Lib Dems call for immediate ban on letting agent fees

The Lib Dems have called for an immediate ban on letting fees charged by agents.

Leader Tim Farron said that private tenants were being treated like “cash cows”, with fees adding up collectively to over half a billion pounds.

Farron said: “Private renters get a raw deal and urgent action is needed. They pay the most for housing and have the least protection. Renters are being treated as cash cows and it’s time they got the help they deserve.

“Unnecessary fees are a waste of money for those saving to get on to the housing ladder, and they push others into debt.

“They simply fill the pockets of lettings agents and it’s common sense that they should be scrapped without delay.”

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14 Comments

  1. cjhhhh51

    I think all holidays should be free. Why should people have to pay for holidays? It’s just lining the pockets of the tour companies. And also the tour companies should be made to work even harder to follow regulations to keep their customers safe. And we should change those regulations all the time to cost them even more money. And then other firms should be allowed in the market who openly flout the rules and don’t get picked up on it.  Ooh then we can charge the hotels for letting them stay. Yeah free holidays for everyone! I can’t see any problems with this at all….

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  2. Fred Jones

    When political parties stop taking handouts from their supporters they’ll have room to talk,
    some agents don’t charge the earth and offer a good service to both Landlord and Tenant.

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  3. MF

    Well obviously the Lib Dems have put a lot of thought into this….. NOT.

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    1. Peter

      Lib Dems – who are they?

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  4. Fred Jones

    cjhhh51;

    Can i book one for later this year. ah

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    1. cjhhhh51

      Oh I’m sorry all the hotels will be left empty by then as its not profitable for the hotel owners to open them and no-one else can qualify to get a mortgage to buy them.  Why don’t you book now and I’ll put your money in my unregulated bank account?  You can have it back later.  I promise.

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      1. Fred Jones

        Sounds like a good political idea!

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  5. SarahPercy33

    And what about all the VAT that is collected on the back of those “unnecessary fees” – I am quite sure the Government would be very unhappy at losing that “cash cow”?  How does the jolly clever Politician suggest that I keep my company going if I do my job for nothing?  These people really should go and get a proper job!

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  6. ray comer

    The LIb Dems will introduce a change in the law to ban letting agent fees when they come into power – so we have nothing to worry about!

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  7. SteveMAC

    Perhaps the Lib Dems could take up the high fees charged by Rightmove on our behalf, oh hang on that’s not a vote grabbing stunt.

    Seriously why are we expected to work for free and be liable for ever increasing and often unnecessary regulation when there is no call for others to do so?

    My business employs 10 people with at least 3 contractors dependent on us full time and pays a fortune in corp tax, paye, NI and collected VAT!!!

     

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  8. greg

    The Lib Dems performance in the last election says it all.

    RIP LibDems

    #notaclue

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  9. jad

    The Lib WHO ????   I thought we had seen the last of them and their carrier bag legislation.

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  10. sspm

    Every politician should work for free just as they are expecting us to do so.

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  11. Kelly14

    So does this mean they’ll treble them like with student fees?

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