Can I get my money back?

Axon75

In 2013, I gave £500 to an estate agent as deposit to rent a studio. After 5 days, and because he refused to get me a chair (it was supposedly furnished), I cancelled the renting. However, he made me sign a piece of paper (that he falsely told me it's only a receipt) that said that I will lose my deposit if I don't eventually rent it. And he kept my deposit. Is it possible to get it back? Is there an organization that regulate these people? Can I do something after that long? I haven't kept any receipt, but I am sure they should have keep that paper and they should have keep records of me paying them that deposit? Thanks!

principlecounts

"that said that I will lose my deposit if I don't eventually rent it." - what rubbish is this? See Citizen's Advice straight away.

Lily-Rose_3

Did you sign a tenancy agreement?

Did you pay cash? or by card or cheque?

How much did you pay?

Do you have a receipt?

Did they mention anything about protecting your deposit? (When you handed it over...)

Guest101

The letting agent sounds spot on.

1: either you pai a holding deposit, hadnt actually moved in and cancelled the application - deposit lost

or 2: you moved in, then decided to leave, and therefore this was a surrender agreement.

You either cancelled / or moved out over a chair, and then waited 2 years?

Now you have 6 years to claim it, but the case is looking good for the agent tbh.

AdrianC

Guest101 wrote: »

The letting agent sounds spot on.

1: either you pai a holding deposit, hadnt actually moved in and cancelled the application - deposit lost

or 2: you moved in, then decided to leave, and therefore this was a surrender agreement.

You either cancelled / or moved out over a chair, and then waited 2 years?

Now you have 6 years to claim it, but the case is looking good for the agent tbh.

Something sounds very odd about the whole story.

agrinnall

School holidays.

Axon75

principlecounts wrote: »

"that said that I will lose my deposit if I don't eventually rent it." - what rubbish is this? See Citizen's Advice straight away.

Exactly my reaction, but I couldn't bother back then because I was looking for work and was all day on foot.

Isn't there a law that protect us from such hilarious 'terms'?

I will contact any service can help, but isn't Citizen's Advice for problems with the government?

AdrianC

Axon75 wrote: »

but isn't Citizen's Advice for problems with the government?

They will help with problems with anybody - commercial, residential, government.
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

Don't assume that they will give you legal gospel, though. They aren't lawyers or necessarily specialists in any particular field. They are well-intentioned and well-informed lay volunteers.

Guest101

Axon75 wrote: »

Exactly my reaction, but I couldn't bother back then because I was looking for work and was all day on foot.

Isn't there a law that protect us from such hilarious 'terms'?

I will contact any service can help, but isn't Citizen's Advice for problems with the government?

nothing abut this is 'hilarious', seems very straight forward, move on

agrinnall

agrinnall wrote: »

School holidays.

This thread coupled with the "I was ripped of by my bank exchanging a large amount of Euros" thread confirms what I thought.

lovinituk

agrinnall wrote: »

This thread coupled with the "I was ripped of by my bank exchanging a large amount of Euros" thread confirms what I thought.

Yep. He's either a troll or really shouldn't be allowed out unsupervised!

They walk amongst us, people!!