Letting agents asking for more money the week before we move in!

[lessthanBeau]

What can we do? My DD due to move to a rental house 2 hours away , gave the agent £300 holding fee, was supposed to move in last Saturday, agent called on tuesday to say house not ready, however we had booked a van for the weekend to move her furniture, and she has to leave her flat, the agent said they would pay storage, and removal cost from storage to house when ready As DD doesn't have any other transport to do this alone. So got it all moved into storage on Saturday, Today got a call from her saying they won't pay for a removal company, and the deposit they've asked for is the wrong amount and now they want another £400 this is on top of their agency fees! If she tells them to stuff it and finds something else shell also lose the £300 holding deposit! How can this be ok days before you're due to move in and as the agents haven't held up their end of the contract how can they keep her money, seems the contract has been broken by them already.
Any advice? Seem stuck between a rock and a hard place, what if she can't get hold of this extra money they want?

The 'holding fee' isn't legally binding. That's just a fee to remove the property from any marketing outlets such as Rightmove and to pay for the new tenant's credit checks and referencing paperwork. It's non-refundable.

If she'd paid her deposit and signed a contract she would at least have a leg to stand on.

Has she signed a contract already? Does she have the agreements about storage fees etc in writing or was it verbally agreed? I'm not a lawyer but I think I'd be tempted to start throwing around phrases like 'breach of contract' and 'small claims court' in the hope that they might stop fucking around. Though it has to be said, I'm not sure I'd want to move into a property managed by such a shower of shite.

She signed a contract stating the deposit is £200 they've now said that as the last tenants left the house in such a state as they had dogs that they are now asking her for £825 instead of the agreed £200 so actually £625 more than agreed, probably because she also has a dog, but they knew that as that was the reason they took that particular house. Re the holding fee yes that's probably right about the checks and stuff but she wouldn't have handed it over for checks if she'd been told the correct figures in the first place.
She didn't get anything in writing regards the storage and removals as it was all last minute over the phone.
Surely they're in breach for the house not being ready on correct day and the sudden change of required deposit, which is all in writing.

I have nothing useful to add other than to say that letting agents are utter shits.

this sounds dodgy as. Tell her to stop right there and ask these questions: (England/Wales)

deposit protection scheme to be used - and yes, if it was agreed in writing they can't change.
are agents members of any regulatory organisation?
EPC provided?
gas safe provided? (if gas)
read the 'how to rent' document on gov.uk and make sure it all stacks up.

Are they a legit agency?

Deposit is usually 6 weeks rent, so £825 sounds a lot more normal than £200.

It'd be unusual for a letting agency to cover removal fees, too, or move the date of moving in.

Have you seen the police?

Place! Place not police, sorry.

I'm sorry this is happening but I must say £200 deposit seems ridiculously small especially if she is moving a dog in. What do you have in writing, and what has she already signed?