Contract & Deposite Advise Please

[rizel23]

Hi all, my friend wants to move from a flat to a house

 

She paid her deposit and has paid rent on time each month to letting agency.

 

She never signed any contracts, she requested a copy from the agency as the copy she was given was never signed by anybody but neither is the agents copy.

 

They say she can leave after her notice period ( a month) but they will only return her deposit if someone takes the flat within 30 days of her moving out.

 

Surely she can not be held to anything like this if no contracts were signed by anyone? thanks

[Dipply75]

All sounds very suspect. Is this England or Scotland? Big differences in rules etc

[rizel23]

England, i think its a dispute over contract length. She was verbally told 12 months, agent claims longer, no mention on her contract or signatures so requested copy of agency contract and again no mention or signatures

[Dipply75]

Hmmm, the deposit should have been put in Tenancy Deposit Scheme....I don't know loads about that but the Shelter website is V good at explaining these things.

 

V concerned that there are no dates or signatures, but check these 2 links, expecially the tenancy checker, and see if it gives your friend a better idea of where they stand then the good folks on here should be able to guide you:

 

Shelter England - Tenancy deposits

 

Shelter England - Private tenancies

[Planner]

Just to clarify, no where on the contract is there any dates or reference to 6 months/12 months? (the fact that its unsigned is not relevant).

 

And - is the depsoit protected?