False advertisement?

Spoiler

In the spoiler above is an image of the render provided by the agency. Remember, this is all I had to go on, no other photos existed as construction was still ongoing...The description was vague and brief; luxury student studio, fully furnished etc. The post gave no description of what furniture/kitchen accessories were provided, but I assumed I'd get the oven, chairs, table and had to provide my own pots/pans etc - fairly standard. I have in writing a quote directly from the letting agency that initially dealt with the management of the new property:

"Every aspect of the site will be 100% accurate in comparison to the images/description that are advertised HERE & HERE."

The posts have since been taken down, because management of the property has been changed to a new company - however, like I said they gave no indication of what was actually included in each room. Because of what the guy said to me, I assumed it would be pretty much identical. This to me, meant that I'd be getting an oven, a TV (their main website states that their properties come with a TV, as shown in this video at about 2 minutes in. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQi4QJnhJAsThe video also states that each studio is to be fitted with a 'bespoke furniture range' so I thought ooh, this all sounds great.

I paid my deposit and signed the tenancy agreement (which had no inventory). I received an email today (the company are getting absolutely swarmed with complaints, we were supposed to move in on the 1st but couldn't move in due to electricity failure till the 12th, there's currently no wifi and the lifts aren't ready yet) basically with an FAQ. I imagine because everybody is like wtf.

To paraphrase the FAQ, there is no oven. This is the image we were provided with zoomed in on the oven.

Spoiler

Here's what we actually got. This is a real image and not a CGI render. I had to dig deep for this, it wasn't provided to us, I found it on the construction company's website. It's a microwave combination oven. BS! So obviously everybody has complained.

Spoiler

Also, no TV.

- "The images on the website were visuals of how the properties would look when occupied, there is no TV provided by the landlord, all residents will need to purchase their own TV." is their response. We are not allowed to put up posters/use blue/white tac in our rooms, yet we're expected to find a way to mount a huge flat screen TV? (Or in my case, not bother at all...got a dissertation to write and all..)

The video above mentions bespoke furniture, well, okay the wardrobe and bed are the same ones as advertised, there's also the possibility that the kitchen table shown in the image is also legit, but it might not be, there are no images of it yet. The chairs however, are cheap plastic ones. I get 1 table chair and one desk chair. (Okay, I haven't seen the table and the table chair, it might be the same but I'm going to assume for now it probably won't be - but this is just a small point, I have my own chair which I'll take instead)

The best I can do for now is ring up housing advice bureau, I've already paid the deposit, and I've refused to pay the first months rent - which they are fine with because of the amount of problems going on, until I move in. I haven't yet moved to my university city yet, so I can't visit the property to check everything's in order, and it's on the opposite side of the country to where I currently am living. I need to hire a van with all my stuff and do the move in one swift go. I can't move in until a day before university lectures start, due to work commitments. So this all complicates it as I can't visit the appropriate council in time.

Now, would this be false advertising at all? Or am I being a bit pedantic?Apologies for the mess of the thread, it's 6am and I'm pretty stressed.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 1

SophieSmall

21

Definitely not pedantic considering the lack of oven and what you were told prior to signing.

Definitely recommend contacting the advice bureau and your SU for legal advice. This honestly in my opinion takes the complete piss. And for future advice, never sign a contract for a new build. They're notoriously unreliable and **** like this happens all the time.

Reply 2

hezzlington

OP

20

Original post by SophieSmall

Definitely not pedantic considering the lack of oven and what you were told prior to signing.

Definitely recommend contacting the advice bureau and your SU for legal advice. This honestly in my opinion takes the complete piss. And for future advice, never sign a contract for a new build. They're notoriously unreliable and **** like this happens all the time.

Thank you for the response. When I moved into Halls it was also a new build, and that was an incredibly positive experience, so I trusted this company (naively). I was following the construction blog all summer and they said development was running smoothly and ahead of schedule so I thought it was all going to be fine and dandy. Let's say I win the case and they are guilty of false advertisement, what would my options be?

Reply 3

SophieSmall

21

Original post by hezzlington

Thank you for the response. When I moved into Halls it was also a new build, and that was an incredibly positive experience, so I trusted this company (naively). I was following the construction blog all summer and they said development was running smoothly and ahead of schedule so I thought it was all going to be fine and dandy. Let's say I win the case and they are guilty of false advertisement, what would my options be?

I honestly couldn't say, not my area of expertise at all and I have little experience with legal issues like this. Sorry.

Reply 4

hezzlington

OP

20

Original post by SophieSmall

I honestly couldn't say, not my area of expertise at all and I have little experience with legal issues like this. Sorry.

would love to fight for a reduction in rent or something like that. Getting my deposit back and moving accommodations is not an ideal situation but I'll see what advice I get :smile:

Reply 5

SophieSmall

21

Original post by hezzlington

would love to fight for a reduction in rent or something like that. Getting my deposit back and moving accommodations is not an ideal situation but I'll see what advice I get :smile:

Good luck with it and hope it doesn't cause too much stress for you.

If it was me I'd be furious.

Reply 6

hezzlington

OP

20

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/student-accommodation/property-62000369.html
Bingo
Found the listing. Definitely false advertising. They list 'wall mounted LCD tvs' and 'integrated oven'. They do not provide any TV whatsoever, and an integrated oven is COMPLETELY different from the microwave combination ovens which they provide.
Ringing housing advice as soon as they're open.

Reply 7

doodle_333

19

Original post by hezzlington

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/student-accommodation/property-62000369.html
Bingo
Found the listing. Definitely false advertising. They list 'wall mounted LCD tvs' and 'integrated oven'. They do not provide any TV whatsoever, and an integrated oven is COMPLETELY different from the microwave combination ovens which they provide.
Ringing housing advice as soon as they're open.

hope you get somewhere...

I had a similar issue with a new build in my first year (although not as serious) and got nowhere

they had shown a position on google maps which was about 10-15 mins closer to the university than we actually were and advertised a games room (there was a sofa in reception) and landscaped garden (literally a couple of bushes around the car park...) and a couple of other things... we also had no internet for a couple of weeks and then it was patchy for months, several of the rooms showers/toilets didn't work to begin with so we had to use random empty rooms which several people had keys for etc

False advertisement?

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