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Agreed to let a property and now agency says he got better offer!!!

sa6storm
Posts: 10 Forumite
Hi guys,
On Friday me and my partner went to view a house and we decided to go for it. We rang the agent who showed us the property and we agreed over the telephone that I would pay £600 deposit and £600 rent up front and would do this on 30th April 2013. He assured me the property would be mine. I had a call today from him stating someone had offered to pay more money and there was nothing he could do! Is this legal? I have since contacted virgin media and payed a disconnection fee as the new area hasn't got connections needed and I have also hired a van for this Saturday as this was the agreed moving date. I have also agreed with my current landlord that we would be moving out on that date.
I have read if I have offered to pay an amount on a date and it is agreed that this is a binding contract.
Advice please (UK only)
On Friday me and my partner went to view a house and we decided to go for it. We rang the agent who showed us the property and we agreed over the telephone that I would pay £600 deposit and £600 rent up front and would do this on 30th April 2013. He assured me the property would be mine. I had a call today from him stating someone had offered to pay more money and there was nothing he could do! Is this legal? I have since contacted virgin media and payed a disconnection fee as the new area hasn't got connections needed and I have also hired a van for this Saturday as this was the agreed moving date. I have also agreed with my current landlord that we would be moving out on that date.
I have read if I have offered to pay an amount on a date and it is agreed that this is a binding contract.
Advice please (UK only)
0
Comments
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Unfortunately, renters are over a barrel. You can do all you like, but until the day of moving in they won't let you sign the contract - and until you sign the contract it's not yours. Leaving poor renters the potential of standing, homeless, with a van of their goods parked outside and nowhere to go .....
It's an appalling way of doing business with people's lives/homes.
Unfortunately, although the word of an agent of any company is supposed to legally form part of the contract that is then entered into .... it seems to completely slide by rentals0 -
If you didn't sign anything or pay anything you have no recourse. This could be a ploy by the letting agent to get a higher monthly rent from you, or they have a genuine other party. Either you offer more and hope they take it or... find another place sharpish.
Although hindsight is everything, in future you should never commit to something like this without a contract signed.0 -
Yes, if you haven't paid your deposit or signed a contract then I'm afraid there's not much you can do other than look for another property. Sounds as though you wouldn't want to be renting from this letting agent anyway - their behaviour isn't illegal but it's also not ethical.0
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If you can't find anywhere, you don't have to leave where you are. You'll be out of pocket, and probably service with Virgin, but you're not on the street (thank goodness this didn't happen Saturday when you'd handed your keys back to the LL).
If you don't find anywhere by Saturday (slim chance really!) you could get the papers involved .... and take your sleeping bag to their office, walk in and bed down for the photographer. And invite your MP to your lie-in.0 -
Thanks for the replies!
I have spoken to the agent and he said he will let me know by Thursday as the guy is delaying paying him.....seems a ploy to get more money to be honest!0 -
PasturesNew wrote: »If you can't find anywhere, you don't have to leave where you are. You'll be out of pocket, and probably service with Virgin, but you're not on the street (thank goodness this didn't happen Saturday when you'd handed your keys back to the LL).
If you don't find anywhere by Saturday (slim chance really!) you could get the papers involved .... and take your sleeping bag to their office, walk in and bed down for the photographer. And invite your MP to your lie-in.
In fact he does have to leave.
He served notice to the landlord which was accepted, as such the tenancy ends on Saturday and there is nothing the OP can do to unilaterally stop this.
If he doesn’t leave, he is not a tenant (so has less legal protection) and is “holding over”, in effect trespassing.
http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Holding+over
the landlord is able to charge double rent
http://blog.painsmith.co.uk/2009/11/22/tenants-notices-to-quit-holding-over-and-double-rent/
I would be careful what you do OP...0 -
Is that even the case since the landlord served us with a notice to end our agreement earlier due to section 8 clause? He had given us 2 months notice to leave. It is his own property and he had split up with his current partner.0
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Is that even the case since the landlord served us with a notice to end our agreement earlier due to section 8 clause? He had given us 2 months notice to leave. It is his own property and he had split up with his current partner.
Your notice to leave trumps all others, it ends the tenancy.
All landlord notices are just notices that they intend to go to court to seek an end to the tenancy and get possession, they can’t end it themselves, but you can, and have.0 -
you seem to take quite a lot of satisfaction from this problem I have....Thanks0
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you seem to take quite a lot of satisfaction from this problem I have....Thanks
None at all trust me... I mainly just post facts on here and let people take it how they will.
I would rather tell you straight how it is, than you get a big bill for double rent and legal costs for staying for a week.0
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