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Agent wants deposit before approaching LL with offer

  • 06-08-2009 11:46am
    #1
    Woofer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 96 ✭✭


    A letting agent showed us an apartment that is advertised at 1400euro p/month. We called the letting agent back and told him we would take it at 1300euro p/month (subject to reviewing the lease), and would appreciate it if he approached the landlord with this offer.

    He calls back and says that he is confident that the LL will accept the offer, but that he doesn't want to approach the LL with our offer untill we have paid a deposit (which he will refund in full if the offer is rejected). At this point alarm bells ring in my head - why would I hand over money to some guy unless a deal has been made with the LL? I asked for copy of the lease to review first to stall him.

    Is this normal practise? or is this guy a cowboy? (seems like a well established south dublin letting agency) :confused:


Comments

  • #2
    TwoShedsJackson
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,438 ✭✭✭TwoShedsJackson


    I wouldn't hand over anything. If he doesn't want to approach the landlord with a genuine offer, that's the landlord's lookout, meanwhile you look elsewhere.

    May not be anything 'dodgy' as such, but if a letting agent starts this sort of messing around before you're even in the place, it wouldn't fill me with confidence for what they might be like in the future.


  • #3
    Agent J
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,909 ✭✭✭Agent J


    That would set an Alarm off in my head to be honest.

    You only have the Agents word for it and to be honest.....

    I would say that you have a cheque/bank transfer for the deposit ready to go as soon as the landlord gives the go ahead. And not one second before hand. Its a renters market at the moment.
    And get a receipt.

    Worst case senario i know someone recently got caught with.

    They paid the deposit ahead to the Agent but it turned out the Agent was in dispute with the LL and the LL was having nothing to do with them now. The lads paid over the deposit but it never reached the landlord.
    They can't go to the PRTB about it because a tennacy never took place and have to go through the courts to get it back from the Agent who became very uncontactable after it fell through.


  • #4
    trad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,696 ✭✭✭trad


    Ask him to show you the BER Cert before you pay a deposit.


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