UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hello,

maybe someone can help an employee of me.
I employed someone from abroad. A really good worker and a nice guy. He is now struggling with the English landlords. So I supported him as good as I can. (Given him hours of for visitings and so on.) he had bad luck as he came over. rented an apartment and as he wants to pick up keys, the letting agent told him someone else moved in but he has another one for him. This other one was a hole.
So he has found something, AST signed, deposit payed, rent 6 month upfront paidand he should move in in 2 weeks. Today 5 minutes before end of business day he came in my office nearly crying. He got a message from the letting agent that the landlord will not any longer let to him. The letting agent which signed the contract told him the contract was only a "draft". Good laugh so far. All was signed including witnesses.

The bigger problem is, flights are booked for his family to come over, he has to move out of his home on the 31st of August. The moving company is ordered, the channel transfer is paid. he ordered new furniture which is paid, telephone, sky, etc. all delivered on the 1st September. All in all around 10k.

The new landlord called only the letting agent and is then going into the holiday.
He ask for my advice. I told him, I have never seen such a landlord before and that this behaviour is extremly uncommon. For me a signed contract is a contract.
I have given him the number of our company lawyer.

Maybe someone has an advice what to do in such a case. The chance to get in this time a house is nearly zero. He was looking for 2 months now.

Thanks upfront.

I had the opposite problem
tenants deserting.....
this renting market is really going bonkers in London!
good luck
k

I see it in the way a contract is  a contract.