The hidden costs of renting private accommodation in Northern Ireland have been revealed in an undercover survey carried out by the Housing Rights Service (HRS).
Mystery shoppers conducted a survey of 40 lettings agents across the country and found that upfront fees of as much as £100 were demanded by some agents to cover routine services such as credit checks and general administration costs.
This was on top of a deposit – normally one month’s rent – and a month’s rent in advance. Continue reading »