People who know about renting - what would 'available immediately' mean to you?

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

We looked at a house three weeks ago that was 'available immediately'. We were told the boiler needed to be serviced but that this could be done straightaway. The agent also said they'd been meaning to do a minor replacement on some white goods and would get that done (it's not essential). Nothing else mentioned. We explained we wanted the house because DP has a start date for a new job and needs to move.

The referencing process they did was pretty slow and (in my view) ridiculously picky. It's taken until today to get confirmation we've been approved. It now turns out they need to get a full electrical safety check done, and can't rent the property without it. They've had a quote, but the electrician said there was lots of work that needed doing and the agent wants to get another quote to be sure as they didn't expect that.

Is it me, or is this not a bit dishonest? Surely if you say something is available, you mean you could rent it out right now - not that you need a check and possibly some work done?

I've rented a lot and I've never come across something like this, so am at a bit of a loss. We don't have much we can do - we can't really even walk away now, unless it all takes weeks, because we really need to move. But I would like to know if other people have ever come across this?

It should mean the house is available now.

I'd walk away. What it tells you is that the homeowner and/or the agent is either horrible disorganised, or doesn't have the funds to properly maintain the property. Either one means that whenever something goes wrong in the property you won't get it fixed quickly or easily as a tenant.

Think of it in relationship terms, this is the 'best' it will ever be, the honeymoon period. It won't ever be better than it is now.

I'm really tempted to walk away. You're saying exactly what I'm thinking about disorganisation or worse. What's stopping me is the money we've already paid to get the reference checks done, and the fact DP's job starts in 10 days. Realistically, we are not going to find somewhere else to live in 10 days.

I am kicking myself, though. And hoping against hope MN has some kind of solution I've not thought of.

I agree, totally inefficient. What happens I'd you needed something sorted as an emergency.
Forget it.

It sounds to me like they weren't expecting to get a tenant so quickly! I assume it's actually vacant? I think they could rent the property without the electric done but under the proviso the work will be done (to comply with the law) and if it were me I would say you'd do them a favour and be willing to move in with a reduced initial rent otherwise ... walk away. Presumably now you've had your references carried out by the agent, you're good to go with any other property on their books? The Agent sounds really rubbish as they've clearly not advised their client very well!!

Definitely vacant, yes.

I expect we could go with any other property on their books - but where we're moving is a very slow rental market and they have 15 other places, none of which are remotely any good for us.

The agent seems very firm they can't legally rent it, but I guess I could raise what you say about giving us a proviso it will be done - except that is also a worry!

It's probably just a really bad situation we've ended up in.

For an immediate solution, have you looked at AirBnB? DB uses them when he goes on secondment and you get good rates and interesting places to stay. You could store stuff in eg big yellow storage type places.

It’s been incorrectly advertised if they marketed it as available immediately and it’s not.

In 2012 my landlord put the house I was renting up for sale, I decided to move immediately rather than wait and have to take any flat just to get out in time. I had viewed, been vetted and moved in within 4 weeks of initially contacting the estate agent.

Having an electrical safety certificate is not mandatory only advisory so unless there are major works to be done it shouldn't be an issue to rent now. Check there is a circuit breaker fitted. Sounds as though the landlord is conscientious. I wonder whether it's a first rental for them? Would explain why they didn't get an electrical safety check earlier.

We might well go for a storage place, MrsH, sounds sensible.

what - I've moved much faster than that before, which is possibly what's making me nervous. I would expect if it says it's available, once the vetting is done, you're good to go. I was surprised at vetting taking 3 weeks, too - in general I've had it take anything from days to a week on the outside.

Thanks jon, that's useful to know. You don't happen to ahve a source I can cite to them about that?

