Estate agent ‘trebles admin fees’ for new tenants after thousands left homeless by Storm Desmond

Cumbrian Properties reportedly ‘raised administration charges from £110 to £600’

Residents start to empty their possessions from their homes after Storm Desmond caused flooding ( Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

An estate agent has been accused of “trebling its administration charges” for rental homes following the devastation caused by Storm Desmond.

Cumbrian Properties in Carlisle have been accused of drastically raising its fees for new tenants from £110 pounds per person – plus a £90 “check in fee” – to £600, when it opened its offices on Sunday morning as residents searched for temporary properties after thousands of homes were wrecked by flooding at the weekend.

David Thomas, 54, who called the estate agency on behalf of a friend, told The Mirror he was stunned by the elevated charges.

Mr Thomas said: “There are people who are desperate and they will take out loans and get into debt to try and get a home.

“I felt the lady at Cumbrian Properties was embarrassed by the price rise, you could tell that on the phone. She was uncomfortable explaining it.”

The company, have since apologised and agreed to refund those who were charged hiked fees.

The firm's managing director, Adrian Hogarth, told The Mirror: “I made an error of judgement. I had staff who worked 12-hour shifts on Sunday.

“I made the decision to increase tenancy fees to cover the cost of staffing to get people into properties. I realised on Monday that I should not have done that.”

The firm have apologised for the “bad feeling” caused and said they have donated £2,500 to the Cumbrian flood appeal.

Mr Hogarth also said fees have now been reduced to £200 per property.

He added some customers were happy to pay the charges as his staff had worked hard to find people new homes.

The Independent has contacted Cumbrian Properties but they declined to comment on the charges.

Cumbria Police said its estimated worst-case scenario was that as many as 6,425 homes were flooded in the county after the storm struck.

More than 7,000 donations have been made to a flood appeal, launched by the Cumbria Community Foundation, to raise funds to support the individuals and communities devastated by the storms raising over £400,000.