Letting fees. What the hell?

[tri boy]

This is the first time I've had to deal with a rental via a registered real estate company, and besides them not really knowing much about the property in general, they also skinned me for $400 under the premise of "letting fee".
What the hell is it?
It's like walking into your local shop to buy a loaf of bread.
Paying for the bread.
And leaving without the bread.

When I did a bit of online research, all I came up with is that is a fee that REINZ registered agents can charge.
Must say I have always disliked real estate agents in general. (bought and sold property before, and I seem to attract the greasy smarmy ones).
This fee has them right down the bottom of my list now.
Can anyone enlighten me as to what the "fee" is for. (probably for comb overs and bad ties).

[Mully]

What it's for??

Because they can.

[Mom]

Can anyone enlighten me as to what the "fee" is for. (probably for comb overs and bad ties).

I will do my best, I have never had a comb over and only wear ties to fancy dress parties so here goes...

As you pointed out a letting fee can only be charged by a licensed REINZ agent. While I do tend to agree that it is an unfair cost to a tenant the fact is historically that is what has happened so therefore it happens. Personally I think the fee should be more fairly divided between the owner and the tenant.

In my time in the business my letting fees covered my expenses associated with letting the property. Advertising was part of it, credit and reference checks another part of it. Commissions paid to my agents was another part of it. Then again I had to pay rent for my office, power, telephone etc. I am sure I could bore you to tears here really.

There was no money made from letting fees, my income came from the commission I charged my owner clients to look after their properties. Infact I used to often times not charge a letting fee to ensure a paying tenant in my managed property, made for a happy tenant and a happy owner. My agents were not unhappy either, I used to fund their fee for letting the property out of my ever depleting income due to not charging tenants letting fees

[MattRSK]

Yeah and the other thing that annoys me is when you request something urgent to be fixed. Let's say you have no working oven! and it takes them six months to get it fixed. Oh and recently our hot water cylinder is leaking, still no word on when that will get fixed! (different cities different real estate companies).

Real estate agents are the most useless people on the planet. I can't for the life of me see why they are needed.

[CookMySock]

Tell them nar I'm not paying that.

Steve

[Mom]

Yeah and the other thing that annoys me is when you request something urgent to be fixed. Let's say you have no working oven! and it takes them six months to get it fixed. Oh and recently our hot water cylinder is leaking, still no word on when that will get fixed! (different cities different real estate companies).

Real estate agents are the most useless people on the planet. I can't for the life of me see why they are needed.

NO see I will disgree here. Some property managers are the pits and should not be legally allowed to continue to do their job. I cant tell where you live at the moment, but there is no way you should have to put up with a leaking hotwater cylinder, let alone wait 6 months to get your oven fixed, that is totally unacceptable!

Sit down right now and write a letter to the person that manages your property. Head it up 10 day notice to remedy fault. Clearly state that despite informing them that your hotwater cylinder is leaking (potentially causing damage to the house) it has not been fixed. As the tenant your responsibility is to immediately notify the owner, or their agent of any fault, which you have done. Then say you expect the leak to be repaired within 10 days of the receipt of this notice. Sign it and deliver it to the agent.

By law (and this is dumb), you have to allow 4 working days notice for delivery, 2 days if you hand deliver it. Potentailly you will have to wait 14 working days to get your hotwater cylinder repaired if they are stupid enough to not sit up and fix it immediately. If they dont fix it within that time, ring 0800 tenancy and get an application to the Tenancy Tribunal. To make an application will cost you $20? Make sure you claim for the water that is dripping away (if you pay for water that is), for electricity bills paid to heat the water you have not used because it has dripped away, and a sizeable amount for inconvenience

I hate people that charge for a service and dont deliver.

[MattRSK]

NO see I will disgree here. Some property managers are the pits and should not be legally allowed to continue to do their job. I cant tell where you live at the moment, but there is no way you should have to put up with a leaking hotwater cylinder, let alone wait 6 months to get your oven fixed, that is totally unacceptable!

Sit down right now and write a letter to the person that manages your property. Head it up 10 day notice to remedy fault. Clearly state that despite informing them that your hotwater cylinder is leaking (potentially causing damage to the house) it has not been fixed. As the tenant your responsibility is to immediately notify the owner, or their agent of any fault, which you have done. Then say you expect the leak to be repaired within 10 days of the receipt of this notice. Sign it and deliver it to the agent.

