Accomodation refuse to pay back cashbacks

Hi everyone. In brief, I booked a room through a student accomodation agency called HomeforStudents, and shortly after I booked it, paid the money and confirmed everything, they sold the whole estate management to another company called Mezzino. Now, the interesting thing is when we booked through HomeforStudents, they promised us some cashback, but now they do not want to pay it as they claim the whole property is being sold to Mezzino, but Mezzino said it is not their scheme and they cannot deal with this issue. I mean, as a student all of us almost have the same issue, but we cannot afford a solicitor to deal with it. I want to ask for any suggestions ?

Do you have details about the cashback scheme in writing?

The problem is that you don't know the details of the agreement between HomeforStudents and Mezzino. So you don't know whether the cashback obligation was within the scope of the deal or not.

I'd ask HomeforStudents for written proof they they have sold / assigned this cashback obligation to Mezzino. If they can't provide it, you need to pursue HomeforStudents for the cashback. Each time they deny responsibility you need to push back an insist they you entered into a legal contract with them and that they are obligated to honour the terms of that agreement unless they can prove that that have assigned that right to another party.

Make sure that they know you have no intention of giving in, and every intention of reporting them to Trading Standards or Action Fraud or whatever trade body they're a member of. You need to make life difficult for them.

If they do provide some evidence that the cashback obligation was within the scope of the deal with Mezzino, then you can present that evidence to Mezzino and demand that they honour the obligation. Again, be firm. Make it clear to them that you mean business and will escalate the matter as far as it need to go to get it resolved.

Warning: I suspect that this will not be an easy fight. Good luck!