Is it worth it?

Chickus

Hi, I have found the perfect apartment to live in IFSC. It was advertised on Daft as 2 double room apartment for 1175 per month+parking space. i viewed it and i asked if price was negotiable..The letting agent spoke to the landlord who then decided to up the price to 1200 saying it was a bargain..we said 1150 was final offer..he accepted this but said to agent that he would not clean the apartment as we were getting such a bargain...it needs a big clean.
i accepted that verbally. the letting agent mailed on forms to fill in adn have asked for references in 3 days from work,bank and previous landlord and(i presume this will be 3 days from Tuesday due to bank holiday wkend)they also want us to pay 65euro admin fee on top of our deposit...do we have to pay this admin fee or does the landlord?
Few questions

• does this sound like a fair price for apartment in this area..it is spacious..2 large rooms,one ensuite and large living area with balcony..filthy dirty though..landlord is being unreasonable about not cleaning it
• I have never had to pay fee for letting agent before..nor will i be paying it..Is this admin fee for tenant the norm?

Just have a bit of a bad feeling about it, even though i love love love the apartment..landlord is being a prick so far so it doesnt bode well for future.:(

amdublin

Run. Run now.

Don't look back. Just run.

xoxyx

Can you afford it? If it's the perfect apartment, I'd say to go for it if you can. Definitely try and argue your way out of the admin. fee, but, as I see it, what's a once off €65 compared to a few years of living somewhere that you love

amdublin

Chickus wrote: »

he accepted this but said to agent that he would not clean the apartment as we were getting such a bargain...it needs a big clean.
i accepted that verbally.

Why would you agree to this?

Chickus wrote: »

landlord is being unreasonable about not cleaning it

Yeah (s)he is. Again, why would you agree to this?????


As for the "admin fee" What a load of *****. Run!!!!!! Run now!

Treehouse72

Walk away. This sounds like an amateur landlord who doesn't know his arse from his elbow.

> Putting the rent UP (loooooooooool) after you ask for a reduction on the asking price is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Total nonsense. The landlord clearly has a motgage to cover and is trying to sweat every penny he can. Having decided on his price, in this current rental environment, and then upping it is idiotic and you should make him pay for such unprofessionalism and ignorance. Trying to squeeze another €50 a month (€600 for the year) should cost him €1150 in rent for this month as a hrash lesson....that'll teach him how to treat people and act with professionalism and propriety.

> Not cleaning the apartment is childish and unprofessional. Not to mention hazardous and rather disgusting. He is providing a service in return for your money...he either provides that service or he doesn't. No in between. And since giving you a clean aparmtent is a standard thing for a landlord to do, for him not to shows he won't have a clue how to proceed when your washing machine breaks or you lose your housekey. He/she is not a trustworthy counterparty.

> The admin fee is total BS. The agent is working for the landlord, so he must bear that cost, absolutely not you.


Drop these clowns and chancers instantly. There are LOADS of apartments in the Docklands and I think you can get a far better deal than this.

Chickus

Well as for agreeing to him not cleaning the apartment, i was speaking to agent and she said i would be able to clean it to my own standards, its 50 less a month due ot it not being cleaned, and i really wanted the place..
but ive had weekend to think about it now and im a bit peeved about the whole thing..im lining up a few viewings for tuesday just to see if there is anyting else available in area..such a pity as its a great apartment..in great location for us but landlord is an ass...as its letting agent dealing with us now i presume its landlord we deal with after start of lease date..

2manyconditions

Don't rent this you'll find somewhere else, landlords don't have the luxury of behaving in this manner these days. The cleaning fee should have been taken from the previous tenants deposit, if they left it in such a kip.

The landlord should be paying the letting agent, not you. It is the landlord that hires the agent to do the dirty work, not you.

I agree when amdublin says run and don't look back.

Talk to threshold if you need further advise, they're good.

Chickus

Thanks everyone...He is absolutly chancing his arm...he first asked agent to ask us what our jobs were, then upped the price.. the apartment is fairly filthy..mouldy fridge, dust everywhere, urine on toliets, etc..not cleaned at all by previous tenants..
oh and ad still on Daft with the new monthly rate..id say he still thinks he might get it..
i think il will be giving the agent a ring on Tuesday saying thanks but no thanks..:(

PopUp

2manyconditions wrote: »

The cleaning fee should have been taken from the previous tenants deposit, if they left it in such a kip.

