Letting Agent left me homeless - HELP!

lostinrates

I don't think I was clear. It is very possible, from the information we have the letting agents DID communicate with the LL but the LL did not communicate with them. I don't think we (or the OP)can know at this point if in relation to this property, the LA is entirely at fault or the LL. We don't know if its a small agent with out anyother suitable properties on the books even.

I've rented a few times and had things go wrong, and I've sat with my parents outside various homes waiting for completeion biting our nails too....it always feels precarious moving to me, and I've never been homeless as a result!

I'm really very sympathetic towards OP, who wouldn't be?

Paddy_Charlie

lostinrates wrote: »

I don't think I was clear. It is very possible, from the information we have the letting agents DID communicate with the LL but the LL did not communicate with them. I don't think we (or the OP)can know at this point if in relation to this property, the LA is entirely at fault or the LL. We don't know if its a small agent with out anyother suitable properties on the books even.

I've rented a few times and had things go wrong, and I've sat with my parents outside various homes waiting for completeion biting our nails too....it always feels precarious moving to me, and I've never been homeless as a result!

I'm really very sympathetic towards OP, who wouldn't be?

I'd just of thought the LA would have sorted out details of move a bit before my move in and/or would've informed me of any problems especially after telling me everything was fine that morning. Hopefully can get to the bottom of it when i see her on Friday.

Unfortunatly the LA hadn't got any properties in the area but they never made an effort to help me. I could have been really screwed because I have no family in glasgow because I'm from Dublin so if it wasn't for the fact I had couple of friends who could help out i'd have been in trouble.

I'm just hoping move is a little more organised.

kymmie_2

Paddy Charlie i dont know if it has been said yet or not but i would go to the CAB and take up your case with them. Yeah you got your deposit back. But as you said you have lost alot of money through this, And you ARE intitled to compensation for loss of earnings and moving expenses. You pervious landlord could not help you as you stated because he needed the property back and gave you time to look for a new abode. This of course was sorted out... well as you thought until the day that you moved in the letting agent obviously didnt do his work into making sure that your property was still secure in your moving in. they have well and truely left you in the lurch with this matter and now they have caused you more stress because of how you are having to store all of your personal items. As you stated even your uni work has been affected as it has all been packed away so you are having to be a huge hassle to your friends! Get yourself down to the CAB and see if you have a case... Or call up the LAWclub the number you would need is 0870 908 0799 State your case and they will send out lawyers and everything and call you back once you tell them the problem!

Good luck!

Paddy_Charlie

kymmie wrote: »

Paddy Charlie i dont know if it has been said yet or not but i would go to the CAB and take up your case with them. Yeah you got your deposit back. But as you said you have lost alot of money through this, And you ARE intitled to compensation for loss of earnings and moving expenses. You pervious landlord could not help you as you stated because he needed the property back and gave you time to look for a new abode. This of course was sorted out... well as you thought until the day that you moved in the letting agent obviously didnt do his work into making sure that your property was still secure in your moving in. they have well and truely left you in the lurch with this matter and now they have caused you more stress because of how you are having to store all of your personal items. As you stated even your uni work has been affected as it has all been packed away so you are having to be a huge hassle to your friends! Get yourself down to the CAB and see if you have a case... Or call up the LAWclub the number you would need is 0870 908 0799 State your case and they will send out lawyers and everything and call you back once you tell them the problem!

Good luck!

Cheers. I'm going to be seeing the LA on Friday to get paperwork from her so once I have that I'm going to seek legal advice so I can build a case againist them. They were supposed to send the stuff out in the post to me but it has apparently its got lost or delayed in the post

clutton_2

playing devils advocate here

""But the letting agent then called me at 11.30 to say the landlord had let out the property to someone else 2 days earlier. So this left me homeless as the owner of my old flat was moving back in so I couldn’t extend my stay there"

until you had a signed tenancy agreement (which you did not) why did you agree to move out of your old place ?

did you ask your old landlord for a few extra days grace ?

petshopgirlemma

I know I've had worries in the past and tried to make sure moving from one rented place to the next doesn't take place on the same day. If there is a problem (from something as extreme as this to something small like utilities not being switched on) just knowing you still have a bed you can sleep in while you get yourself together to sort it out is a big help.

Paddy_Charlie

clutton wrote: »

playing devils advocate here

""But the letting agent then called me at 11.30 to say the landlord had let out the property to someone else 2 days earlier. So this left me homeless as the owner of my old flat was moving back in so I couldn’t extend my stay there"

until you had a signed tenancy agreement (which you did not) why did you agree to move out of your old place ?

did you ask your old landlord for a few extra days grace ?

I didn't sign a lease as the letting agent said that would happen on the day of the move. And I thought the fact that I gave a holding deposit would have secured the property. Also even when I called LA earlier that morning she said that everything was alright and I could get the keys after lunch.

And I asked the my old LA if I could stay even just for an extra night but unfortunatly they said the owner was moving back in the following day so it wasn't possible.

pinkshoes

clutton wrote: »

playing devils advocate here

""But the letting agent then called me at 11.30 to say the landlord had let out the property to someone else 2 days earlier. So this left me homeless as the owner of my old flat was moving back in so I couldn’t extend my stay there"

until you had a signed tenancy agreement (which you did not) why did you agree to move out of your old place ?

did you ask your old landlord for a few extra days grace ?

So what is the purpose of a holding deposit and singing a pre-lease if it's not to hold the property? If the OP had failed a credit check, then they would have given him the money back straight away and told him he wouldn't be getting the property, but he didn't fail, and they led him to believe he'd be moving in!

OP, it's a shame you don't have a copy of the pre-lease you signed. In future, make sure you ALWAYS get a copy of anything you sign. I hope the LA doesn't "lose" this document, as otherwise it'll be hard to prove anything.

clutton_2

i'm not condoning all what the LA did - but the OP had not signed a lease - its a bit like house purchasing - until completion - it aint yours.

Paddy_Charlie

CAB just got back to me about it and adviced me to write a letter asking for compensation and if it refused the only option is to take them to small claims court as the agent is not a member of Association of Letting Agents.

And I know it wasn't mine otherwise i'd be saying i wanted to still get into the property. But because of other peoples actions I am out of pocket and been put through a lot of stress while being offered no help at all so I deserve to be compensated as it was not my fault.