A
female
 ,
anonymous
writes:I think my new landlord is trying to fob me off and I really need some advice before I confront her!I moved into my new property on Friday. I am renting it through a letting agents. When I first went to look around the place, the estate agent told me I also had use of a garage and said that the previous occupant didnt have a car so kept all her junk in the garage instead. This was a bonus for me as I needed a garage for my car. It was a big part of what attracted me to go for the place. The advert in the estate agents window and online also said there was a garage included.However, when I moved in on Friday the lady who owned the flat was there to greet me. I asked about the garage and she said there wasnt one. So today i phoned the letting agents and they informed me that as far as they knew there was a garage available and thats why it was included in the advert. They told me I would need to get in touch with the landlady and sort it with her. Im really worried Im getting ripped off. Im 7 months pregnant and need all the money I can get at the moment. I am single. Im annoyed that Im paying quite a high rent when something I thought would be included is not. Can I ask her to reduce the rent if a garage cant be provided? Im scared as Im not sure of what my rights are and I dont know how to confront her about this. I know this is a different question to most others but I really need some advice!
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female
reader, Miamine +, writes (1 March 2010):
 Yes, back to the letting agent.. They have not provided what was advertised and yet are charging the same rent. You do have some power here. Tell them you will contact your Local Trading Standards Office, details can be found on the website of your local council. It is against the law for something to be advertised falsely, and Trading Standards will back you up with this, and if necessary have the power to close down the estate agents. This is false advertising, and it is not legal.
A
male
reader, spinnaker  +, writes (1 March 2010):
 kc100 is absolutely right. Make sure you have copies of the advertisement and all other accompanying documentation. Try to do as much communication through email or letter and avoid any conversations that would not have witnesses. If you agree to meet with someone or speak with someone over the phone, take someone along or allow a person to listen in. Just keep in mind that you should by law inform whomever it is you are talking to that you plan on bringing someone or having someone listening in to a phone conversation. This may just be an administrative error or a miss-communication between all the parties involved rather than someone trying to bait and switch you. If all else fails and you have all your papers in order you should take it to the local magistrate.
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A
female
reader, k_c100 +, writes (1 March 2010):
 I would make copies of the advert for the property that is online, and go to the estate agent and get a copy of their advert from their window. Explain to the estate agent that you have spoke to your landlady and all she said was "there isnt one" - therefore you would either want to see a reduction in the rent or you want to back out of renting this property.
There are laws on false advertising and on your landlady's behalf, she should have provided the correct information to the estate agents. Now I am not a lawyer nor a specialist on the legal ins and outs of property rentals but I know it is not legal to advertise something that is not there! So make sure you have evidence of this - hence why the copies of the adverts are crucial.
I would suggest talking to both the estate agents and landlady - see what they both have to say about this situation. And maybe go to the citizens advice bureau - they offer a free service where you can get great advice on these sorts of matters.
I hope this helps and good luck!
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A
male
reader, CaringGuy +, writes (1 March 2010):
Go back to the letting agency and tell them to show you the garage. The landlady is using an agency, so the agency are the ones who have to deal with it. They deal with rent and the property, not the landlady. So you need to talk to the agency.
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