By law (and this is dumb), you have to allow 4 working days notice for delivery, 2 days if you hand deliver it. Potentailly you will have to wait 14 working days to get your hotwater cylinder repaired if they are stupid enough to not sit up and fix it immediately. If they dont fix it within that time, ring 0800 tenancy and get an application to the Tenancy Tribunal. To make an application will cost you $20? Make sure you claim for the water that is dripping away (if you pay for water that is), for electricity bills paid to heat the water you have not used because it has dripped away, and a sizeable amount for inconvenience

I hate people that charge for a service and dont deliver.

Yeah I know the process, went through it all with the oven issue. It was crazy, doing all that takes so much time and then the agent just waits all that out before fixing at the last minute.

Thanks for your reply though, I imagine there are some bloody good agents out there that wouldn't stand for that eh.

[tri boy]

Thanks for the info Mom
DB, I can't not pay it Already have.
If the property manager does a good job, then fair enough I guess, but so far they have proved a bit, err, useless.
Even counting the bond, ($1050 in $20 notes), she miss counted by $400.
Then said I owed them $400 more
Count again lady
Oh, yes, thats correct.
No apology etc.
Then tried to tell me how I needed to keep the place spick n span.
For feck sake lady. Wait till the first inspection. (kanny is the best home body/nester I've ever known)
Seems my 4hundy is now part of her morning tea fund

[steve_t]

Next time, you should try to negotiate on the letting fee. The only problem with doing so is you have to be prepared to walk away... and they know that you're keen to get into a place ASAP... It's opportunistic of them and they'll keep doing it as long as people keep paying it

[Bass]

Yeah I know the process, went through it all with the oven issue. It was crazy, doing all that takes so much time and then the agent just waits all that out before fixing at the last minute.

Thanks for your reply though, I imagine there are some bloody good agents out there that wouldn't stand for that eh.

You can make an application to the tenancy tribunal as soon as you have delivered the 10 day notice to remedy. Yes it will cost you money and you will lose the money if the defect is remedied within the 10 days, but it really keeps the pressure on the other party.
I speak from experience.

[dino3310]

used to be the letting fee was the same as a weeks rent.

shit was gonna suggest my pad but the landlord had someone lined up.

Tell the realestate lady to remove the noxious weeds around the place to or i'll send her a letter from biosecurity

take a shit load of photos to mate so they dont try to ping you for already worn stuff when you move on.

[tri boy]

Wooly night shade is no match for this little noxious weed.
4 bedrooms, fecking big lounge, spa bath, good sized garage, and not in sububia. Kanny is even organising "adult toys" parties for her workmates there
Buggered if I'm gunna be around when that lot are boozing, and thrusting battery operated devices about.

[Mom]

Buggered if I'm gunna be around when that lot are boozing, and thrusting battery operated devices about.

Absolute pussy! Fraidy cat of the highest order

[bogan]

yeh its pretty shit, but most flats are controlled by these fuckers now, specially in student citys where you have to pay a letting fee damn near every year!
Extremely unhappy with our current tenancy agency/landlord, got broken into 4 times in last 6 months, theyve done the absolute minimum to legally be able to keep us here (fixed term tenancy contract), took them to tribunal under hardship clause or summat cos we are pretty sure this thieving fuck is gonna come back, but they sided with them and we have to stay. Seems pretty unethical to make us stay (to me and many other landlord i know) but i spose some people only care about money. Moral of the story, dont get a flat from L.J.Hoooker palmerston, btw they have also been very rude to us from the start and even suggested its our student lifestyle that was causing us to get robbed. anyway, thats my rant for the day

[chanceyy]

Yeah and the other thing that annoys me is when you request something urgent to be fixed. Let's say you have no working oven! and it takes them six months to get it fixed. Oh and recently our hot water cylinder is leaking, still no word on when that will get fixed! (different cities different real estate companies).

Real estate agents are the most useless people on the planet. I can't for the life of me see why they are needed.

if your hot water is leaking it will escalate your power bills immensely .. take a reading from your meter & again once its fixed .. you should be able to work out your daily average when it was fine & again when its not .. the owner should be liable for the difference ..

get onto it ASAP .....