I agree with jon having rented our house out six months ago, you don't need a electric cert. I know Scotland had different tougher legislation.

www.rla.org.uk/landlord/guides/responsibilities/electrical_inspections.shtml

I rented out my flat for a while and the onus on the electrics, smoke detectors and such like 100% fell on me and not the tenant to be compliant with the law. The first month the tenants moved in the boiler packed up and I agreed a rent reduction until it was repaired. I honestly think (with my landlord hat on) that if you've been vetted as a "good" tenant you have room for negotiation. Be assertive with the agent. They act for the landlord so you can remind them of their legal duty to pass on negotiations so their client can decide.

Yanbu

“Available immediately” should mean you can move in as soon as the credit check and references are done.

An electrical safety certificate is a requirement if they've recently developed the property or major works done. It's not required for minor repairs or houses that have not had changes done. If it has had one done previously, they only last 5 years do it may be that an older one has expired.

Make sure they know you're on a tight deadline, and speak to them every day about progress, when you can move in, etc. In my experience (from the other side of things) the squeaky wheel definitely gets fixed faster!

We were a week later than planned, maybe 10 days, on an “available now” property for much the same reasons, carbon dioxide alarms not fitted, electrical issues... the paint was still wet when we looked round!

We moved in without all the issues resolved because we didn’t know they hadn’t been. It was our third night when there was a knock at the door and an electrician said he’d come to fit alarms 😳.

Good luck with your move. As you say, it may be quicker to stick with what you’ve got rather than start looking again and pay for the references again...

It's sounds like they stalled the process to bide time, probably on the assumption a new tenant would need to give a months notice.
I'm viewing a property on Monday that on the website says available now, but when I booked it turned out it's available in June!

When I was renting it was normal to be served a month notice on a property so when seeking a new place I’d expect to be in an “available now” place in 2-3 weeks before that month ran out.

It might be it fits some of those criteria, knob (no polite way to say that!). And YY, will take your advice about keeping on asking.

missing - thanks. I hope it works out!

mum, they know we've given notice to the landlord - we specifically asked them what the timeframe was and we gave the LL notice after we saw the property.

It's frustrating op but I can see it both ways tbh. We waited until we found somewhere we liked and had submitted references etc before we told out old ll about wanting to move. Lls advertise 'available immediately ' whilst bits and pieces still need doing shorten a void period. I'm assuming the work that needs doing is a surprise to them. Given that you've got through the credit checks etc they would probably rather not lose you , you like the property and don't want to lose it so maybe there is a compromise to be made? If they had a definite date you could move in, would you still want the house even if it was later than you needed?

But that's what's dishonest, isn't it? Fine to want to shorten the void period, but isn't that why 'available mid-April, may be flexible' exists? That's the standard phrasing I've come across before. I've only ever seen 'available immediately' when they mean they've done everything.

The thing is that if it's not available soon, we have a house full of furniture, a baby, and 150 miles between our current place and DP's work. We've got the house we're in for a couple of weeks after the work starts, but I am just getting worried that if they can't be honest about this, how would I know what was a definite date?

Sorry I wasn't saying it shouldn't be available immediately, I don't trust any of them they are often on the evil side. They get you to pay you £400+ to be referenced by the most ridiculous companies and then they know they have you. We still battling out our deposit from 3 months ago with some dreadful agents we had previously.

Mumofkids, wasn't it in a deposit scheme? It should be fairly simple to resolve if it was, and if it wasn't then you have got we claim for a minimum of the deposit amount in compensation for not doing so, and a letter threatening taking legal action will get a response very quickly I would expect!

They are right that they need an electrical cert. But they should have told you it doesn't have one as they would have known when you were looking. There have been quite alot of recent changes on electrical standards so I expect it is bringing that up to scratch again which they should have known about.

I agree OP. Avaliable immediately should mean you could have immediate, right this minute occupation, subject to paperwork.

If this was the basis that you agree to take the property and therefore paid monies over, any delay is a deviation and you should be able to get your money back. Last time I looked there was info on the Property Ombudsman website about when you can get holding fees etc refunded and it did mention situations like this where there is a material change.

I would absolutely take this seriously as a warning about the agent and LL's attitudes and ask for my money back. It is a pain that this has happened, but you might actually have got off lightly.