Aunt Agatha Posted October 29, 2014 Author Share Posted October 29, 2014 Great tip, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy1982 Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Also, before you leave Australia, get a written (printed out) reference from your current landlord/real estate and get it on headed paper and signed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunt Agatha Posted October 29, 2014 Author Share Posted October 29, 2014 Roger that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julinoz Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 We set up with Sky broadband which is free for 2 years and basic sky package they have done this for five pounds a month for a year. Just pay 15 pounds line rental. You can get some excellent deals at the moment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benthomas010 Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 I havent heard of that either. What they will sting you with is connecting/re-connecting the phone line. If the property has never had a phone line they charge (2007) £125 to do a first time connection. Also, be aware that your tv licence direct debits will be more than £12 a month for the first few months (maybe 6-12 months) as they build up your account so that you are 6 months (i think) in advance. Cheek! TV Licence wise.. If you pay monthly you pay a years licence in the first 6 months (so £24 per month), and then pay £12 a month after that so are always 6 months in credit. If you pay quarterly though... you just pay £36 upfront, then £36 every 3 months so you sway between being 3 months in credit and up to date. Also worth noting RE car tax. This can now be paid in one lump sum, 6 monthly (with are 10% surcharge) or monthly by direct debit (with a 5% surcharge). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 Even in Oz you pay the council rates and water rates, it is just included in the rental price. Makes the rent more expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 Even in Oz you pay the council rates and water rates, it is just included in the rental price. Makes the rent more expensive. Not really. I've had several investment properties and I've never sat down and calculated the council rates and water rates into what I'm charging my tenants. The rent is always decided by what the "going rate" is for that size of apartment, not related to my expenses at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 I too have a rental in Oz, the going rate is related to the value of the property. But let's face it you take into account the costs. In the UK the rental tends to be less related to the value but there are less costs. it may not be explicit but it is taken into account when establishing the rental value. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 I too have a rental in Oz, the going rate is related to the value of the property. But let's face it you take into account the costs. In the UK the rental tends to be less related to the value but there are less costs. it may not be explicit but it is taken into account when establishing the rental value. It doesn't work like that in New South Wales, certainly. The old rule in Australia used to be, take the value of the property and knock the thousands off, that's your rent. So a $620,000 unit would rent for $620. That no longer applies in Sydney or even close - the rental is usually quite a bit less. In NSW country, it's the reverse: the rental is up to 50% higher. Both are like that because they're based on supply and demand rather than the landlord's costs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gravy258 Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 does anyone bother with a landline anymore ? its just for indian call centres to contact you on. Whats a good Mobile provider in the UK, i've used Lebara (vodaphone) a few times but the service was patchy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helz980 Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 What area have you decided on @AuntAgatha? Luckily we still have our house but ill be living with the rents whilst I get the house ship shape as my tenant is a bit crap but at least he pays his rent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbye grey sky Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 does anyone bother with a landline anymore ? its just for indian call centres to contact you on. Whats a good Mobile provider in the UK, i've used Lebara (vodaphone) a few times but the service was patchy I agree that it is hardly worth having solely a landline any more for calls but for many it is part of a bundle including TV, Internet and even your mobile. Bundles represent better value in many cases. The landline is often needed for Internet too unless you use cable. I would definitely research bundles and if starting afresh don't be afraid to play one off against another and haggle a little for the best deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 Depending where the property is, when it was built and the preference of previous occupants you might find your water is metered. As a young couple who were never in and took most of our showers at the gym we saved a fortune by voluntarily opting for metered water over water rates. As a family I probably wouldn't! You might also find the council tax includes water, I don't know if that's peculiar to Scotland but ours does. On the property we rent out the only thing we pay is buildings insurance, everything else is the responsibility of the tenant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjscjs Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 I worked out a few costs monthly so we can budget properly but I think some will be payable quarterly or yearly. All prices are in pounds but I don't have a pound sign on my laptop! Council tax - 115 for tax band C (bands run A to H with A being the cheapest) Water - 34 TV license - 12 Then of course there are all the connection fees for landline, electricity, water, gas etc. I forsee an expensive time ahead! Bit off topic but hey ho. alt (hold down) then 0163 for £ and alt 0128 for € Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunt Agatha Posted November 3, 2014 Author Share Posted