Dodgy rental estate agents ....

[TheMonkey]

Cut out the middle man and get your flat from here:

moveflat.com

Good idea. Looks like sh1t though. My eyes are bleeding!

[sasguru]

Cut out the middle man and get your flat from here:

moveflat.com

[TheMonkey]

Most letting agencies ask for a £30-60 "fee" before they'll even let you at something these days. I always rent privately now!

[Viktor]

Was that your first orgasm ?

After 5460 lost cash for f*&^5 1 bed flat 6 months rent, I was abstinent for a while...

[Fleetwood]

It doesn't matter what it is broken down over the year it's still YOUR hard earned cash and why should you give it to someone for nothing !

Wake up !

Well said, AW, and, remarkably, no mention of anal fisting.

[Andyw]

The £60 for references sounds like a bit of a cheek. But then again over a year that would be £5 a month. I wouldn't pay unless you get the flat.

why do people always break things down to "well that equates to a penny a day over the next 40 years " get real !

It doesn't matter what it is broken down over the year it's still YOUR hard earned cash and why should you give it to someone for nothing !

Wake up !

[Andyw]

when I first came in London

Was that your first orgasm ?

[Cowboy Bob]

The problem is that you know damn well that they're going to find a "stain on the carpet" that justifies them withholding £1000 of your deposit for "cleaning costs" when you move out if you make waves now.

[lORD lUCAN]

The £60 for references sounds like a bit of a cheek. But then again over a year that would be £5 a month. I wouldn't pay unless you get the flat.

Ditto, sounds like they're taking the piss, no flat, no reference charge, simple as.

[The Lone Gunman]

IANAL but I would have thought that they have accepted you as a tenant as soon as they took your money. You have nothing else to pay. I think it is illegal for them to add extra charges at this point.

Get legal advice.

[BlasterBates]

The £60 for references sounds like a bit of a cheek. But then again over a year that would be £5 a month. I wouldn't pay unless you get the flat.

[Viktor]

Have you signed a contract? I made a one-off payment for 6 months plus 1 month deposit when I first came in London (obviously I didn't have references at that time...). Request a contract first and then make the payment.
In my opinion this bullsh*t with references and nationality is illegal but after all it's up to the landlord...

[messiah]

I turned up to a flat for rent, it was ok so I made the agent who showed
me around the money there and then with a receipt for payment which he signed.

Next day I get a phone call from them asking me questions like nationality and employer referenes and then they had the cheek to ask me for a 60 quid administration charge for "taking up references and making an official request to the landlord for me to be the tennat".

Ok, I fear that the landlord could have rejected me in favour for some other tennant as I want it for 6 months / 9 months and the Estate Agent is leading me on ie they just want the 60 quid admin charge and they know they cannot get me the flat.

There is another factor that tis that I have to get into the property in about 3 weeks.

What are my rights in all of this ... say if I give them an ultimatum say Thursday next week to get the landlord's confirmation whether or not I can move into the flat and if no response then demand my 170 quid deposit back ?

Is it old trading standards ? do I just get a solicitor to send them a threatening letter for the 170 quid back or do I take them to small claims court or all of the above ???

Cheers .... moving flat is stressful.