Generation Rent on the warpath once more over agents' fees

By Graham Norwood

Campaign group Generation Rent has provided material to The Guardian newspaper suggesting that a typical two-adult household is being charged letting agents’ fees of up to £813.

The group claims that tenants in England are still paying an average of £404 every time they move. In the material published by The Guardian, the group says there can also be additional charges for tenants on low incomes and needing rent guarantors at an average cost £152, or needing to move in on a Saturday involving an extra payment of £62.

Generation Rent is quoted as saying that agents are also charging for tenancy renewals, at an average price of £117 every six or 12 months.


Check-out fees at the end of a tenancy are charged at £120, and references for the next tenancy average £60 for two people.

The group claims that it found Romans’ Wokingham branch charged £813 in total while other agents - including Piper Property in Bristol and East & Co in Waltham Forest, east London - not charging tenants any fees at all.

The official consultation into the government’s proposed ban on letting agents’ fees levied on tenants in England closes today.

https://www.lettingagenttoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2017/6/generation-rent-on-the-warpath-once-more-over-agents-fees