Kind of made an offer...holding agreement?

Fed

Apologies if this had been covered numerous times before.
Ok so we saw a flat, felt it was reasonable, estate agent gave us the hard sell. We decided to make an offer on Friday, told her price, furnishing request, income etc and she took debit card details specifying that should our offer be accepted they'll take 2 weeks rent. But we disagreed over the term, she was pressing for 18 months but I wasn't sure so said i'd talk it over with the 2 others. I haven't spoken to her since. She texted my friend though and he replied along the lines of 'we'd only do a deal if we could have a 12 month break clause with no additional liability' and that was the last time he contacted her

In the meantime we viewed another place that we much prefer. So i'm wondering where we stand with respect to the 1st place and the deposit? On one hand we've started the process of making an offer but it was never completely verbally agreed that she would submit our offer (nothing signed or written on paper). In the event she has submitted our offer and it gets accepted are we liable for the holding deposit or would we be able to recover it?

I appreciate I could ask her this but i'm certain she'd claim we'd submitted a formal offer and are liable if it's accepted. We still may be interested should the other place not match our needs. Should add the place is still listed as to let on the website and not under offer or anything

Thanks

DVardysShadow

I agree, don't ask her. Always stay in the position of telling her what you agreed to.

In your position, I would ask her first thing tomorrow whether the let is agreed with the 12 months and absolutely everything you asked for agreed too. And certainly, if you have not got the 12 months absolutely, then there is no verbal agreement even in place at the moment, so you are free to withdraw your offer. And if you withdraw your offer, nothing should be taken on the card.

Fed

DVardysShadow wrote: »

I agree, don't ask her. Always stay in the position of telling her what you agreed to.

In your position, I would ask her first thing tomorrow whether the let is agreed with the 12 months and absolutely everything you asked for agreed too. And certainly, if you have not got the 12 months absolutely, then there is no verbal agreement even in place at the moment, so you are free to withdraw your offer. And if you withdraw your offer, nothing should be taken on the card.

Thanks, we're just concerned in the situation that the offer has been accepted for 12 months and whether we could pull out then on the basis that our terms weren't concrete set out and the offer submitted prematurely...

DVardysShadow

Fed wrote: »

Thanks, we're just concerned in the situation that the offer has been accepted for 12 months and whether we could pull out then on the basis that our terms weren't concrete set out and the offer submitted prematurely...

If it has been accepted, then tough luck, choose to lose the 2 weeks deposit or take the property. Which is why I say get in there quickly and hope it has not been accepted.

If you expect others' words to be their bonds, your words have to be your bond.