Concerns have been voiced that as a result of the fees ban, more landlords will decide to self-manage when they have limited experience and knowledge.
Members of the Fair Fees Forum, which met last week, also said that if agents are not allowed to charge for referencing, then this could lead to the exclusion of vulnerable tenants and those on benefits.
The Forum called for a coherent framework to the regulation of the private rented sector, including registration of all letting agents and effective enforcement.
Attendees at the meeting included Belvoir, Chestertons, Countrywide, Hamptons, Hunters, Ryder & Dutton, Savills and Winkworth.
Also in attendance were trade bodies, redress schemes and tenancy deposit schemes, while the Department for Communities and Local Government was present in listening mode.
The Forum will meet again in July after the consultation on the fees ban has closed.
Agents really are clutching at every single straw they can think of, aren’t they! Yet to see ONE article justifying fees, instead every single possible reason why banning them will result in a nationwide zombie apocalypse.
On the one hand agents complain that traditional agency is unjustly dying and with the other they’re desperately clinging on to the past. High Street agents could have won such an easy PR battle here and, instead they’ve played right into the hands of every single online jonny-come-lately or MP looking to score the most simple of political points.
Stop flogging this poor, dead, lifeless horse. Fees are being banned and fighting it only resembles King Canute trying to command the tides. Anyone that thinks MPS (IN THE RUN UP TO AN ELECTION) are going to side with estate agents, even if it were justifiable, is utterly deluded.
Please, for the love of God, move on.
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Fair comments Alex.
I also think the above brands have missed a trick.
Instead of ‘fair fee’ fighting. They should be pushing for greater regulation of DIY Landlords.
The argument is simple. ‘Consumer tenants may get an unregulated bad grade landlord’ , where agents have to meet consumer codes of practice.
If landlords come more inder the spot light and opened to the legislation agents have to stomach. Then agents would pick up more buffer trade.
There is also the argument with no application fees, tenants are going to be putting in 5-10-20 wasted applications to gain a single unit. Agents need to highlight on tax returns all the wasted offset money to reduce their tax bills that gov have/are implimenting.
This whole instance is going to be a big elephant in the room.
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Yes – the way forward for agents is to accept that the ban is comming in. No if no buts just one of those things. ,
Where the industry and bodies representing agents can and should put their efforts in is to get all landlords to be on the same playing field – all regulatated.
Agents are already regulated and which most of us already are and have done so ie NARLs’ / ARLA TPO client money protection safe agent etc but we as an industry should be deflecting the ‘anger’ and “social injustice” view not at agents but at Landlords. Why should landlords not be regulated but agents have to be?
If rented accommodation is so important to the various parties then why are they not targeting Landlords as opposed to Agents? If all landlords have to be registered and have min standard + redress- many will use an agent and that will drive up standards in the industry and work for agents.
It will be good for the tenant and good for the agent and utimalty good for the landlord. A fair number of private landlords still do not have a clue as to the paperwork and procedures, its these private landlords that I would wager are pulling standards down and creating the ‘hate’ towards letting
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If you haven’t already, make sure you have your say on the Government Department for Communities and Local Government lettings Fees Ban Consultation survey.
Go to www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/dclglet
If you are an agent, watch out for the trick questions which imply you agree with the ban even if you don’t!
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Why should agents give up the fight and stop the ban? Are you all saying you want the PRS apocalypse to happen? Because it won’t improve the economy at all nor will it make the industry a better place so the sooner you get on board and join the fight to protect landlords and tenants the better.
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And May the fourth be with us all
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