Issue with student housing

mannaroth

Hey,

I was interested in renting a property for my second year at university with 3 other flatmates. We initially agreed to rent the property, and I signed a joint tenancy agreement with those three other flatmates. I also filled in my bank details for a standing order commencing on July 1st.

However, one of the tenants pulled out a week later, and we had to find a replacement. The company, Varsity Housing, explained that they needed to create a new Tenancy agreement without the signature of the tenant that pulled out, and with the new signature of the replacement we had found.

At this point, I was having my own doubts since I was planning to switch universities, so I did not sign the new tenancy agreement. I then explained that I did not intend to live in the property next year. However, a replacement for me has not been found.

I was billed yesterday for £289 without being informed. Am I liable to pay this at all since I didn't sign the updated tenancy agreement? Can I get the charge reversed?

Jowo_2

What is the £289 for? Is it admin fees associated with finding a replacement tenant, for example, or the first months rent for July?

Did you pay a holding deposit or deposit?

Has a new tenancy agreement actually been raised and signed by other parties?

Has the landlord actually got new tenants in place ready for the tenancy - i.e. have they managed to mitigate their losses by half the tenants withdrawing from a legally binding contract?

orangeslimes

mannaroth wrote: »

Hey,

I was interested in renting a property for my second year at university with 3 other flatmates. We initially agreed to rent the property, and I signed a joint tenancy agreement with those three other flatmates. I also filled in my bank details for a standing order commencing on July 1st.

If it is a standing order you set up then you are able to cancel that yourself with your bank and the letting agents won't actually have any control over it or been able to stop it.

Soot2006

I also filled in my bank details for a standing order commencing on July 1st.

Standing Order or Direct Debit?

mannaroth

Jowo wrote: »

What is the £289 for? Is it admin fees associated with finding a replacement tenant, for example, or the first months rent for July?

Did you pay a holding deposit or deposit?

Has a new tenancy agreement actually been raised and signed by other parties?

Has the landlord actually got new tenants in place ready for the tenancy - i.e. have they managed to mitigate their losses by half the tenants withdrawing from a legally binding contract?

Thank you for the replies. The £289 is the rent for the month of July. I paid a (refundable) deposit of £100 originally, although the full deposit should have been £350. This was to cover any damages to the property whilst staying, but they have decided to keep the £100 to cover advertising fees. Other than that I have made no other payments or deposits.

A new tenancy agreement has been raised and signed by the other parties. My signature is not on this tenancy agreement.

There is currently no replacement for me in the property, so the rent for that room will remain unpaid. They don't seem to be putting in much effort for a replacement however.

It is a standing order, not direct debit. I filled it out on a form at the same time as the first tenancy agreement. I expected that they wouldn't have put it through, so I really didn't expect this to happen. I have cancelled the Standing Order through my bank (which was set to pay this amount out every month for a year). I just seek to reclaim the £289 that I have already lost and see if I am in any way obligated to pay the other months payments.

Judith_W

I'm really surprised that the LA didn't require a guarantor if you leave and there is no replacement to pay the rent. I don't think I can help as it seems a bit unclear whether the old contract was superceeded by the later contract or not. Did you receive 250 back from LA or only ever pay 100? Presumably you're not living there.

princeofpounds

This is totally your fault. You have to cancel a standing order, it is not 'demanded' by the other side unlike a direct debit. You have chosen to pay them.

You can tell the bank it is a mistake and see what they can do re recovery. If not, ask the LL. If refused, go to small claims court.

A LL cannot have two tenancies running on one property. If you did not sign the latter tenancy you are not a tenant.