Made an offer on a flat, not far below the asking price of £500, my offer was £475 and I could move in ASAP once the paperworks done, flats ranged from 450-500 on that street, this ones not in the best decorative order, but did have a garage and part furnished.

Supposed to be moving in on Saturday, deposit paid, letting agents were organising gas checks, inventory etc etc.

Landlord turns arround this lunchtime and says they’ve found a different tennant through another agent! What the **** exactly was that deposit supposed to be for, you ignorant lady crevice!

I’m appocolepticaly spitting feathers, if they’d said it to my face rather than hiding behind the agents I’d probably be in a Police Station right now being asked to explin how I intended to remove the rather dated 3 piece suite from where the sun doesnt shine.

I knew there was a reason why I fekin hate these ****.

The only 100% good experience I’ve had with landlords was at uni when she made us huge cakes when she came to collect the rent.

All I ask for is for people to stick to the plan and occasionaly make me cake, is that too much to ask for?

anything in writing/contract signed?

if so then breach of contract on their part – worth a letter asking for some financial recognition of the problems they are likely to have caused you.

Nope, maybe in my naieve ignorance I assumed that paying the deosit would do that, contracts were due to be signed on Saturday as I moved in as I wanted to move in quickly and there wasn’t time to post them back and forth.

I could do you a nice three bed semi for £500 in the second half of July if that’s any good to you? Cake included.

You didn’t get a receipt for your deposit

Not very considerate: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consideration

MLC, anywhere near Guisborough?

Geoff J, bank transfered it to the agents, who in their deffence sounded as pissed off with the landlord as I am!

Not near enough, Doncaster, my sister is in Skelton though, I’ll ask her who’s decent round there. Maybe she wants a lodger now her sons are at Uni (not likely though).

Have to say I never thought that was what the deposit was for in a letting situation – I thought it was paid to be put against potential damage – the landlord does not get their hands on this as it goes directly into a bond in case of dispute at a later date. It has nothing to do with securing the house.

I’d be having a word with the Agent too – I suspect they strong armed the landlord into the judgement that what you were offering was right against the landlord’s better judgement. Are you sure the landlord was actually happy with what you were offering or do you just have the agent’s word for it? The fact that they could fill it at the full asking rate so quickly with a new agent probably means the asking price was right.

Have to say, haggling with rental rates is a new one on me – when we used to rent you saw the house, worked out if it was right and paid the rate asked or moved on. Asking for a reduction seems to be more and more common. It’s a landlord’s market at the moment so I guess like here there is room for issues if you haggle too hard. Personally I’d rather pay a little more and expect a quality service in return – a landlord that feels they are getting shafted are not the fastest on the blower when the heating goes down and the like and not too keen on putting their hand in their wallet to put up a lick of paint.

The act of paying the deposit, should confirm that a contract is in place. The contract could be verbal.

Don’t get your holding deposit mixed up with your security deposit though.

I never thought that was what the deposit was for in a letting situation

There’s that as well, this was just a £100 deposit to secure the flat

haggling with rental rates is a new one on me

Seems to be the expected thing, they asked for an offer, other landlords are having to offer first month half price etc, market doesn’t seem that quick.

I’ve always haggled with letting agents/landlords about the price.

They have a dilema – do they reject your offer (say £25/month less than asking price), or wait until another tenant comes along within the time frame that they would loose out of the £300 (say, 3 weeks?)

I remind them a bird in the hand is better than 2 in the bush…. while waving a cheque in their face.

I really do feel for you, but ultimately:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TecR_5-rQ4U[/video]

Ahh – that’s the terminology I was after. I guess it depends which type of deposit you paid.

edit – looking at above then you could maybe argue reimbursements of expenses made (rental van booked etc). Probably won’t get you very far though.

I’m appocolepticaly spitting feathers

And tautologically too 🙂

And tautologically too

Technicaly, no? The first word is an adjective describing how mad I am, the second is the verb?

“I’m appocoleptic spitting-feathers” would be incorrect?

“I’m appocolepticly mad” would be correct?

Using spitting-feathers as a synonym for mad…..

“I’m appocolepticly spitting-feathers” would be correct?

Spitting feathers means apoplectic doesn’t it?

True

I was trying to spell appocolypticaly, which I’m not even sure is a word?

I dunno.. a comma might’ve helped? I’m apoplectic, spitting feathers…

I hope this grammatical discourse has helped your situation with the flat btw 🙂

Was the deposit accepted, if so surely that constitutes some form of contract/agreement. I’d be seeking advice from someone like CAB.

In our house, spitting feathers means thirsty.

In our house, the first Monday of every month is nude day

i would go down the cab route if you can be arsed.

You paid a holding deposit, the landlords agent accepted it on their behalf, that to me is a contract, no need to sign anything in my opinion, the act of accepting the deposit could be seen as acceptance. you don’t need to sign anything for a contract to be enforceable, actions are acceptable.

You paid they delivered, the two parts of a contract.

Now the landlord has pulled out, that is a breach of the contract, but what would you get, damages to cover losses incurred at a best guess. I am no lawyer though so talk to the CAB.

My understanding is that you had a contract, not only verbal but a deposit had been paid. It’s just a matter of whether you have the time/patience/money to pursue it. But at the end of the day what would you get out of it. I totally feel for you, never had it happen but I can appreciatte how you must feel.

You discovered that this landlord is a prat, so why would you want to rent from him anymore?

^ wot molin says.

I am a landlord and I sign a contract when I take the deposit – that way I and the tenant knows who/when/what/how. I would be reluctant to move in a place owned by someone with such sharp business practice.

Molin probably has it right, and can’t really be arsed pursueing it, especialy as the most I’d probbaly get is any expense, which means running them up in the meantime on the off chance they’ll be paid.

Houses round here:

Nice area, bike storage, furnished, in budget, pick three.

Not nice at all.

Not all landlords are twerps, some good ones out there too.

At least you know next time to sign contract before packing.w

There’s that as well, this was just a £100 deposit to secure the flat

this is to remove the property from the estate agents window/website but does not mean they LL has to play by the rules.

We suffered a similar fate a few years ago; put a deposit down on a decent enough place (given I was homeless at the time – long story) on the Sat with a view to moving in on the Wed. Got a call from the agent on the Mon saying the landlords had decided to sell and there was nothing they/we could do. FFS. Turned out it was the third time the landlords had dicked these agents about so all they could do was say they’d take them off their books. Ended up running around like you do for a couple of days and found an awesome place for the same money. The rest is history.

Just keep looking around.