A HOME-SEEKER has been left stunned after a landlord demanded £20 to view a new home – and has issued an urgent warning to fellow house hunters.
James, 28, was hopeful he would be able to find his perfect future home when he contacted a landlord over Facebook to view their two-bed home.
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He quickly messaged the landlord, asking to organise a time to see the property in Nottingham.
But he was left stunned when the landlord replied, asking for £20 to be able to view the home.
James told The Sun he believes landlords charging for viewings are “taking advantage” of people left vulnerable by the housing market and cost of living crisis.
Asking prospective renters to pay for viewings is in violation of the Tenant Fees Act of 2019, which came into law in June 2020.
Under the law, “a landlord or agent cannot charge for this service [viewing] as viewing a property is part of the process connected with granting a tenancy.”
A breach of the ban could come with a fine of up to £5,000.
Two or more breaches in a five year period could be classed as a criminal offence, and can result in a fine of up to £30,000 – or even prosecution.
Under the law, landlords are not allowed to charge any tenant fees for any of the following: property viewings, insurance policies, any fee associated with setting up a tenancy, references and credit checks, renewal costs, guarantor requests, professional cleaning fees, and gardening costs.
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James said he was sharing his story to warn others that could easily fall victim to the practice.
“I want prospective property viewers to see this, so they know what to look out for, otherwise behind closed doors people wouldn’t see it. This way the business needs to be accountable.
“At first I was upset, as it makes me think this is the new thing being done to people now. I barely have enough as it is and I feel if I was in a more vulnerable position this kind of thing could crush me, so it could crush others.
“This time it was £20, another time with another house or another landlord it could be £200, and people need to be careful.”
The landlord’s company in Nottingham, does not have a website or contact number, and these aspects of the business made James further suspect something was wrong.
When reached for comment, the landlord did not deny charging for viewings, but told The Sun they did not believe the practice was illegal.
On the potentially significant fines attached to the offence, James said he would rather see the license the landlord trades with revoked, and felt the most important thing was that other home-seekers understand what to watch out for.
“Just getting fined isn’t enough, which is why I did this publicly. Otherwise this can just be done behind closed doors and people never hear about it.
“With the state of the market right now, people need stability, not some landlord taking advantage.
To have landlords charge for viewings, they are just preying on people. The situation with the market is opening gaps for these kinds of people.
James, 28
“Someone more vulnerable than I am, such as someone born abroad or my own brother with autism, someone like that could pay without thinking about it.”
Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, told The Sun: “Landlords who charge tenants just to view a property are not only exploiting people in search of a safe home, they’re breaking the law.
“The 2019 Tenant Fees Act expressly bans landlords and letting agents from charging unreasonable fees as a way to line their own pockets.
“The Tenant Fees Act has been in place for three years and most landlords and agents have changed their business practices, so there is no excuse for flouting the law.
“Anyone who is wrongfully charged fees should report it to the Trading Standards department of their local council, who can impose fines.”
What to do if you think you have been wrongfully charged
If you think you may have been illegally charged a fee prohibited under the Tenant Fees Act, you may be able to recover these costs through first-tier tribunal.
Tenants who believe they have been wrongly charged can also complain to their local council, which has the power to fine a landlord or agent, according to Shelter.
Breaches of the ban are investigated by Trading Standards.
If your landlord has charged you a banned fee, they cannot give you a section 21 eviction notice unless they have refunded your money.
Landlords can be prosecuted by the council and banned from renting our properties ever again if they break the rules more than once.
A handy guide to reporting to Trading Standards was produced by Citizens Advice.
For advice or guidance over this issue, contact Citizens Advice: 0808 223 1133
This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk
