Are these fees acceptable/legal?

[duomaxwell]

Probably at least legal but not sure.

Theres a new block of student halls been built that are private.

As you expect the prices are really high, about £20 more than even the most expensive private landlord room in a house and about £15 more than the 3 other halls of residences in town(1 private owned and 2 university)

In addition to the rent being about £20 higher they want a deposit of £300 when again all the private landlords and other halls in town want a maximum of £150 do its double.

They also want a £60 "reservation" charge to keep the rooms which is even applicable if you take over someone elses contract or move in after viewing property and wanting to move in same day.

They also want £35 for admin costs for the paperwork to put the deposit into TDS.

And they want a guarantor which may seem reasonable but none of the other halls want one, and all landlords I visited none wanted one nor does anyone I know in my class who I spoken to had to give one since its a small area in the North of England.

It just seems strange that this company wants so much to be done which may be the standard elsewhere but it totally new in this area.

What are your thoughts on this?

[mind the gap]

My thoughts are that market forces will rule. You may disapprove of the charges, and find them excessive, but as long as prospective tenants are made aware of the terms and conditions before they sign any contract, then there are no legal grounds to oppose them. Nobody is forced to live there are they?

If students (and their guarantors) find the new block's charges excessive, they will rent elsewhere and the management company for the new block will have to have another look at their T &C if they want to fill the rooms.

I am however surprised that so few of the accommodation providers in your town insist on a guaranator for student tenants - it is a standard requirement elsewhere.

[jeffrey]

1. High-end student letting companies offer the equivalent of premium airfares for premium-quality accommodation.
2. University-owned accommodation is usually somewhere in the middle of the price-range.
3. Private-sector L accommodation is, more often than not, both:
a. a bit cheaper; and
b. a bit less luxurious.

So you pay your money and take your choice.

[duomaxwell]

1. High-end student letting companies offer the equivalent of premium airfares for premium-quality accommodation.
2. University-owned accommodation is usually somewhere in the middle of the price-range.
3. Private-sector L accommodation is, more often than not, both:
a. a bit cheaper; and
b. a bit less luxurious.

So you pay your money and take your choice.

Probably different for each area of the country but I have moved about a bit the last few years since I am in my mid twenties and over my time have been in 4 different halls of residences and they are normally dives and cost more than private accomodation.

I think its just as the place was recently built(may even of just opened a few months back)

I remember paying £120 for a catered halls of residence(in the same town where you could get a nice private room for £45!) and another place paid £80 for a halls that was uncatered and so bad that there was 1 toilet between 20 odd people and it kept on getting blocked up and the pipework was so bad you were kept awake most of the night by "popping"

I think its as you expect "high end" in this case means new since the halls were built on wasteland and having seen a room its 1/3 the size of the private room I get for £50 a week and its even about a mile or more to the nearest college or uni and next to a area that gets constantly flooded! Some luxury!

They are seemingly preying on potential 18 year old students who are desperate to leave home since most students I know in their first year leave as early as March but pay rent till July which costs as much as a grand and think nothing of it.

As for the guarantor I have never had to need one but I have only lived in the North Of England and never in a major city so that might play a big part in it, in fact I have only ever been asked for references once and that was for an agency flat(though saying that I think I was asked once 3 years ago again for an agency flat)

[Bel]

Dont foret bills in the equation....at least halls etc are all inclusive.