Summary of our response
When renting a property, a tenant is taking a legal interest in land for the duration of their tenancy and the fees charged to tenants are broadly similar to those charged when purchasing a property (referencing checks equate to mortgage application fees, contract negotiation charges are akin to conveyancing, and Inventory costs are similar to a survey).
In terms of fees, the only difference between renting a home and buying a property is that when purchasing a property, the fees are paid to three different parties and generally cost the purchaser much more, whereas when renting a property, the letting agent acts in a quasi-legal capacity, undertaking these tasks on behalf of the tenant.