Agent told us Apartment is unfurnished after taking holding deposit

[stefg]

Hi All,

I'm guessing that I'm just going to have to put up with this and move on but I thought I'd see what others thought about this...

Me and my OH have to move from our current apartment and have to find another so we spent the last few weeks looking around and doing viewings. Last Friday we saw a place that we both happy with and thought the rent was reasonable.

The ad that we saw online for the place seemed a bit incorrect e.g. it said it was ground floor rather than 1st floor and that it used gas but uses electricity, but when we mentioned this to the agents they told us that it was just because the landlord owned both the ground floor and first floor and probably just mixed up the details.
So all was ok and we paid a booking deposit and cancelled our other viewings with other agents... everything sorted, hassle of finding a place gone!

However, today we got a call from the agent saying that they got it wrong and the property is actually offered unfurnished even though the ad stated it was furnished and the agent said it was furnished during the viewing.

We are quite annoyed at this because the rent is a bit high if it is unfurnished and we now have to find somewhere else or pay for furniture ourselves which doesn't really suit our current plans.

I have asked the agent to speak to the landlord about the possibility of him furnishing it but he says he is unlikely to.

Anyone have any suggestions what to do? Or is it just a case of bad luck and start looking again?

Cheers,
Stefg

 

[ButtermilkJa]

If you are willing to put up with the hassle of starting again looking for another apt, then I would pull out of the deal and demand your deposit back. Agents take enough money off landlords in the first place for you to have to put up with this sort of sloppiness.

Tell them if they can't take the time to get the details right and advertise the property correctly then you certainly aren't going to waste your time, and money, with them.

 

[so-crates]

Alternatively, argue the rent. Insist on a lower rent due to the fact the place is unfurnished and you have been mislead by them regarding this. You understood you were paying for a furnished apartment, as per the advertisment. If they refuse to drop it, walk away. It does make life difficult for you but there are other places on the market.

 

[Complainer]

It is very unlikely that apartments on different floors use different forms of heating (gas vs electricity).