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Hi all ,
Just looking for some advice to be able to assist my son with an issue he is having at the moment with renting a house for his second year at Uni.
He and his 4 housemates went to look at a property they saw on Righmove for £95 PPPW and decided they wanted to take it. The landlords wife initially showed them around and they are certain she verbally confirmed that the rent was as advertised.
Once they had decided to take the property they were met by the landlords mother/or mother in law at the property 2 days later and she requested a £200 cash fee from each of the 5 of them. This was to cover admin costs and a holding deposit.
We have since been sent the Guarantor documents and I noticed that the rent was stated as being £2110.00 PCM which equates to £97.00 PPPW. Not a massive increase I know but for students every penny counts and at no point was a higher full monthly rental mentioned to any of them. If it had been they would not have agreed to take the house.
Two weeks after paying the fees the students were emailed confirmation of the higher calendar monthly rental , except for my son who didn't get this as they had sent to incorrect email address. Unfortunately his other housemates didn't realise they had been sent emails either and so this has only just come to light with the receipt of the guarantor docs to the parents. The email confirmation also advised that the fees paid were non returnable in the event that they decided not to proceed , but they had already been paid before this was advised.
On approaching the landlord yesterday he advised that the Rightmove price is just a guide and that they would have been verbally informed upon viewing what the correct price was and this would have been confirmed verbally again when they went to pay the holding fee. He says he is certain his wife etc would have done this......my son and his housemates are certain they did not. All 5 of these young people are adamant that it was confirmed to them that the price was £95.00 PPPW. They simply paid the cash fee and were given a receipt.
Sadly they have had to make the decision to withdraw from letting the house as they cannot all afford the extra rent. The landlord has advised that he will not be returning the fees as this will be used to cover advertising and admin fees now that he has to re let the property.
Is there anything we can do to get back the fee's already paid in view of the fact that they have only had to change their minds as the rent wasn't clearly and promptly clarified with them.
Many thanks
Stephanie
Just looking for some advice to be able to assist my son with an issue he is having at the moment with renting a house for his second year at Uni.
He and his 4 housemates went to look at a property they saw on Righmove for £95 PPPW and decided they wanted to take it. The landlords wife initially showed them around and they are certain she verbally confirmed that the rent was as advertised.
Once they had decided to take the property they were met by the landlords mother/or mother in law at the property 2 days later and she requested a £200 cash fee from each of the 5 of them. This was to cover admin costs and a holding deposit.
We have since been sent the Guarantor documents and I noticed that the rent was stated as being £2110.00 PCM which equates to £97.00 PPPW. Not a massive increase I know but for students every penny counts and at no point was a higher full monthly rental mentioned to any of them. If it had been they would not have agreed to take the house.
Two weeks after paying the fees the students were emailed confirmation of the higher calendar monthly rental , except for my son who didn't get this as they had sent to incorrect email address. Unfortunately his other housemates didn't realise they had been sent emails either and so this has only just come to light with the receipt of the guarantor docs to the parents. The email confirmation also advised that the fees paid were non returnable in the event that they decided not to proceed , but they had already been paid before this was advised.
On approaching the landlord yesterday he advised that the Rightmove price is just a guide and that they would have been verbally informed upon viewing what the correct price was and this would have been confirmed verbally again when they went to pay the holding fee. He says he is certain his wife etc would have done this......my son and his housemates are certain they did not. All 5 of these young people are adamant that it was confirmed to them that the price was £95.00 PPPW. They simply paid the cash fee and were given a receipt.
Sadly they have had to make the decision to withdraw from letting the house as they cannot all afford the extra rent. The landlord has advised that he will not be returning the fees as this will be used to cover advertising and admin fees now that he has to re let the property.
Is there anything we can do to get back the fee's already paid in view of the fact that they have only had to change their minds as the rent wasn't clearly and promptly clarified with them.
Many thanks
Stephanie
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