Is there anything we can do? Landlady 'changes her mind' hours before we move in.

ZebrasMum

We've been looking for a place to rent and three weeks ago we viewed a suitable property. We were dealing with a letting agent and we paid the admin fee of a couple of hundred pounds. We sent in all our references, copies of passports, voters roll etc. We set a moving in date for Saturday. That was when we were going to sign the contract and get the keys.

At 6.30 on Friday we get a call from the letting agent saying the landlady has had problems with tenants damaging her flat before and she is not happy with our references and does not want us to move in. :mad:

They got these references two weeks ago! My oh has been living in the same flat for 18months with no problems. He has a good job in the City and got a good character reference from his boss too.

I am currently living with my mother (in the house she owns) and daughter. I put her as reference but also provided details of professional associations I am registered with etc. At the time they said the refs were all fine. We are both professionals in our 30s with no previous history of having done anything illegal or anything like that.

The only thing I can think of is the fact that we both have english sounding names but are in fact people of colour and they only saw us in person the day before and realised oh noes! we're black!!1!

We got the admin fee money back but now have one day left on our tenancy and nowhere to live. We had chosen that flat mainly due to its proximity to a good school for our little one.

OH says that we are obviously dealing with someone unreasonable and we are well rid of her and that he is not going to beg to be allowed to live somewhere where for whatever reason he is not wanted, and I see his point but I am gutted.

We have had to put all our things into storage and will be on friends sofas until something comes up. So many people have been inconvenienced. A friend had driven halfway round the country to help us move with his van, and he did all that for nothing

we had only signed an initial agreement with the letting agents, no tenancy or anything. Is there anything we can do? I am so upset right now.

westlondonbuyer

More fool your landlady for turning down quality tenants - whether it's racial prejudice or something less sinister, she'll have a void.

I'm really sorry this has happened to you, but I agree with your other half; mercurial and unreliable people like this are trouble. I know it's little consolation, but look on the bright side - you have each other, lovely friends, and secure jobs. Plus you have all your references good to go, which will cut down the amount of time it takes to find a new place. Get looking and put this scumbag behind you.

ruggedtoast

westlondonbuyer wrote: »

More fool your landlady for turning down quality tenants - whether it's racial prejudice or something less sinister, she'll have a void.

I'm really sorry this has happened to you, but I agree with your other half; mercurial and unreliable people like this are trouble. I know it's little consolation, but look on the bright side - you have each other, lovely friends, and secure jobs. Plus you have all your references good to go, which will cut down the amount of time it takes to find a new place. Get looking and put this scumbag behind you.

+1

Unfortunately there isnt anything you can do, try and put it down to experience and move on. The LL could have pulled out for a variety of reasons, they want to let to family, decided to move back themselves, got a better offer.

Obviously they are just being two faced so good riddance to them.

neverdespairgirl

A royal pain in the neck for you all!

Eton_Rifle

While I think you've dodged a bullet there, in your shoes I would be wondering if there were a slight chance of something in my partner's tenant reference that might crop up again with future rentals. Forewarned is forearmed and all that.

theartfullodger

Sorry to read your story Zebrasmum...

Have you asked for a copy of the references to check what they say??

If you are told you can't have them due to "Data Protection" advise them that the Data Protection Act Section 35 (I think it's that section/...) says that if required in connection with court proceedings (even if only considering court proceedings) then you are entitled to them...

Having said all that and absolutely in no way condoning racial discrimination (which is as we all know illegal, wrong, etc..), selecting tenants is and area where LL/agent can discrimnate.. but only discriminate in favour of those more likely to pay on time the right amount and/or look after the property, and judging one prospective tenant's refs againts another is tricky.. it may simply be she got a "better" tenant..

Again, sorry you've been mucked about like this: Clearly unacceptable

Hope the next ones works out better!

Benji

Picking up on Artfuls post - you are perfectly entitled to see information about yourself under DPA.

I know you have given notice on your current place, but if absolutely desperate your current landlord can NOT throw you out without a court order. Obviously such action would ruin your references (and could have other consequences) but sometimes you have to do what you have to do .

KateLiana27

I haven't got much useful advice but I just wanted to add my sympathies Her behaviour is totally unacceptable for whatever reason and I'm so sorry this is happening to you. I would second getting a copy of the references and reviewing them just in case. It might also be worth asking what exactly she had a problem with in the references; she would not be obliged to answer, but if she does it might possibly provide some help for next time.

tbs624

ZebrasMum wrote: »

My oh has been living in the same flat for 18months with no problems. He has a good job in the City and got a good character reference from his boss too.

Did the LL of your OH's property provide a reference?

ZebrasMum wrote: »

I am currently living with my mother (in the house she owns) and daughter. I put her as reference but also provided details of professional associations I am registered with etc. At the time they said the refs were all fine.

This may perhaps be part of the problem. An LA acts for the LL but it is the LL who makes the final decision. We could give the LL the benefit of the doubt and go with the "it's the references" Perhaps the LL would have preferred you to have provided a reference from someone who is not related to you? If you only gave a list of professional memberships, rather than a personal reference from an appropriate person from the professional body then his too may have been viewed as insufficient, and this may crop up with another LL?

ZebrasMum wrote: »

The only thing I can think of is the fact that we both have english sounding names but are in fact people of colour and they only saw us in person the day before and realised oh noes! we're black!!1!

You may be right and any discrimination of the kind you suggest is clearlytotally unacceptable. You do say that you had already provided copies of your passports as part of the referencing, so that doesn't perhaps line up.

ZebrasMum wrote: »

OH says that we are obviously dealing with someone unreasonable and we are well rid of her and that he is not going to beg to be allowed to live somewhere where for whatever reason he is not wanted, and I see his point but I am gutted.

I'd agree with him. If a LL wishes to turn down a prospective T on "referencing" then they should not leave it until the last minute, and they should be upfront about what referencing criteria the potential Ts have failed to meet

Have you considered contacting the local LL association and/or the local Council's private sector rentals officer for contact info of accredited LLs who self manage their properties? As you have the school issue to consider perhaps it would also be worth you placing your own wanted ad locally?

ZebrasMum wrote: »

We have had to put all our things into storage and will be on friends sofas until something comes up.

As you said that you were living with your mother, would she not be able to let you stay a little longer so that you can find yourselves a decent private LL?

tbs624

Benji wrote: »

Picking up on Artfuls post - you are perfectly entitled to see information about yourself under DPA.

I know you have given notice on your current place, but if absolutely desperate your current landlord can NOT throw you out without a court order. Obviously such action would ruin your references (and could have other consequences) but sometimes you have to do what you have to do .

Note that the OP says she is living with her mother and that her OH has been living in a flat. Hopefully mum won't go for the court order option........

PasturesNew

It does sound bizarre - and that it's probably because you're black OH NOES!! As has been said above, there are routes you can take to make everybody's lives uncomfortable

Also, as said above, you are not legally obliged to leave the current flat your OH is in. Have you spoken with the LL to find out if there's a new tenant expected? I'm sure you're reasonable people and won't simply be staying if it will cause upset to others.

I hope you find somewhere soon. The whole renting process is a nightmare - and they seem to withhold the contract/keys right until the very last minute, which allows them more power than should be reasonable. You can't make plans and rely on them - and a roof over your head is a b4st4rd thing to have withheld.

Good luck!