What can be done about the scam that’s poisoning Westchester’s personal landlord/tenant market?

<!-- SC_OFF --><div class="md"><p>Rental agents? Really?</p> <p>My partner and I are moving to Westchester from out of state. We have rented in the past in rural Maryland, suburban Delaware, urban Philadelphia, and a small township in Massachusetts. We have always dealt directly with landlords or property managers- except once (when I rented my first place) my parent’s real estate agent helped me find a rental. Even in that instance, he only casually mentioned that the property manager would cover his fee. </p> <p>In Westchester, we have been doing the work. We have hunted down potential properties and went to schedule tours. But, every time we reach out to the listing’s provided phone number, we are suddenly speaking to an agent who is claiming to represent us.</p> <p>Why? We don’t need representation. We are not negotiating the purchase of a home and real estate. We are not navigating deals involving lenders, sellers, inspectors, or contractors. We are only looking for a simple apartment to rent for one year. </p> <p>These property owners have the absolute audacity to pass the broker fee off onto the tenants. Keeping in mind, this is a broker that is of NO service to the tenant if the tenant is not using the agent to property hunt. So, landlords want the convenience of an agent who will handle filling their vacancies, but they don’t want to pay for the service. So, we end up with scummy landlords telling these redundant agents that they’ve gotta collect their fee from the tenants who are already getting fisted by up front first months rent and security deposit. What the hell is this? </p> <p>Today, an agent who I did not want to be involved with at all, and who claimed to be “representing me”, told me I would have to pay his $3,200 broker fee if I wished to live in this mediocre apartment. I asked him that, since I had found the home myself and since the agent didn’t even meet us at the property for the tour, if he could at least list the services he is providing