Letting Agents / temporary housing

Hi All,

Well, my departure date is approaching...I should probably look into getting a place to stay soon   Can someone please give me feedback on what the fee structure generally is for letting agents?  Here's an example from one of the letting agent websites:

The amount due at the commencement of the tenancy will be :-

One months rent in advance: £?
One and a half months deposit: £?
Tenancy Agreement Fee (Inc VAT): £ 70.50
LETsure One Stop Referencing (Inc VAT): £ 29.38
Bank Reference Fee: £?
Check in Fee (Inc VAT): £?
Less £100 Holding Deposit -£100.00

Is this essentially standard, or is it excessive?

One other question: Do you have any tips on finding affordable short-term housing, specifically in the Maidenhead/Berkshire area? Most of the places I've found with casual surfing seem geared toward wealthy executives...I don't need a big, expensive place though.

"The world is indeed a book, so if you don't travel, you're only reading one page..."

Thanks in advance,

The fee schedule you've listed looks pretty standard to me.  We've just recently moved to Newcastle, and we had to pay:\

One month's rent in advance:  595
Security deposit: 895
Tenancy agreement: 80
Reference fee: 60
Check-in fee: 60
Administration: 50

Total:  1470.00
Less Good Faith deposit: -250.00
Plus VAT: 43.75

Balance of money due:  1533.75

Not sure how much detail you wanted, but there you go.  :-)  BTW, we went through Countrywide.

Also, be aware that completing a rental agreement seems to take much longer in the UK (at least in my experience).  While I could find an apartment and have the lease in my name in 2 or 3 days in the States, it's taken 2-3 weeks each time I've done it here.

I just want to ditto that what they are charging you seems pretty standard, we've rented 3 places in the last 2 years and they've all looked about the same as what you're laying out. As for help in the berks area, sorry I can't help.

Good grief you guys have all been ripped off, in all my many years of renting I have never paid anything other than the deposit and a month's rent in advance ... bank reference fee what is that? I always get the reference from the bank myself and you should NOT be paying any agency fees - these are usually charged to the owner not the tenant.

If you are still looking around Maidnehead area I can recommend Wilkinson Estates (if they are still there!), they won't rip you off. Other established firms in the area are Braxtons and Roger Platt but I don't know what kind of rip off fees they might charge.

Everything is expensive here, small or large! If you can wait til you get here to find a place you will get something cheaper through small ads in local paper than through an agent.

Thanks Britwife!!    Sounds like I need to be careful!

I'll also be sure to tell any letting agent which tries to charge those fees that they may be forced to incur the "wrath of the Britwife"  

I would agree with Britwife on this one.  All we paid was first and last month's rent and a £5 stamp fee!  Hope this is more the norm cause I don't know how we'll ever get up to Edinburgh if we have to come up with all that extra cash!  

Feels ripped off now!  
Stupid letting agencies. Good thing we're on our last one here!