New tenant is not paying for furniture left in the flat

AntoineFR

Hi,

I moved out of the flat I was renting about 2 months ago. Before moving out we asked the letting agency if the new tenants wanted to buy some of our furniture (the flat was unfurnished when we moved in). They agreed on buying our sofa for £80. All of this was done via the estate agent over the phone. We've had no direct contact with the new tenants.
After 2 months, we still haven't received the £80 that we agreed on. We have been chasing the letting agents but it does not go anywhere.
What should we do?

Thanks.

marliepanda

Honestly, give it up. It's not worth the hassle and YOU have no direct contract with the buyer, just a mishmash through the agents.

Has it saved you some inconvenience of moving it out etc?

booksurr

forget it and get on with your life

or...

knock on the door, ask politely if you can enter their property and repossess the furniture you left behind, pay them whatever storage charge they levy on you for having looked after possessions you left behind?

knock on the door, ask politely if they will pay you for the furniture and not charge you for them having looked after it?

hope the LL has not cleared the property out before they moved in and the LL is now seeking costs from you for its storage?

approach LL and ask if he will pay you the £80 net of any costs he has incurred looking after your property in the meantime?

take the agency/LL/new tenant to small claims court for breach of verbal and implied contract with at least one of the 3 parties?

G_M

Learn the lesson that if you sell something to a stranger:

* you need a written contract / agreement

* that agreement needs to be between you and the person buying

Booksurr's suggestion to knock on the door is sensible, but don't hold your breath......

tenant could deny all knowledge and refer you to the agent.

agent will deny all responsibility and refer you to the buyer

davidmcn

G_M wrote: »

Learn the esson that if you sell something to a stranger:

* you need a written contract / agreement

* that agreement needs to be between you and the person buying

And even if you have something in writing, it's really not worthwhile taking legal action over £80.

G_M

davidmcn wrote: »

And even if you have something in writing, it's really not worthwhile taking legal action over £80.

True, but at least it gives you something to wave at the 'buyer' and attempt to persuade them to pay.

AntoineFR

Thanks for your replies. I was hoping there would be a better answer.

I just want to highlight that it was not an issue for us to remove it from the flat as we hired a large van when we moved out. We were going to sell it anyway and we just thought it would be mutually beneficial for the tenants and us.

Miss_Samantha

AntoineFR wrote: »

We've had no direct contact with the new tenants.

Therefore you don't even know whether the new tenant actually wanted the sofa or you've been had by the agent (I suspect that the sofa has gone on the inventory they made the new tenant sign now...).

Cakeguts

It might not be there any more. The landlord might have got rid of it because they let unfurnished only. You can't leave furniture in a rented flat for the benefit of future tenants. You can only leave it there if you have permission of the landlord.

pinkteapot

The letting agent couldn't care less. You're no longer a customer of theirs and they have no contract with you over this sale of stuff, so they won't help you.

If you've got no other way of contacting the tenant, all you can do is knock on their door. If that's a bit confrontational, you could send them a letter giving your contact details and saying that you'd like the money, please, or you'll be in touch again to arrange to come and collect your stuff.