Help!!! is this normal?...

geraldineo

Me and my partner went to look at a flat to rent yesterday and rang up to say that we wanted it straight after the viewing, they said to ring back the next morning, as they were just about to shut for the day, so that they could take some details and send us the forms to fill in for the credit check.....

Well just rang back today to be told that they already had a viewing booked for tomorrow, which they have to let happen, and then if the people viewing it tomorrow want it as well then the landlord gets to decide between us.

I've spoken to a few people and most people are saying that if we had rang up to say that we wanted the flat then the viewing tomorrow should have been cancelled (ie. sorry the flat has already been taken)
We both earn a good wage etc so I don't see that we would have done anything to 'put them off' us so I just assume this is normal and ok?

Please let me know before I go mad with thinking we have lost our chance for the flat....

Thanks

bebewoo

Until you pay a holding deposit they don't have to take the flat off the market, they probably want to get you and the other viewers in a bidding war.

GAH

Have you offered the asking rent?

The agent isn't obligated to take the property off the market and stop showing it, but most do once they have taken the non-refundable holidng deposit.

Im not sure what the agent is doing, as their is no guarantee that the other viewers will want the property and in that time you could find something else, which would leave the agent and then the landlord with nothing.

I would just tell the agent that you have other viewings booked, and you may find something else, so it could be their loss.

geraldineo

Thanks you are probably right with the bidding war bebewoo, although we did offer the asking rent yes.
Your right GAH, I should have said we had other viewings lined up, but I think Its too late now I was just gutted when she told me over the phone and didn't think, If I ring back to say that now i will just look silly won't I?

zappahey

GAH wrote: »

Im not sure what the agent is doing, as their is no guarantee that the other viewers will want the property and in that time you could find something else, which would leave the agent and then the landlord with nothing.

I don't know if it's different for flats but we were looking to rent a house last month and the competition was intense. Anything decent was gone almost as soon as it come on and the agents could happily play prospective tenants against each other.

geraldineo

zappahey wrote: »

I don't know if it's different for flats but we were looking to rent a house last month and the competition was intense. Anything decent was gone almost as soon as it come on and the agents could happily play prospective tenants against each other.

Oh dear, i best get prepared for the worst then!!

marywooyeah

sounds like they are hedging their bets a bit, but theres no guarantee that these other viewers will take the house anyway.
hope you get it!

geraldineo

marywooyeah wrote: »

sounds like they are hedging their bets a bit, but theres no guarantee that these other viewers will take the house anyway.
hope you get it!

aww thanks, I hope we do too!! fingers crossed, its all there is for it I guess!!

geraldineo

Just so all know, we got the flat

[Deleted User]

Pleased for you. Hope all goes well.