LA troubles, where do I stand?

Spacepig

How long would you guys wait until you started the process of getting the refund back? It's only been 4 days since the LL was meant to contact me, their phone is ringing to voicemail, messages by the LA have been left etc.

What should the next step be? I wouldn't be surprised if me asking for a refund on the ground of no LL contact would make me look like I'm pulling out seeing as there's no official word yet.

dimbo61 wrote: »

So man sits in empty flat and shows 50 couples round in one day.
Great place and cheap rent we will take it said All 50 couples !
You need to pay £99+ vat each so £238 per couple times 50.
Not a bad days work ( Sorry property went to someone else )
No refunds as reference fees !!!!!
Nice way to make £10K plus

Online LA, little to no overheads too I'm guessing. Wouldn't be surprised if companies did try their luck.

Annie1960

I'm confused now!

Are you still expecting to move into this property, or do you know that the LL has found someone else?

More details needed to understand what's going on.

Spacepig

Annie1960 wrote: »

I'm confused now!

Are you still expecting to move into this property, or do you know that the LL has found someone else?

More details needed to understand what's going on.

I've still not heard a peep from the LL. It was the LA that hinted the reason the LL may be not answering his calls/calling me was because he could have found another tenant as I was taking so long (Which is odd, seeing as the tenants would have likely gone through the same LA) and the flat is still advertised.

I called the LA today, asked them when was the last time they spoke with the LL, they "couldn't remember", they gave me LL number, explained it will ring and then go through to some company voicemail "Icd solutions". It did just that. I told the LA I will call them back if I still don't hear from the LL next week.

I'm in two minds really, benefit of the doubt, a lot of variables as to why he isn't answering. I've paid the referencing fee already and need a place ASAP. Flip side, what game are they playing with me?

So as it stands. I've paid referencing fee, guessing it passed, waiting for contact from LL. Been told someone's tried contacting me, they haven't.

Annie1960

But what did you discuss with the LA when you went to view the property? Surely you discussed details such as the date by which you would need to move in?

The question really is how long can you wait, and do you have somewhere to live in the meantime?

Spacepig

Annie1960 wrote: »

But what did you discuss with the LA when you went to view the property? Surely you discussed details such as the date by which you would need to move in?

The question really is how long can you wait, and do you have somewhere to live in the meantime?

I didn't meet with the LL but an associate who deals with the apartments. (gets weirder, huh). I discussed that I'd like to move in ASAP. No date was given. The terms were emailed to the LL which were accepted as "He would like to take the property ASAP for a period of 6 months initially."

My moving quickly is just to save money traveling from the coast to London everyday, so I have a place at my mothers but it's not practical at all and my funds seem to be going on travel.

princeofpounds

You may well find out that 'icd solutions' is connected to the agency. A check of the company directors might be interesting. The 'associate' may well have been the beneficial landlord even if the properties are technically owned by some company. Common situation for both legitimate corporate reasons, but also handy as a shield to baffle tenants. It's clearly all stalling tactics.

All of which is of mainly intellectual value. You should concentrate on the LA for now, and not waste time. Make an official complaint in writing as suggested, with a short deadline, then go the NLA route, then small claims court (and trading standards for good measure, even though that won't help you directly). Don't place too much hope in the NLA; these associations are rather toothless and have no official standing.

Spacepig

princeofpounds wrote: »

You may well find out that 'icd solutions' is connected to the agency. A check of the company directors might be interesting. The 'associate' may well have been the beneficial landlord even if the properties are technically owned by some company. Common situation for both legitimate corporate reasons, but also handy as a shield to baffle tenants. It's clearly all stalling tactics.

All of which is of mainly intellectual value. You should concentrate on the LA for now, and not waste time. Make an official complaint in writing as suggested, with a short deadline, then go the NLA route, then small claims court (and trading standards for good measure, even though that won't help you directly). Don't place too much hope in the NLA; these associations are rather toothless and have no official standing.

Brilliant, thanks.

I'll outline the fact I paid for a service, which had no terms that I had broken and that the LL is unreachable and further to the points made in Annie1960post.

Would it be worth contacting my bank for good measure and explaining the situation seeing as they have my details on file?

This 'company' isn't showing any results which isn't surprising. It gets dodgier every minute. The LA told me last week that they cannot give me the LL details, which I wasn't surprised at as I still hadn't signed anything.

Then again, why would the LL ask for a guarantor because my wages were below the accepted amount? A dodgy LL would have lapped up anybody who could have paid the £££ over the phone for referencing. All very confusing.

Spacepig

Update, not a dull moment with these clowns.:p

If you read up, you'll see that the LA finally gave me the LL number and told me it's now between us to sort it out. Well, I received a call back from a different number tonight saying they had received a missed call from the number I phoned (one with the business voicemail) Err, it wasn't the LL, it was yet another associate with no idea/control on anything to do with the flat. And yet, the LA were using this number? Telling me it was the line through to the LL? To shut me up?

Apparently, this guy didn't know when I would be talking with the LL, he's out of the country and can only be emailed.

Lastly, I asked the guy's name and he replied with George, George Mills. Now, me being half African and recognizing the guy's voice as being African thought something didn't really sit right. Not a very African name.

I asked him where his accent was from, he simply replied "South London"

Okay then. Nothing has changed. No contact from the person who counts, letters will still be sent.

Spacepig

Need some help. Spoke with my bank to get the funds back as it's useless trying to talk with these people.

They told me they can't anything unless they didn't provide a service, so advised me to ask for my referencing papers they supposedly ordered and they told me they cannot let me see them for confidentiality reasons, is this correct?

If not, I have a dispute form from my bank asking the usual questions i.e

"Please specify agreed location of delivery/good" Seem to be a bit of a grey area as you don't agree to receive the referencing, but seems all I have for now.

Does it help to add more information separately?

Thanks.

Spacepig

Final nail in the coffin?

I got business details of the property owner but it doesn't have a landline, only an address. After a Google search, the first result is a forum topic with the title "Dodgy company" The address is the same as the LL associate gave me. Granted there's a few companies working in this office block but nothing is found with the company name he's given me.

So when we add all of this up. Why does it still ooze a 'legit' feeling? He's gone through a LA who has won awards (probably worthless), & has no bad feedback online. He's asked me for a guarantor, he's asked me to move in next work and he must have been referenced by the Letting agents. A dodgy LL wouldn't have bothered if all he wanted was to grab the cash and run.

Incidentally, the LL associate who deals with the properties/renting/agreement didn't even know I'd come through a LA. He wants me to email the LL who's on holiday, so the LL can email me over agreements to sign.

So, experts. What the bleedin' heck is going on?