CribCheckAgency fee
Paid to the agent for finding and showing you the property and handling the letting. Commonly 5% to 10% of annual rent. Ask whether the landlord is also paying the agent — if so, say so and negotiate.
Agreement or legal fee
Covers drafting the tenancy agreement. It is customary rather than automatic: if you are charged a legal fee, ask to see the agreement being prepared and who prepared it. Paying a legal fee and receiving a generic photocopied template is a fair thing to challenge.
Caution or damage deposit
Held against damage and unpaid bills, and refundable at exit in principle. It is only genuinely refundable if the condition at entry was recorded. Photograph every room on the day you collect keys and share the record with the agent in writing.
Inspection fee
Some agents charge before a viewing. It is common practice, but it is also the most abused fee in the market. Never pay one before you have the exact address and evidence the agent is authorised to let the property.
What you can negotiate
- The percentage itself, especially when renting a higher-value property.
- Splitting fees across two payments where the landlord agrees.
- Getting repairs done by the landlord instead of a fee reduction.
- Dropping duplicate charges: one agency fee, not one per agent in the chain.
General information, not legal advice. Fee rules and any statutory caps vary by state and change over time — confirm the current position for your state before you pay.