Bills not included in rent when advert said they were

Alibat

My daughter's boyfriend has just rented a studio flat on the understanding that his rent included all bills. Ten days after he moved in the agents rang and told him that 'oops, sorry, but it doesn't'. He told them that he can't afford to pay the bills on top of his rent but their attitude was 'to see how it goes' and told him that at the end of his six month contract he can move to one of their properties that does include bills. The only thing he has in writing about the bills being included is the advert the agents put on-line for the flat. He was told when he viewed the flat that it definitely included bills, but of course he has no proof that the agent said that. As he has signed the tenancy agreement is he stuck there for six months, or can he end the tenancy early due to the misrepresentation?

poppysarah

What does the tenancy say?

theartfullodger

Now I wonder if the Agent does that a lot...

too much effort to get someone else to go view another, different, flat and then see if the tenancy strangely doesn't include what was in the advert/verbal description. I'd offer if i knew where they were...

Maybe ask trading standards?? If they have done it many times before then they will probably be well known for it..

Sorry to hear of the experience... ****ards...


Lodger

Alibat

That was my first thought. It doesn't mention the bills and he signed it assuming they were included as the advert and agent had said. I just hope this doesn't turn out to be an expensive lesson to read and query the things he signs.

Alibat

Thank you Lodger. I'll tell him to give them a ring tomorrow.

sooz

He didn't read the contract before he signed it?
Might be an idea to read it now, to see what else it say (or doesn't)...

Alibat

I know sooz, I know. He has now read it all the way through and seems happy with everything other than the bills issue.

sooz

why did the agent call to say 'oops'?
was anyone with him when the agent called? did he get anything confirming this from the agent in writing?
did anyone read the meters?

Alibat

He says they rang to say that if he couldn't afford the flat then they had others that had the bills included that he could move to when his contract was up. They did not admit during the phone call that they had originally said the bills were included. Sorry, perhaps my 'oops, sorry' comment was misleading but as he tells it the phone call was kept very light and breezy with the opening line being 'you know how the bills aren't included in the rent' which was the first he'd heard of it.

My daughter was there at the viewing, and also when they rang. As they were the ones to make contact they obviously knew they had mislead him, whether it be intentional or not.

He's discovered that the electricity is on a pre-payment meter that the previous tenant had left with enough credit on that it hasn't run out yet.

border_collie

Can he ask them for a rent reduction?

poppysarah

Where was the original ad.
Are there other similar ads by them?