[Steve Gunn]

Do any of you pay this to any management companies they do work for.Been told they want to charge me 10% of any job I do for them surely as they are charging tenants a monthly fee they are going to be making more money as their costs will be going down by charging me for the privilege of doing work for them.

Already sent them an email outlining payment terms need renegotiating instead of the 6 weeks I'm waiting now and pricing structure would need changing as I'm only breaking even on some jobs because they are so price conscious on some of their properties   

[PaulKing]

countrywide?

[Steve Gunn]

No

[Neil Williams]

Do any of you pay this to any management companies they do work for. 

No and I have no intention of either.
We've just taken a new one on (3 blocks of flats) and we weren't willing to take on the work unless they agreed in writing to pay within 30 days, they said it was 60 days and I said 30 days or forget it.
Got my way in the end, quality comes at a cost and the cost was how long we were willing to wait to be paid.

[andrew christopher]

Not been asked for 10% before. Got one agent only who deducts 3% but not caused a problem as i allow for it and small enough to absorb.

Do work for Countrywide & RMG plus some smaller agents but pay nothing to these.

[Joe H]

The only let agency I work for has just asked me to pay 10%

however, he has authorised me to add 11.1% so they can take the 10% off

whats that about?

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

There's plenty in Manchester taking 20%

So the more I charge to cover the 20%, the bigger the profit to the management company for using me.

Unfortunately I priced myself out of their landlord's/tenants range.

The good news is I had more time to give to more desirable jobs at better hourly rates.

Rog

[Shaun_Ashmore]

10% can be the norm around my way but we aren't as rich around here like our NW counterparts, I just give contractors a take it or leave it price the 10% is added on to the 10% I add for picking up and dropping off keys or 60 day payers but I do use these jobs as 'fillers' if they are small or Saturdays sometimes they are a bind but sometimes they can make a week look very lucrative.

Shaun

[CarPete Cleaning]

I work for several letting agents, and all except 1 take 10% commission. 
I just add it onto the quotation and don't find it a problem.

[Steve Gunn]

We've agreed that I add 10% on top of bill to cover my payment to them cannot understand how they are going to benefit doing it this way

[Simon@arenaclean]

The way I would understand it is your bill is £110 (£100 + 10%). They present you bill to the tennant and are reimbursed by the tennant the £110, and trouser the £10. They make £10 in every £100 billed. I would think you will need to request a monthly statement or invoice for 'management fees' for reconcilliation unless you state a management fee on your invoice. I don't think this will be popular choice for the managment company as the tennant would notice, once other tennants know they will call you direct which I assume is their right?

The agencies I deal with call it a handling fee, but they invoice the tennant.

[fitz2kleen]

I believe its an unspoken rule that agents add 'There Cut' to a final bill.
I know 3 of the agents we do work for add there own fee, while this isnt probley correct as there landlord/ladies are already paying a management fee it has not affected my buisness as we dont add this to our final invoice.
If possible try to find out who the landlord/lady is and do what ive done, while not exactly ethical I list our services and charges and let them do the maths, I now have more landlord/ladies on my books than estate agents which suits me fine as i get more work this way.
Tenants who leave the properties untenable are charged from there bonds to correct this so its a win -win situation.
Something we have stopped doing is giving estate agents quotes as we found to our peril they just went to the next company and bartered down below our quote. One even went to the extreem of buying a rrrrrrrrrrrrugged Doctor but were too stupid to buy the tools so couldnt clean stairs with it, funny side was they asked me to clean the stairs which I was too happy to do, cost em £100 and we parted ways soon after along with all his contractors as once id told them what they had done to me they soon found they had done the same with them.
Anyway less of my rant I have a 3mth old pump on an ALLTEC to repair but thats another story.

Regards Marc

[Bryan Griffith]

Countrywide now known as Entwistle green lettings have charged 10%plus vat for years their reasoning is that we dont have to advertise for their work. we wait months to get paid and their view is if you dont like it you dont have to work for us.I believe the majority of tennants and landlords/ladies are unaware of the 10% charges imposed on us.
 I have had to put credit on gas/electricity cards and paid out of my own pocket only then to be charged 10% plus vat when I am reinbursed. anyone else experienced this?
Bryan

[Simon@arenaclean]

Bryan,

do you have to work for them? I'd just put the 10% on their bill, as for their terms and waiting months for the money I would agree with their view, and walk. If you decide to work them their fee is an offset against you profit and should be tax deductable, just make sure it's highlighted and you recieve an invoice. Unless they get it in an envolope

[The Great One]

Hi

Not only do some LA's charge 10% onto your bill, they also charge the tenant for calling you out, one of my ex LA's used to charge me 10% and the tenant £35.00 per contractor, I did 66 jobs one august alone for them.

Martin

[Joe H]

I wonder how many c/cleaners wait "months" to get paid by let agents?


I want payment at least within a month of completion - and thats the reason O only work for 1 let agent - they pay within that time.
They have allowed me to add 11.11% onto my invoice so they can deduct 10% when they pay me - I think they know I wont be doing the job if I was to have to pay 10%.