Advice - Letting Agency

[Jampy]

To put it bluntly, i am ****** off.
I know estate agencies don't have the greatest reputation, but still...

Right, the story:
I needed to rent a place fairly quickly, relocating for a new job which i hope to start sooner rather than later. Had a little look on the internet, found a nice place, arranged viewing. The trouble started here.

Arrived around 6 minutes late for the viewing, this wasn't our fault - we are not local and our train was delayed. Perhaps i should have called to let them know i was going to be a little late, but i was only going to be a few minutes late and they made the point of taking my number so they could always give me a ring.
There was nobody at the property when i got there so i presumed they must just be a little late, waited 15 minutes before calling their office. They were fairly rude and unhelpful and finally after a few calls it turns out that they only waited for 5 minutes before leaving and their next viewing slot wasn't for 2hours (great).

Anyway, we wait around and finally see the property and it was pretty much perfect, nothing special but a good location and everything i needed. Went back to their offices to get the ball moving as soon as possible, paid £100 for reference checks and filled in their application forms and guarantor forms. They told me they would hold the place for me. All sorted.

So i called them last Monday, a week after the viewing, not having heard anything more from them. They want proof of employment so i scan my contract and email it straight away. They email back on Wednesday saying they need an extra bit of paperwork, ok no problem....

Now today i receive this email from them:

Mr XXXXXX,

I am sorry, but the Landlady has informed us she may have let the flat privately. We have asked her to keep us up to date and if it does go we will of course refund your fee, in full. But in the meantime we wanted to make sure you knew the situation.

Once we have a definate from the Landlady we will contact you for the next document needed for referencing.

I am again really sorry,

XXXXXXX


Ok, so what now? I presume i haven't a leg to stand on so to speak... but how do i respond to that?
I am utterly confused as to why when they told me they would 'hold' the property for me they didn't mention this to the landlord and what have they been doing for the last 2 weeks?

Any advice? Do i just have to go looking elsewhere? I really need somewhere quickly and this is very frustrating.

Thanks!

 

[Dracata]

Thats really cheeky and they should hold if for you as soon as you start the referencing process, but i don't think from a legal standpoint you technically have any rights :/

Just paid £100 each (3 of us) for the references for a flat in cambridge, i bloody hope it goes through and the same doesn't happen..

 

[Glaucus]

Go private, faster and generally easier and cheaper.
At least change agencies. For me being rude on the phone would have been it, they haven't even got your money yet. What they going to be like, when your boiler breaks down.

 

[Trojan]

Do i just have to go looking elsewhere?

Yes, in a word.

 

[Jampy]

Go private, faster and generally easier and cheaper.
At least change agencies. For me being rude on the phone would have been it, they haven't even got your money yet. What they going to be like, when your boiler breaks down.

I agree, private is the way forward, when i was a student it worked out so much better.... however, what I'm looking for is fairly specific (1 bedroom furnished) and I haven't had too much luck finding anything.