Urgent can someone help??

Legacy_user

Urgent please can someone answer please
Hi all
Just a quick question.
Me and my partner were supposed to getting a rented home, the letting agent said it was a long term let at 12 month intervals, which was great for us as that was exactly what we were looking for, but now the agent has informed us today that it's 6 months initially and now 1 months contract at a time, we didn't want this as the reason was a long term rent. We are now £240 down as costs for checks etc.... but after we have paid our money as they have 'moved the goal posts', is there anything we can do do? Like get part or all our fees back?? If they said a short term rent of this prior, we would not have proceeded.
Sorry for the urgency but need answer before tomorrow really if poss. Hope that all makes sense.
Thank you

Benji

Do you have anything in writing suggesting that a 12 month agreement would be offered?

System

Just a 'verbal' agreement between the agent, man letting the house and me and my other half, we were waiting on the contRact today but now he's changed it.

hcb42

On the other hand it gives you flexibility, and if you are good tenants...he isnt going to throw you out just to have to find another..

grey_lady

It's quite a standard thing to have a initial 6 or 12 month agreement and then go onto a rolling monthly contract. Personally I'd go back to the agent and explain that I was only interested in a long term contract and ask for an initial 12 months. The landlord would have to give you two months notice btw not one.

System

Yeh, see what you are saying. We are good lol! But we wanted a long let. He said it was 12 months then 12 months rolling. I'm just a little concerned about possibility of getting a months notice to go.

System

We said to him today that we wanted the longer agreement but now he saying it's all changed. And only 1 month at a time

Benji

Firstly, just because it is a 6 month agreement does not mean you will be thrown out after 6 months. It is almost the default that starter tenancies are 6 months, so the landlord is not stuck with you for too long if you are a tenant from hell!

I think there is little you can practically do - if you pulled out you may be able to recover some of your deposit from the agent, but they are entitled to keep back reasonable costs - what work have they actually done (or paid for) on this particular tenancy - house viewing? (1.5 hours @ £20), credit checks - maybe £40/£50 each, you get the idea.

You can certainly try to state that you have an oral agreement that the tenancy would be for 12 months - but to be honest, you haven't even got a tenancy right now. Oral agreements have as much standing in law as written ones - they are just a million times harder to prove!

This may become the best tenancy you have ever had - but the 6 month term means that if it turns out to be less than perfect, you can get out quicker.

Benji

ree1977 wrote: »

We said to him today that we wanted the longer agreement but now he saying it's all changed. And only 1 month at a time

Is he saying it is 1 month at a time from the start? You can not be evicted (except for breach of contract) within the first 6 months of a tenancy, and even then only with a court order.

System

6 months to start and then 1 month at a time. Just a bit gutted I think, we was looking for a long term thing not month to month. Oh well. Thanks anyway eveyone.

System

That's what we said but the agent has been a pain, he won't do the longer ...... :0(