DD is moving to Cambridge to do a one year Masters, and is hoping to carry on to do a doctorate, which will take a further 3 years.
She has rented an apartment close to where she will be studying and I have paid one year's rent in advance (to avoid having to pay the agents a further significant sum of money to carry out checks on me as the guarantor).
We only had a quick viewing of the property before we took on the tenancy, as the agent was late and was rushing to another viewing. The property was also occupied and therefore we couldn't see everything as clearly as if it were unoccupied. However, the property is lovely, great location etc, and DD may well want to stay on for another 3 years if things work out.
But...the furniture and furnishings are rubbish. The sofas are worn and dirty, with various stains, the armchair is broken, the coffee tables are of chipped MDF, there are several slats missing from each of the beds, and the mattresses are old and worn. The chests of drawers have stains inside them, and one of the doors is missing from one of the built in wardrobes. The kitchen chairs are wooden garden chairs. The whole lot is rank and I am quite sure no charity would accept them. There is also mould around the bath.
DD and I collected the keys a few weeks ago when she moved her stuff in, with a view to moving in this week after our return from holiday. When we collected the keys and had a chance to inspect the furniture properly, we were horrified at the state of the furniture etc but thought that it wouldn't be a problem, as we would ask the landlord if she could rent unfurnished, at the same rent, and move furniture in from home. The agent we spoke to initially didn't think it would be a problem, but said to put the request in writing.
DD and I have since had various exchanges of e-mails with the property 'manager' from the agents, who is less than useless. She says that the landlord doesn't want to let unfurnished, that we didn't mention it at the time, that the mould is not mould but mildew. She has failed to reply to concerns which we have raised as to whether or not the furnishings meet the fire safety regulations.
The inventory, which we did not receive until after paying the rent and signing the agreement, actually refers to a number of items as being stained, old, worn etc and, in the case of the armchair, as not having a fire safety label. This is obviously a worry if there were to be a fire, as the property is on the top (3rd) floor. The agents now say they are sorry we are disappointed but that's it - they don't seem to be bothered that, even on the face of the inventory, their client is breaking the law.
I don't know what to do. My DD thinks we should take a hard line, but we are both mindful of not wanting to upset the landlord, in case she wants to stay on. I suppose we could just bundle up the furniture into the second bedroom, but then she is losing the use of a room, and just doesn't want all this old tat littering up the place. I will buy her a new bed though, as I honestly wouldn't want to let my dogs sleep on those mattresses.
So AIBU or is the landlord/agent? Any suggestions as to how to resolve this? DD starts her course next week and is already stressed, so could do without these problems on top.