Landlord help, offered house - now changed mind

Jm90

Im going out of my mind with worry.

We went though all the checks to rent a new home away from where we leave.

Not great credit, so we have a guarantor and paying three months rent up front and bond. Over 3k.

Estate agents offered the house to us, tenancy to start on the 1st feb. Great.
I handed in notice on our home so i wasnt having to pay extra rent in a house i wont be living in.
Let the kids schools know, arranged to view the schools in the local area.

My husband asked if it was an option for the hallway carpet to be stretched back on to the gripper as its come away.
And for the one bedroom carpet to be cleaned as it was a little grubby.

Ive just had a call saying due to this we wants to retract the offer.

I'm beyond gutted. I dont know what to do.

Comms69

Have you signed a tenancy agreement? Have you paid rent and deposit?

Jm90

No, thats all being done on the first, the day we get the keys. Money the day before.
I told them i was handing notice of current tenancy at the time.

anselld

If that is the Agent's attitude to maintenance you are probably better finding somewhere else.

However if you still want it you will probably have to retract your requests and try to grovel your way back in favour. Note them as defects on the inventory and then either live with or fix yourselves. (They are trivial)

Comms69

Jm90 wrote: »

No, thats all being done on the first, the day we get the keys. Money the day before.
I told them i was handing notice of current tenancy at the time.

So really you have no real recourse. Perhaps a verbal contract, but once you mitigate your losses you aren't really owed anything - sorry

copperclock

I really think you've dodged a bullet here. Sounds like the agent/landlord would provide a terrible service.

FBaby

It could be an excuse but the truth is that they changed their mind and want to stay/move to the property themselves (or a family member).

Or your husband requests were not just a polite 'we were wondering if you'd consider....' but more of a 'now that things are agreed, we're not happy with X. Y and Z and expect these to be sorted before we move in'.

Jm90

No honestly it was a simple polite ask, even if they had said no, we would habe carried on going.
I dont want my money back as i know the referencing money is non refundable.
It apparently was the landlord that called them.
I don't think he wants it back as him and family love abroad.
I just didnt expect him to take back the offer completely

need_an_answer

Presumably the "faults" existed when you viewed the property so your decision to take it would have been knowing or presumably in acceptance of them.

I have a property where a gripper is exposed and unfortunately no amount of stretching will re secure it,it needs a new carpet.(my tenants are accepting of this and are happy because actually they don't want the responsibility of spilling something on a new carpet. Yes I've offered,but they are happy to have it as it is on the proviso that we have agreed when they vacate no deposit deduction will be made for the state they leave the carpet in!) It will be leaving shortly after them and with no expectation on either part.

Maybe the LL has taken your comments on board and decided that new carpet might be required in both the hallway and the other room if the dirt is too much to lift.

I guess at that point they do have the choice,replace the carpets or replace the tenants.

I don't think I would class it as terrible service from either the agent or the LL.
Very often when prospective tenants view properties they see what they are getting and then actually want to change the property into what they want by making requests to the LL to cover their needs rather than what is being offered.
The LL may just see this as a request that at present they do not wish to accommodate.

G_M

* maybe you've dodged a bullet and the landlord would have provided non-existent service

* maybe there was miscommunication and the LL thought "This tenant is already making demands - best pull out now and dodge a bullet"!

* maybe it's an excuse, and LL has decided not to let the property/found a tenant willing to pay more/ whatever

Who knows?

But you hve no contract, so either you deal with the reality that the tenancy will not happen, or you try to smooth things over and pursuade the LL to change his mind.

Jm90

Thats absolutely fine, if he had said no.
We just didnt want to move him and him think we had done it.
However he's said no to us starting the tenancy.
Ive emailed. Im preying to god he changes his mind.