LL pulls out of Tenancy 24 hours before actual move-in date! Any advice, please?

pinkteapot

Others have given better advice than I could, but my comment is that this is a STAGGERINGLY inept LA.

A LL should absolutely be aware of all the legal requirements, but if they've missed something it's the LA's job to advise them, and check a property has everything in place before they advertise it!! Later, once everything's sorted and any losses recovered etc, I'd also be complaining to the LA and posting some choice (factual) reviews of them online. 

And all my sympathies to your son and his partner. We relocated 300+ miles, selling a house and moving into a rental with a 4-bed house worth of stuff, so to have been left homeless 1-2 days before that move would have been horrific! 

pinkshoes

Mystic_CT said:

My son received an email from the LA yesterday pm informing him that they heard from the LL yesterday that she has contacted her electrician. Said electrician will be inspecting the property either today or tomorrow and will carry out any required work in order to be able to submit an EICR. So, it may well be next week before we can let you have the keys. So sorry for all the inconvenience but is that OK or would you prefer not to proceed with the tenancy agreement and claim reimbursements from the LL???

I'm lost for words, well certainly ones that wouldn't be considered as profanity

Do they still want the tenancy?

If so, reply saying that the tenancy agreement is signed, and as there is a delay in the property being ready, the landlord needs to provide alternative accommodation. 

I assume they're staying in a hotel or airbnb or something?! They should be claiming this from the LL!

If they are happy to pull out, then they can make their demands due to the breach of contract e.g. return of deposit, all money paid (including fees) and an additional £X to cover emergency accommodation for X nights due to the contract breach plus £XXX for the inconvenience!

Mystic_CT

A huge THANK YOU to all of you who took the time to offer brilliant advice and support on this thread over the last two or three days. Your input, 'propertyrental', was particularly spot on. You probably saved me hours of research because I didn't know where to start before coming onto the MSE Forums.

They say knowledge is power and that has been the catalyst in this situation. As 'pinkteapot' commented, both the LL (a first-time landlord apparently) and the LA have both been staggeringly inept. At first, both the LL and LA were quite unhelpful, if not dismissive about the situation but once they realised that my son and his girlfriend knew their rights (thanks to you people) and that they would take the LL for all the extra expenses incurred, there was suddenly a flurry of action. I'm happy to report that my son and his girlfriend collected the keys this afternoon and are now in residence....  
 

Martico

That's great news indeed

propertyrental

Mystic_CT said:

//////////there was suddenly a flurry of action. I'm happy to report that my son and his girlfriend collected the keys this afternoon and are now in residence....  
 

I forget - was today the original start date?

Mystic_CT

The tenancy start date was Tuesday 28 March and they were going to move in yesterday (Wed) before it all went pear-shaped. The LA was still telling them as of yesterday morning that they wouldn't be able to move in until next week. 

propertyrental

I'm guessing son is not too worried about the 2 day delay. he's in and that's the main thing.

But make sure the signed tenancy agreement now shows Thursday 30th as the tenancy start date, with rent payments covering the periods 30th to 29th of each month (unless some other rent payment date was agreed).

Mystic_CT

Yes, that was sorted this morning. They are just so relieved to have a roof over their heads. Only had to spend one night in a Premier Inn and the van rental company were really understanding, too, and only charged them for a few hours rather than an extra 24 hours 

RedFraggle

Happy new home to them. Splendid news

Grumpy_chap

Mystic_CT said:

Yes, that was sorted this morning. They are just so relieved to have a roof over their heads. Only had to spend one night in a Premier Inn and the van rental company were really understanding, too, and only charged them for a few hours rather than an extra 24 hours 

Hopefully the LL has offered to pay that hotel cost and extra van hire time.