Houseshare - high deposit

twomagpies

Hi all,

I'm going to view a room which is 530 per month, yet they are asking for 960 euro deposit.

Is this normal?

Thanks

Bandara

Not normal, but its something some people do to stop messers, people who cannot really afford the rent, and people who are only going to stay a very short time.

Once your happy with the security of the deposit and the place is suitable for you I wouldn't automatically rule it out.

Claw Hammer

twomagpies wrote: »

Hi all,

I'm going to view a room which is 530 per month, yet they are asking for 960 euro deposit.

Is this normal?

Thanks

Are you taking over from a departing occupant? Is part of the deposit security for bills between the tenants or does it all go to the landlord?

padraig737

€1,060 would make more sense as some landlords do charge double the rent as a deposit.

If paying the rent to one of the tenants, I would wonder is it a way to make up a shortage in rent this month? If that was the case, I'd avoid the place.

I know nothing about renting rooms as I'm a dinosaur at this stage. I do remember students, giving off about people leaving houses, using their deposit for the last months rent and not paying outstanding bills or damaging the house and contents. The tenants left behind had to cover everything. In this case, a higher deposit might save the current tenants from bad future house mates.

MacDanger

I wouldn't say it's normal anyway.

Esp since the figure of 960 isn't a multiple of 530 - as an earlier poster said, 1060 would make more sense.

Same as other posters, I'd be wary of the existing tenants using your deposit to cover some other costs.

Go and view the property and see what you think; ask them about why the deposit it like that, maybe they'll have a reasonable explanation

silver2020

deposit for rent + deposit for bills. Gas, electricity, broadband & TV. But why not simply ask?

Xterminator

Is it legal? yes. Does it make it desirable? No.

Its often used as a mechanism to weed out these tenants who cannot feasibly come up with the deposit.

Landlords cannot refuse to rent to those in receipt of rent supplement or HAP. But by putting obstacles in the path, such as a high up front deposit they can stack the deck of cards in their favour. having the money to pay nearly 2 months up front is just such an obstacle. Its a sharp practise, but then people always find ways like this to circumvent regulations.

twomagpies

Thanks all for your responses - it is the first time I have seen this so that why I was wondering. I am planning to ask but wanted to go in with some perspectives. I have the money but it's a lot to be handing over.

1percent

twomagpies wrote: »

Thanks all for your responses - it is the first time I have seen this so that why I was wondering. I am planning to ask but wanted to go in with some perspectives. I have the money but it's a lot to be handing over.

I lived in a house share where the deposit was different to the rent, what happened was when the people first moved in they split the deposit by 4 but the bigger rooms had higher rent than the smaller rooms. Might this be the case?