November 3, 2014 What area have you decided on @AuntAgatha? Luckily we still have our house but ill be living with the rents whilst I get the house ship shape as my tenant is a bit crap but at least he pays his rent! We've decided on York so that we are almost equidistant between DH's Mum and my folks and also because York is lovely! We will move (almost) anywhere DH can get a good job though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunt Agatha Posted November 3, 2014 Author Share Posted November 3, 2014 Here are some of the lovely fees one of the agents in York is charging (they don't all have a list quite as long as this one thankfully!) - Fee for first applicant of £175.00 + VAT (£210.00) - Fee for subsequent applicants £125.00 + VAT (£150.00) - Personal Check with AIIC Trained Inventory Clerk - OPTIONAL £75.00 +VAT (£90.00) - Check-out fee with an AIIC Trained Inventory Clerk £60.00 + VAT (£72.00) - TDS (Tenancy Deposit Service) Registration: £40.00 + VAT (£48.00) - Company Let Fee £275.00 + VAT (£330.00) - Holding Deposit – £200.00 taken off first month’s rent when rental goes ahead - No Renewal Fees (Gee, thanks!!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 Here are some of the lovely fees one of the agents in York is charging (they don't all have a list quite as long as this one thankfully!) - Fee for first applicant of £175.00 + VAT (£210.00) - Fee for subsequent applicants £125.00 + VAT (£150.00) - Personal Check with AIIC Trained Inventory Clerk - OPTIONAL £75.00 +VAT (£90.00) - Check-out fee with an AIIC Trained Inventory Clerk £60.00 + VAT (£72.00) - TDS (Tenancy Deposit Service) Registration: £40.00 + VAT (£48.00) - Company Let Fee £275.00 + VAT (£330.00) - Holding Deposit – £200.00 taken off first month’s rent when rental goes ahead - No Renewal Fees (Gee, thanks!!!) Well that's yet another reason to move to Edinburgh - letting agent fees to tenants are illegal here Obviously you still pay a month's rent up front and a refundable deposit but that's it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vickyplum Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 (edited) There should be no cost to set up the electricity/gas/water accounts, it's just a matter of setting up the accounts in your names and getting them associated to your address. And you'll need provide up to date meter readings (incl water if metered). I've rented for nearly 15 years and have never had to pay for utilities set up. No clue about landline, as I haven't had one for ages! Edited November 3, 2014 by vickyplum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vickyplum Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 That's the biggest rip off I've seen in a while! I can't remember ever having to pay to regsiter with TDS and what is a "company let fee"? It's worth bearing in mind that you can (try to) haggle with agents on some of their fees. They may not back down or reduce them by much, but it's worth a go. Otherwise it's a lot of money going into a big pit, never to be seen again. Here are some of the lovely fees one of the agents in York is charging (they don't all have a list quite as long as this one thankfully!) - Fee for first applicant of £175.00 + VAT (£210.00) - Fee for subsequent applicants £125.00 + VAT (£150.00) - Personal Check with AIIC Trained Inventory Clerk - OPTIONAL £75.00 +VAT (£90.00) - Check-out fee with an AIIC Trained Inventory Clerk £60.00 + VAT (£72.00) - TDS (Tenancy Deposit Service) Registration: £40.00 + VAT (£48.00) - Company Let Fee £275.00 + VAT (£330.00) - Holding Deposit – £200.00 taken off first month’s rent when rental goes ahead - No Renewal Fees (Gee, thanks!!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wakeboard1980 Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 What a joke. I'm glad we areno longer renting. A lot seem to be charging for this that and the other nowadays Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunt Agatha Posted November 3, 2014 Author Share Posted November 3, 2014 Yes it's a total rort! I don't even know what some of those fees are. I'm really quite outraged by some of the fees but what can you do? We'll try and get round a few by only applying in my DH's name etc. but since we'll be coming from a foreign country and will need a place that accepts pets, I predict we'll end up having to jump through a lot of their hoops to secure somewhere. @Lady Rainicorn Ediburgh is sounding more appealing by the day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gravy258 Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 if you have the money to pay for the lease up front (i believe most only give a six month lease) the terms should become more favourable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 if you have the money to pay for the lease up front (i believe most only give a six month lease) the terms should become more favourable. I read somewhere else on the forum, that someone had tried that and the agent said they don't accept that any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortlepuss Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 (edited) Well that's yet another reason to move to Edinburgh - letting agent fees to tenants are illegal here Obviously you still pay a month's rent up front and a refundable deposit but that's it. Yet another thing the Scots get right - why can't England adopt some of these laws? I am a landlord and pay 12.5% of my income every month to letting agents. They do very little, but being in Oz I have very little option but to use them. This should be enough and there is no excuse to charge tenants - Basically the letting agents charge twice for the same thing (e.g. exit fees). Edited to add that my agents add a 'pet administration fee' 70 quid - WTF? Is that for the email they sent asking if my tenants could have pets and me saying 'yes'? Edited November 4, 2014 by Chortlepuss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunt Agatha Posted November 4, 2014 Author Share Posted November 4, 2014 Chortlepuss we used to be landlords (rented out our home in London when we moved here) and I completely agree with you! There should be some sort of overhaul of the system generally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.