I have been using google to try and find a house to rent in bang Saen and came across the website of Kingfisher Relocations which had advertised what looked like ideal houses. It was only after I contacted them about some properties that I had a proper look through the rest of their website and found that they wanted me to pay a fee of 30000THB for finding a property and arranging lease with the owner. I have never heard of an agent charging the lessee a fee like that. Does anyone know anythign about this company? They seem to have a good range of properties in the area I like, but the fee puts me off completely.

On a related sunject, does anyone know of any estate agents that focus on Bang Saen/Chon Buri area? When I google for estate agents/housing rentals in Chon Buri, it brings back all the Pattaya agents and none of them have anything that I could find.

Failing that, I will have to go for a drive around when I return to thailand in Feb and arrange something then directly with an owner, but i would prefer to arrange something to move into when i arrive.

Wow. Even in the Land of Scams that's a pretty big one.

Another one born every minute.

Yes, I was a bit shocked when I saw that at the bottom of the page...crazy!!

found that they wanted me to pay a fee of 30000THB for finding a property and arranging lease with the owner. I have never heard of an agent charging the lessee a fee like that. Does anyone know anythign about this company? They seem to have a good range of properties in the area I like, but the fee puts me off completely.

That's for big fish, not for individuals. Companies pay that fee when relocating their employees to Thailand.

(Think of 4000US$ "Enrollment Fee" that is paid atop of 20,000$ school fee when enrolling your child into an International school in BKK).

That's nothing for the companies, the agency gets heaps of business and would not mind if you never come back, in fact, if you have never contacted them at all.

It's actually a sign of a reliable agency - if companies like Toyota, Nissan, Canon, Denso, Samsung... use them every day.

That's for big fish, not for individuals. Companies pay that fee when relocating their employees to Thailand.

(Think of 4000US$ "Enrollment Fee" that is paid atop of 20,000$ school fee when enrolling your child into an International school in BKK).

That's nothing for the companies, the agency gets heaps of business and would not mind if you never come back, in fact, if you have never contacted them at all.

Well, I emailed them to say I was interested in the properties, but not willing to pay 30k...will see if i get any response.

That's for big fish, not for individuals. Companies pay that fee when relocating their employees to Thailand.

(Think of 4000US$ "Enrollment Fee" that is paid atop of 20,000$ school fee when enrolling your child into an International school in BKK).

That's nothing for the companies, the agency gets heaps of business and would not mind if you never come back, in fact, if you have never contacted them at all.

Well, I emailed them to say I was interested in the properties, but not willing to pay 30k...will see if i get any response.

It's clearly corporate relocations company. Executives do not waste weeks to find accommodation and do not care how much their company pays someone to find it for them.

They may be responsive if winding down of business is forcing vendors to absorb the blow and pay that fee but someone will have to pay it.

That's for big fish, not for individuals. Companies pay that fee when relocating their employees to Thailand.

(Think of 4000US$ "Enrollment Fee" that is paid atop of 20,000$ school fee when enrolling your child into an International school in BKK).

That's nothing for the companies, the agency gets heaps of business and would not mind if you never come back, in fact, if you have never contacted them at all.

Well, I emailed them to say I was interested in the properties, but not willing to pay 30k...will see if i get any response.

2 days later...

How did you go, what did they say in their reply to your email? Did they bother replying at all?

2 days later...

How did you go, what did they say in their reply to your email? Did they bother replying at all?

hehe, 2 days later and havent heard anything back at all. But even before I emailed them saying I thought the 30000 was a bit strange, they hadnt sent me details on other houses like they said they would.

If the houses they have on their site are legit, I would be tempted to pay the 30k as the rental prices are quite cheap and they are the only agency I have managed to find with any kind of portfolio of properties in Bang Saen. Will see how i feel when I get back in Feb.

I'm still open to hearing from anyone who knows an estate agent that has properties in that area...

They just got in touch to say that there is NO charge for me and they have found some other houses for me to look at and that was the reason for the delay in replying. The 30k is only for corporate relocations. Splendid!