More letting agent cuntishness
Two weeks ago, I applied for a house. Bargain it was. £300 a month, 3 bedrooms, newly refurbished. To apply, the agent wanted £90 application fee, and £350 as a deposit. This was paid on the day, 2 weeks ago.Since then the agent has dragged his feet - he waited 3 days before even starting 'to make sure the money cleared' despite the fact that, as we're with the same bank, the transfer was instant (my bank assures me of this). Then he waited around getting references off my boss and landlord. Then on Thursday, he insisted that he'd need to check with the landlord before he could confirm I'd got the place. By the time I viewed the place I'm moving into on Sunday, he still hadn't got back to me. Get that? He had a 2 week head start, and I still arranged a tenancy agreement with the current landlord before he could get back to me.
Anyway, I called him today to arrange refund of the deposit (in the UK, you forfeit the application fee regardless, but the deposit is there to protect against damage to the property. I hadn't been in yet, ergo, no damage). The conversation went thusly:
Agent: You said you wanted to move in. You said you could pay 6 months up front if needs be cos you wanted the place so bad.
Me: I also said I've got to be out of my current place by the end of the month. Every day you arse me around is another 3-4 houses off the market, and less chance of me finding somewhere. On Thursday, you said you'd make a quick call to the landlord and call me back. It's now Tuesday and I've still heard nothing.
Agent: But I spoke to the landlord on Friday and he's happy to go ahead
Me: And now you know why you need to communicate these things to the customer in some kind of timely fashion. You had Friday, Saturday and Sunday to let me know. On Sunday afternoon I accepted another property.
Agent: Ah, well we don't work weekends.
Me: Your problem. Now you can explain to the landlord why I've pulled out.
Agent: Well I'm sorry, but we don't refund your deposit if you pull out.
Me: Yes, you do. I can assure you you do. The only question is whether or not you also refund my court fees.
Agent: Let me look into this and call you back
Me: You do that
Needless to say, he hasn't called back. If I have to call him again tomorrow, I'll be confirming his address to serve the court papers to.
I'm very nice and polite, and take the loss of my £90 (which I still believe I could successfully challenge if I wanted to) in my stride, but DO NOT try and fuck with me on the assumption that I don't know my rights. You WILL lose. Many companies have tried this before, and failed.
posted by SingleGuy @ 8:33 pm
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