Rent paid to wrong account

I moved into a flat on October 1st, paid my deposit and first month's rent up front. I also signed the necessary paperwork; PRTB registration, standing order, lease etc.

Come Monday November 1st I noticed from my online banking that the rent payment had a different name to the one I was expecting. To be sure, I checked with the letting agent and my bank, also asked the bank for the account number the payment was made to. Turns out it's completely the wrong bank account. It's in Ulster Bank Dun Laoghaire while I was expecting AIB Blackrock. Plus, my bank claim they can't refund the payment as it has already gone through, they actually phoned Ulster Bank in Dun Laoghaire to confirm.

On Tuesday one of the letting agent staff admitted to me that they might have put the wrong account details on the standing order form and said she'd try to get my money back from the other person. Today I heard nothing back so phoned again, this time I got another staff member; he checked with the boss who blamed the bank and said it's their problem (which I highly doubt). So I'm in a situation where my rent has been paid to the wrong account and wrong person so am now in arrears, hardly a good start.

What are my options here? I'm thinking of asking the bank for a copy of the standing order form for a start, just so I can see that the account details are indeed incorrect. I have no direct contact with the landlord, everything goes through the agent, so have no way of informing him of the situation. I'm worried this could get very messy.

djimi

To be fair if you were given a standing order form by the letting agent and it had the wrong bank account details on it then you can hardly be held responsible for your first months rent not being paid.

I would certainly get a copy of the SO form from the bank if possible; this should cover your ass in terms of this months rent. After that I would cancel the current standing order, set up the correct one and then let the letting agent chase down the money which you have paid from the person who has received it. As far as I would be concerned you have paid your rent as per the bank details you were given; if they are incorrect it is the letting agents problem, not yours.

Victor

In due course, demand a letter confirming that you paid the rent in accordance with the instructiosn received and that you were never in arrears.

Xiney

djimi wrote: »

To be fair if you were given a standing order form by the letting agent and it had the wrong bank account details on it then you can hardly be held responsible for your first months rent not being paid.

I would certainly get a copy of the SO form from the bank if possible; this should cover your ass in terms of this months rent. After that I would cancel the current standing order, set up the correct one and then let the letting agent chase down the money which you have paid from the person who has received it. As far as I would be concerned you have paid your rent as per the bank details you were given; if they are incorrect it is the letting agents problem, not yours.

+100

Get your documents in order, this is NOT your fault.

OS119

Xiney wrote: »

Get your documents in order, this is NOT your fault.

most importantly, its not your problem either.

if your bank sent the payment to the account specified on the SO form its the agents problem, if the bank sent to payment to an account not on the SO its the banks problem.

assuming you just gave the bank the printed form the agent gave you, its difficult to imagine a situation where you are responsible.

if its the banks fault, and you can prove that you gave them the correct information, you should be refunded in a few days - if its the agents fault that they dished out the wrong A/C, don't take any crap: none of this 'could you make another payment and we'll credit you with next months rent' rubbish...

Thanks for the advice. One of them in the letting agent actually did ask me to make a second payment but that's not something I'm in a position to do. This move has already cost me an insane amount of money as my previous landlord withheld my deposit. Quite frankly I'm regretting ever doing it but I have to soldier on nonetheless.

Asked the bank for a copy of the SO today, the rep gladly obliged without question. She's posting it out to me.

It's been sorted, got the money back today! So I then used it to pay my rent off with the actual account details.

Thinfin

Karsini wrote: »

It's been sorted, got the money back today! So I then used it to pay my rent off with the actual account details.

Sorry for butting in but...
I love a happy ending:p