Estate Agent fees for finding a rented apt.

[Toasty]

It sounds to me as if he's grumbling not about the fee per se, but because the agent still wants his money despite the deal falling through.

Normally the fee is payable when contracts are signed (that is, when the property is actually rented out). Agents don't normally charge a fee simply for saying "look, here's an apartment. Any good?".

The OP was certainly rude and naive, but he was under no obligation to actually put pen to paper, even if his reasoning was spurious, and the agent shouldn't still be asking for money. An apology might be in order though.

Interesting. I didn't get that from my reading of the OP. If the agent is still demanding money even if the deal was never completed, then of course he shouldn't pay it. If that's what went down, then I apologise to the OP for my misreading.

If, however, he signed a lease for the apartment-- or intends to rent the apartment-- listed by the agent and is refusing to pay the agent's fees, then that is another matter.

[WaltzingMatilda]

I recently signed a lease for a new apartment and had to pay the Agent fees. The rent is $16,000/month and the agent fees were half a months rent (being $8,000), however this was negotiated down to $5,000 by my Taiwanese friend.

[whitetiger]

So are you taking the apartment or not? You went to the agency to seek their services and owe them payment if you're taking the apartment. I've used agents to help negotiate rental prices and feel their services are valuable and fairly priced. Of course I don't live in TP, so the amount is always considerably smaller. Agent have been successful in getting me cheaper rent every time, I still give them 50% of the listed price though. BTW, what are you attempting to do with a lawyer?

[speed_maniac]

toasty and finley...here

Whether the fee is standard or not I believe is beside the point. I never signed anything with the real estate company. I only signed the lease with the landlord. I guess my Taiwanese friend is also ignorant of local knowledge as well then. But like I said. It doesn't matter about "common knowledge" in this case in my and my lawyers opinion. I never agreed to the terms with the real estate company cause I never signed anything with them.

[Toasty]

toasty and finley...here

Whether the fee is standard or not I believe is beside the point. I never signed anything with the real estate company. I only signed the lease with the landlord. I guess my Taiwanese friend is also ignorant of local knowledge as well then. But like I said. It doesn't matter about "common knowledge" in this case in my and my lawyers opinion. I never agreed to the terms with the real estate company cause I never signed anything with them.

Thank you. So, it's clear he owes the money to the agent. I predict the landlord will eventually pay the tenant's portion to keep the peace and keep the tenant. There will be plenty of apologies from the landlord to the agent for the emotional foreigner's outburst.

[Lo Bo To]

LOL. You guys are funny. Somehow I've turned into an ignorant volatile foreigner. Whatever. Not worth my time.