of their office furniture, computers, telephone system and other equipment are free too? What about the advertising where the advert was seen in the first place? Rightmove, Zoopla, On the market, their own website, window displays? All free too? Presumably the person that went out to carry out the market appraisal works for free? The photographer, they work free of charge too? That's just a taste of what needs to be in place before a tenant even applies. The list is endless. It is the complete ignorance from the likes of Victoria Whitlock and politicians that has railroaded this ban through without a thought or care for the consequences. This is a very difficult industry to be in and it is constantly getting more and more difficult with little appreciation for the good many letting agents do. I am all for a cap on fee's as many agents are extortionate, but please don't be so ignorant to think that to provide an accompanied viewing is just a case of a 15 minute task.

From: Craig W 09 June 2018 10:06 AM

The housing minister is nothing but a puppet for the countries rich and elite. This has absolutely nothing to do with helping tenants and saving money. There is a very clear agenda to wipe out the small landlord and as many letting agents as possible to make way for the rich and corporate companies. Abolishment of relief from mortgage interest, increased stamp duty, ban on letting agents fees. What is the real result? The average landlord can no longer afford to be in the market and letting agents go out of business. In step the rich corporates to take over with build to rent and most other aspects of buy to let as well as becoming large and dominating letting agents which we are already starting to see. A cap would be confusing! What a load of nonsense! A set fee is anything but confusing. If confusion is an issue then ban stamp duty, afterall the new system is more confusing than its ever been! If a tenant tenant saves say £200 on letting fees is that really going to be the difference between getting on the housing ladder and not? If the government care so much about helping tenants why dont they stop banks and mortgage advisors and solicitors from charging fees? Afterall they are the DIRECT source of cost for someone who wants to BUY a property. Not ALL tenants want to buy! As ban letting fees to so call help tenants get on the housing ladder, they may as well ban sky from charging tenants to watch movies and sports, using the same excuse of they cant afford to buy a house because of it and the packages are all confusing! This has nothing at all to do with helping tenants, they know full well that rents are likely to rise making tenant costs higher on average and fees to landlords are likely to rise, pushing small landlords out of the buy to let market. ONLY THE STRONG & RICH SURVIVE.

From: Craig W 16 September 2017 09:03 AM

Banning letting agents fees as a reason that tenants cannot get on the housing ladder is absolutely ridiculous! Is a £200, £500 or even a extortionate £1000 fee really going to make the difference between buying or not? Take a look at the bigger picture! How about banning bank survey fees? Bank application fees? Further reduction in interest rates for first time buyers! How about banning mortgage companies from charging fee's? Often these are extortionate - (between £500 to £1000) How about Put CAPS on energy bills for first time buyers, council tax exceptions for first time buyers? These are all on going costs which will make a huge difference! The list is endless! Why such an attack on letting agents? I agree that many have overcharged and not helped with this situation, but as a letting agent who only charges for work completed and a fairly modest amount at that, the total ban is unfair and will put so many small businesses in jeopardy! What other industry is expected to work free of charge? Letting a house is nothing to do with buying a home and affordability in buying and on-going costs, so why not take a look at the real issue rather than trying to make out banning letting agents fee's will make a difference! The ban is nothing but a crowd pleaser which will not make one bit of difference towards increasing number of first time buyers!

From: Craig W 08 March 2017 11:54 AM

Totally agree Adrian. It seems that the idiots making these suggestion clearly have no concept of the costs incurred when running a business. Amongst many other things for example, an inventory can often take in excess of three hours, yet agents are supposed carry this out free of charge? I'm all for fair fee's but a total ban is nonsense and will put a lot of agencies out of business.

From: Craig W 21 November 2016 16:19 PM

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