South east Londoners are having to pay four to five weeks' salary upfront every time they move – shocking new figures show.
Rising housing prices mean many renters now have to take out loans, or go into debt, to pay their moving fees - London mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan has claimed.
The average London letting fee has shot up by 48 per cent since 2012, with agents now asking for £397 in admin costs.
In Greenwich, renters are having to pay a whopping £3,259 in fees – which is nearly five and a half times the average monthly salary, before tax, of £2,610.
The average renter now pays £1,200-a-month – the highest amount in News Shopper's patches – according to the research released by Mr Khan yesterday (February 11).
In neighbouring Bexley, rents are much lower at £950-a-month – but residents are still paying a month's wage, £2660, when they give up their deposit and agency fees.
Many letting agents now ask for six weeks' rent as a deposit.
In Bromley, the standard person pays 4.6 weeks' salary to move - a cost of £3,139 compared to a £2,960 monthly wage.
Whilst in Lewisham, residents dish out 5.2 weeks' salary - £3,139 fees compared to the £2,630 average pay.
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Sadiq Khan said: "Millions of Londoners already struggling to find somewhere affordable to rent are also facing exorbitant and rip-off letting fees.
"People often have to move through no fault of their own, but because their rents are suddenly put up or they're kicked out by their landlord.
"People in south east London are even having to take out loans or go into debt just to pay the huge initial costs."
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