Report Abuse

“LANDLORDS BEWARE”

written by Mr_Johnson234 on 23/03/2013

Choices have a very sneaky clause in their contracts which all landlords need to watch out for. It states in the T&C's that at the beginning of a 12 month period the landlord must pay 10% management fees upfront and is non-refundable. On the surface this might sound reasonable but the reality is quite different.

For example, if a tenant moves into your property on 1st January 2013 it means that on every anniversary of this date you pay 10% management fees upfront. If you ever decide you want to ask your tenant to leave and sell the property you only have 1 DAY A YEAR in which to do so without ending up paying Choices for services unused. That 1 day is two months before the 1st January so the 1st November (as you have to give the tenant 2 months notice). If you give the tenant notice to leave on 2nd November meaning he leaves the property on 2nd January, Choices will charge you the full 10% management fee for the forthcoming year even though the tenant will theoretically only be there for 1 day! If you hand your tenant notice before the 1st November then you will not have any of the 10% management fee you paid up front returned to you.

Watch out, the charge is ethically immoral and will easily catch people out as it is buried deep within their T&C's. If you need evidence just ask for a copy of their letting T&C's, it's all there.