Did we mess up by placing the holding deposit too quickly?

Tenant Discussion
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Looking to rent somewhere new after 10 years in our home. We’re pretty gutted, landlord wants to move back into the house apparently. The market is a LOT different to what it was 10 years ago. Houses getting snapped up within hours (it seems) or having problems because we have a dog.

Anyway, a place popped up last night on RM and on here. I know the area very well having grown up there and fed up with getting pipped to the post with so many previous houses, I paid the holding deposit. I know the landlord can still say no and we’ll get that back but I thought/hoped it would show how keen/serious we were. However after reading a few topics on here it seems I might have made a big mistake in sending that payment? Is it worth sending a message to the landlord explaining or will that just annoy her even more?!

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The short answer to your main question is yes. The landlord will most likely reject your holding deposit as you haven’t seen the property and they have no idea who they will be renting to. Contacting the landlord to explain might be worth a try.

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Thank you for your reply. There was an option to put a bit of a introductory note when I sent the deposit over so I did fill that in, explaining why we were so keen on the house. Would another contact now be overkill I wonder?

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I would also be frightened off by this, so you could just say it was fat fingers and you would never try to railroad the landlord into taking you as a tenant…

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Thank you! Doesn’t look like it’s ruined my chances totally as the LL has been in touch to arrange a viewing for tomorrow. Everything crossed!

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Just wanted to update here in case anyone else has done this and is worrying about it… we got the house! The landlady is absolutely lovely and we’ve got a really good feeling about the whole thing. We move in next week.

I do think this is something that OpenRent should maybe withdraw as an option though. If it’s such a big no-no then why is it so easy to do?

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Please message them about it.

It does my head in.
Their explanation is nonsense. Of course the actual real reason is to get tenants and landlords embroiled into the rent now process, more profitable. Which I’m not against but it needs rethinking.

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@Paula5 very good point scammers will try to get people desperate for a home to send a deposit, so it shouldn’t be possible on openrent as it gives it credibility.

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