Unfurnished property now has to be furnished?!

amilommeam

Hi. I hope someone is able to offer advice on a completely new subject to me!

We have sold our house and are going to move into a rental property whilst we search for our next house to buy. We have found a rental property which is fantastic and ticks all the boxes. The advert stated that the property is furnished but can be un furnished if required. We do not want it furnished as we have three children and I don't want to risk the landlords furniture being ruined! The letting agent said this was fine. Now we are trying to sort out moving in dates and final details the letting agent has said they won't remove the furniture and we'll have to have it.
Where do we stand on this? We don't really want to lose the house but they did say that it could be unfurnished.

Hope someone is able to help as this is my first experience of renting a property.

Thanks in advance!

climbgirl

Do you have the landlord's contact details so you can speak to them directly? Have you put any deposit down yet?

BitterAndTwisted

You could choose to put all of the landlord's furniture into storage. Have you looked into the cost of that as you'd have to bear it yourselves as patently the landlord doesn't want to incur these charges.

mustrum_ridcully

Looks like the LL wants to be able to claim the 10% wear and tear allowance on his tax return when letting furnished properties...

Hmm, I wonder how many LL who take chunks out of their T's deposits for anything and everything remember the wear and tear tax break they got? :whistle:

I suspect that the OP will have little choice other than to put the LL furniture into storage, if there's spare room that could be made kiddie proof some furniture could be put there.

PasturesNew

Local self-storage could cost you £5-20/week, depending on the rates and what stuff you'd move out to there.

amilommeam

Thanks for all those replies.
We have paid the money required for references and a credit check. We haven't signed anything and we haven't paid a deposit. The owner is in Australia and we don't have contact details for them. We are communicating through the letting agent.
Interesting about the 10% wear and tear allowance! That suddenly makes a lot of sense!

DVardysShadow

amilommeam wrote: »

Interesting about the 10% wear and tear allowance! That suddenly makes a lot of sense!

Rent it furnished but insist that the furniture is taken away. IYSWIM

G_M

And whatever you do make sure that any inventory you sign notes any damage/wear on any furniture/carpets etc you become responsible for.

Bad enough being charged for damage done by your kids, but paying for the previous tenant's damage too.....

teameffort

Have you still got the advert that said the furniture could be removed if not required? if so it's really important to take that back to the agents and argue your case.

when we moved in to our various rented places we always walked round the property with the agent and then made changes to the condition report after we moved in and noticed more things (do this within the first week and send them an updated copy). Take photographs of all wear and tear, these will come in handy if you have a dispute later down the line.

good luck.

Soniclord

teameffort wrote: »

Have you still got the advert that said the furniture could be removed if not required? if so it's really important to take that back to the agents and argue your case.

If you haven't I'd tell the agent and get them to tell the landlord to shove it. If you don't want the furniture in the house then that's up to you. But similarly if the landlord doesn't want to/won't remove it then that's why I'd tell them to shove it.

Why should you be forced into having furniture you don't want. Which is why I wouldn't move in.

amilommeam wrote: »

The owner is in Australia and we don't have contact details for them. We are communicating through the letting agent.

Oh almost forgot to comment on the above. Your making a bad move! I know because I've done the same thing recently! I went from renting off a private landlord who was spot on to renting through an agency and it's the worst thing I've ever done! I also have no contact with the landlord (presumably his choice) but he seems (from what I can gather from responses to E-Mail's I've sent to the agent, and from things they've told him need sorting) to be one stubborn son of a !!!!!! And I would STRONGLY advise you DON'T rent through an agency. Instead find a private landlord and save yourself some money.. Because trust me you really are giving money to the agent for doing nothing!

I was an idiot for doing it, so I'm giving you the heads up before you hand over any more money to the robbing sods.

amilommeam

Thank you to all the other replies since yesterday.
We do still have the original advert which states it can be un furnished. Letting agent has said that if we are not happy to have the furniture then they will refund the money we paid for references etc and they will let it out to someone else.
I agree with theartfuldodger that some agents do seem to be sensitive souls!