The value of having your fees on your website

May 27th 2015

Any agent who is now not displaying their fees on their website is flouting the law can only be deemed dishonest in our view; they know the rules and choose to ignore them - Can you then trust them.  

We are all of course required to fully display our fees on our websites and there are still a lot of agents in Manchester that still do not comply with the new rules.

The Consumer Bill Act states that all Lettings Agents need to display these three things~;

1. All of their fees (including Landlord fees, broken down by service type ansd inc. VAT

2. If they are a member of the Client Money Protection Scheme and If not a member they must make this clear.

3. Which redress scheme they are members of.

Where do the fees need to be dipslayed? 
The Bill states that letting agents’ fees must be displayed prominently in each office where they have face to face, AND on the agent’s website if they have one in a prominent and easy to find area.

Tenant fees need to be displayed on all adverts portals, where the property is advertised (lettings agents only).  

A separate change that came into force in April from the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) stated that both SALES and LETTINGS agents have to make the following change:

• All fees must be shown inclusive of VAT

Sales agents are not required to display their fees but if they choose to display their fees, they must include VAT.

Whether expressed as a percentage or as a flat fee, they must include VAT. 

We feel that it is important to display our fees on our website and this is what sets us apart from those agents that choose to ingore the new legisation.

For more Information visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/fees-transparency-to-ensure-a-fair-deal-for-landlords-and-tenants

Kamal Pate - The Manchester Estate Agent