You can bet he probably did take the cleaning fee from the previous tenants, as well.

Run a mile, OP. Seriously. It's a renter's market, there are no shortage of nice 2-beds out there. You would be signing up to a year of hell with a chancer like this. He will never put his hand in his pocket to get something fixed and you can bet you wouldn't get a deposit back.

Treehouse72

2manyconditions wrote: »

The cleaning fee should have been taken from the previous tenants deposit, if they left it in such a kip.

Sorry, that's not correct 2Many. Cleaning an apartment between tenants is a cost to be bourne by the landlord as long as that cleaning relates to normal wear and tear. It is not something someone should lose any of their deposit over (assuming there isn't more to it than normal wear and tear). I agree with the rest of your post.

OP - an advanced search on Daft with keyword "IFSC" (link below) returns 82 properties. I daresay there are even more that are not tagged "IFSC", as well as more on other websites and with EA's. Also, it's possible some of those 82 listing are for multiple units. There are probably well in excess of 150 apartments to rent down there. Getting an equivalent to the one you've seen only with more a professional landlord and letting agent (and perhaps at a better price) shouldn't be hard.

http://tiny.cc/uva5f

Bob Z

The landlord sounds like an asshole even if you did move at a reasonable price I would say you would have a lot of problems with him in the future.

Putting the rent after you ask for a reduction? Is always going to the opposite of what you ask?

Agent J

amdublin wrote: »

Run. Run now.

Don't look back. Just run.

This.

Seriously if something doesnt seem right before you start a tenancy then it doesnt bode well for the rest of it.

Agency charging an Admin fee? What do they think this is... 2006?

Agent J

Though if you wanted to have a bit of fun with them.

You could metion the PRTB and ask about registration.

PRSI number for claiming tax back....

Chickus

Thanks for all replies, I just mailed the agency there and told them i wasnt taking it, mentioned all reasons why..i knew myself that i shoudnt be going ahead with it but needed to hear others peoples logic first

Kimia

Let us know if they reply! I'd be interested to hear if they attempt to defend their or the landlord's behaviour in any way.

Jo King

The "admin" fee is illegal. Have nothing to do with anything like that.

MistyCheese

Using Treehouse72's link I found the following 2 bed properties in the area.

http://www.daft.ie/searchrental.daft?id=928753
http://www.daft.ie/searchrental.daft?id=918295

I don't know if they'd suit, but maybe worth a look.

gurramok

Hilarious chancer that landlord is. OP, I live across the river not far from the IFSC in Ringsend naer the East Link and no way the IFSC is worth 1200 a mth for a 2bed, ffs it ain't Mahattan.

As other posters have said, plenty of other apts to look at at less than 1200, go fishing. Stay way clear of that LL, you will have stressful trouble for the year ahead if you take it as your interests are not at heart for the LL.

chupi

Just to add to what everyone here is saying, don;t do it!

Also don't underestimate the irritation a bad landlord can be, the last crowd we rented from were bizarre. You may think you'll have no contact with them but what if something breaks? Every time the dishwasher/washing machine/etc broke down and we asked for them to be fixed we received a letter of eviction! The people we're renting from now are so incredibly nice, really made us realise how vital a reasonable landlord is

jkiss

The 'admin fee' is a scam. I've had this before from an agent. Agreed to take the house and were actually in their office signing the lease. 'Oh by the way, there is a €50 fee.' What are you supposed to do? Had to pay it at that stage as wasn't going to go through the hassle of looking again. This was a couple of years ago though. It is a sting and a scam, pure and simple. Always remembered it.

D3PO

landlord and ea both chancers run and dont look back. if the landlord wont clean the place what chance do you have of getting something fixed if it breaks .....

and remind the EA that its illegal for them to charge a tennant an admin fee and that you will be speaking to the IAVI about their conduct.

Chickus

they replied just to confirm the email sent..no questions at all just "thats fine". I pity anyone who to has to deal with him in future..