Cooling Off Period for Tenancy Agreements?

anna79_2

Hi there

My sister has just split with her partner and unbeknown to everyone signed for a tenancy today when she is in a really bad state of mind. We have had to call the Doc out and she is going off sick (wont get paid full pay) and has just today signed for this tenancy!

We have rang the agent and they are getting in touch with the landlord to see if he is willing to cancel the agreement.

Does anyone know if there is a cooling off period when signing for a tenancy??

Many thanks

teeni

no there isn't but ll may agree given the circumstances, especially if he realises he wont get the rent if she moves in and may have to go through the process of giving notice and getting a court order in a short period ot time.

Generali

I'd go down the route of saying to the LL, "She really is a fruitcase old thing, think of it as a lucky escape."

Not a nice thing to say about a member of your family but it might get her out of a hole.

paintpot

Personally as a LL I would let her out of the contract. However, if she paid any money to the LL at the same time as signing, she may lose that, it may depend how long ago she agreed to take the property before signing the contract ie there may have been a period of a couple of weeks whilst references were checked and she paid a (holding) deposit, she may have paid the deposit and a month's rent up front and/or an admin fee.

anna79_2

Hi

She paid an admin fee. Didnt really hear much back.

Went in today and signed and gave a personal cheque at 10am. Went with the agent to the property and walked round in a daze. We found her sobbing at 2pm and by this time the office was closed so rang the out of hours number and spoke to the director of the agency who said they will speak to the landlord on Monday.

Is it right that you get a 48 hour cooling off period for signing any contract??

Many thanks for all your replies so far.

custardy

well worst case the cheque can be cancelled.
those who are ll's on the board can confirm but i doubt an ll would pursue in this situation?
be more interested in getting the place let

paintpot

Hi

There won't be a cooling off period in this case. It will be at the discretion of the landlord concerned. A sad situation but a contract is a contract in this case. However, hopefully the landlord might realise he/she will be off to a bad start and will let her out of it. The admin fee will likely have been used for credit checks etc which she won't get back. Are you sure she hasn't paid a rent or a deposit or was that the personal cheque? I personally wouldn't let a tenant sign a contract without rent and a deposit. If she has given over the cheque then it needs to be stopped in time or you might not get it back, although legally the landlord is entitled to enforce the contract but once they have cashed it you might never see the money again.

anna79_2

She definitely paid by personal cheque.

She wrote it out in front of them.

I have told her to stop the cheque first thing. She feels really bad and is prepared to cover the ll's advertising costs and a bit extra for the messing him around.