Letting Agent only offered a 6 months tenancy.

[Another Fine Mess]

Two Questions (Please)
(1) When I used my letting agent to advertise my property they had loads of enquiries and only offered the tenant a 6 months lease, But am I correct in that they could have offered a 12 months lease. Instead.
It appears that over the last 3 tenancies after the first 6 months they have charged £350 to draw up another 6 month lease whereas if they had originally offered a 121 month lease this "mid term" charge of £350 would have been avoided,
So this question is "Can a 12 month lease only be offered at the start of the tenancy ?

(2) My present tenant has been in for 4 months and does not want a new lease but wants to continue on a rolling lease, But the Letting Agent wants £50 to continue the Deposit Protection,
So this question is, Is there a difference in cost of protecting a deposit between a 6 month tenancy and a 12 month tenancy as presumably if a 12 month tenancy is entered into then there would not be a £50 charge for extending it ?

All replies gratefully received.

[jpkeates]

1 - A tenancy agreement can have an initial or fixed term of any length (up to three years).
That's true at the start or at any other point.

Starting a new tenancy at six months is very sensible and I do that all the time.
Giving a new tenancy to someone you don't know for anything longer is simply adding risk.

2 - The tenant is being sensible and also saving you £350 - there's no need for any renewal.

The agent's fee for the small amount of admin required for the deposit is probably a bit high, but also possibly the smallest amount of charge its worth them making.

Remember that you want your letting agent to be in business and profitable.

[Another Fine Mess]

1 - A tenancy agreement can have an initial or fixed term of any length (up to three years).
That's true at the start or at any other point.

Starting a new tenancy at six months is very sensible and I do that all the time.
Giving a new tenancy to someone you don't know for anything longer is simply adding risk.

2 - The tenant is being sensible and also saving you £350 - there's no need for any renewal.

The agent's fee for the small amount of admin required for the deposit is probably a bit high, but also possibly the smallest amount of charge its worth them making.

Remember that you want your letting agent to be in business and profitable.

Thanks for the reply.

[doobrey]

A sixth month fixed term is preferred in my view for the reason given above.

I have never been charged by an agent for continuing the deposit protection on a tenancy when it goes periodic.

[Beswick]

I have never been charged by an agent for continuing the deposit protection on a tenancy when it goes periodic.

With at least one deposit scheme, you have to log in and change the type of tenancy to 'periodic' once the AST term has ended.

That's what they're charging £50 for. Excessive, in my opinion, as it takes a couple of minutes to do.

[doobrey]

the Letting Agent wants £50 to continue the Deposit Protection

You have an agreement with the agent, and they may have a list of fees. Is this charge mentioned?

I might be inclined to push back on it to a greater or lesser extent, depending what has been said.