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Agents fee's on renting a room?

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expat81
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Agents fee's on renting a room?

Post by expat81 » Tue, 04 May 2010 3:22 pm

I refuse to pay agents fee's when I actually contacted them directly, for a proeprty I've seen them advertise, I did the leg work.

However, a friend of mine has been asked to pay a agents fee for renting a room in a shared condo. She contacted the agent directly about the room.

Personaly, I've told her to tell the agent where to go. But what are your thoughts?

Thanks

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sundaymorningstaple
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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Tue, 04 May 2010 3:42 pm

Frankly, if she when through the agent instead of the landlord directly, then I would have to say a service was preformed on behalf of both the landlord and the tenant, wouldn't you? It's kind of like a match maker isn't it?
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

expat81
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Post by expat81 » Tue, 04 May 2010 4:35 pm

But the agent is acting on behalf of the landlord, therefore surely the landlord should foot the fee?

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Saint
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Post by Saint » Tue, 04 May 2010 4:53 pm

expat81 wrote:But the agent is acting on behalf of the landlord, therefore surely the landlord should foot the fee?
There's an unwritten rule that any monthly rental less than $2k (it might be $2,5k now) the fees are paid by the tenant. But as I might have mentioned on here before, I refuse to pay any Agents fees.

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ksl
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Post by ksl » Wed, 05 May 2010 5:17 pm

Naturally if you use the agent, you have to pay for the service.

If you find a room without the agents help, you discuss the rental with the landlord, you do not pay the agent fee unless the Landlord says you must go through the agent.

Rarely is a landlord & Agent agreement exclusive and even if it was, it is not the tenants probem.

The problem is between agent & Landlord not tenant.

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Post by hcng » Tue, 18 May 2010 10:03 am

ksl wrote:Naturally if you use the agent, you have to pay for the service.

If you find a room without the agents help, you discuss the rental with the landlord, you do not pay the agent fee unless the Landlord says you must go through the agent.

Rarely is a landlord & Agent agreement exclusive and even if it was, it is not the tenants probem.

The problem is between agent & Landlord not tenant.
Out of curiousity - would expats prefer to go through agent to get a rented place or are you open to going to landlords directly via classified ads?
I thought if you deal directly with owner, you at least know how they are like, whether you both have a good feel because afterall you are signing an agreement to stay say 1 or 2 years!

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Saint
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Post by Saint » Tue, 18 May 2010 10:18 am

No expat wants to deal with Agents, in fact all Agents should be rounded up and shipped off to some 3rd world undeveloped hell hole, like Wales for example!

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Post by Vaucluse » Tue, 18 May 2010 2:29 pm

Saint wrote:No expat wants to deal with Agents, in fact all Agents should be rounded up and shipped off to some 3rd world undeveloped hell hole, like Wales for example!
Isn't one of your relatives an agent? :o
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carteki
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Post by carteki » Tue, 18 May 2010 3:18 pm

I'm with you on the agent thing. Had an agent advertise my place without my permission - he denied it at first, but eventually said that he'd done nothing illegal - as if that was all that mattered. Not using one again.

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