We finally signed the lease for the new flat, but not without several derailings on the way. Just a few are recounted here. I had been very adamant from the beginning that we were traveling and that was why the date needed to be moved up to the 14th. I even called again on the 2nd to let them know that if they needed anything from me I was out of the country so they better tell me by the 4th. I was told,"we do not need anything more from you, see you on the 14th." Of course, there is no reason to believe that statement anymore than when they told me on 24 March that I would know whether I was accepted on 25 March…I found out on the 29th. Or when they said they would email me the links for the reference check in the next few days and I called them two more times and it was more than a week later before they actually sent them.
So on the 5th, three days after I reminded them of what I said from day one about being out of the country and the entire reason for our signing date, they posted me a draft contract. Keep in mind that every other document was sent by email. But not this one. So then I get an email on the 10th asking me if I have had a nice holiday, if I have read the draft tenancy that they posted, and by the way, you have to do a bankers draft (which I have to be in the country for but I am not) or an internet transfer (which they are claiming takes 3 days). Notice that would mean that I have to do the transfer immediately without having looked at the draft tenancy because I am on the plane all day on the 11th.
Well, so much for "see you on the 14th". Of course, that email is no more accurate than anything else they have told me. So I asked them to email me the bank info for the internet transfer and the tenancy agreement immediately. Surprisingly, they did. Now, my experience with internet transfers has been that they are nearly immediate. So I ignored the 3 day thing and did it on the 12th using the info they gave me. That gave me time to read the contract on the plane. As soon as I did the transfer, I emailed them a screen shot of it. They replied with an email saying they had made a mistake: They gave me their own account instead of the landlords and could I do the transfer again. This is six months rent we a talking about.
What happens next is my favourite bit of all the things that happened. I call them and get transferred to a man that tells me that it may take some time to fix this at his end. Funny how I can transfer into his account immediately but he cannot transfer into mine immediately. So then I said, well if this is going to take some time, keeping in mind that the signing is less than two days away, maybe he should transfer the money directly to the landlord. He said he cannot do that because of money laundering regulations. He has to return it to me and I have to pay the landlord. I said fine, as long as their error does not result in my losing the flat. He said definitely not. So the next day (13th) at lunch break I check my account, and the money has not been returned. So I call. Now the story is that they are going to transfer to money to the landlord. So much for money laundering regulations.
I won't drag this out any longer even though the antics at the bank were quite amusing except to mention that the tenancy agreement presented at the signing was not the one they emailed me. But that is par for the course really… and not at all surprising. But we do have keys. So now we just have to get the internet up and running and close and open utility accounts, pack, and move. You know, everything, but at least I do not have to deal with that letting agent anymore. Yikes.
By the way, the blue lines in the drawing represent windows. Keeping using the old address until you hear from me.
