What rights do tennants have?

shellsuit

What rights would a tennant have if they have lived in a privately rented house for almost 8 years and the landlord wants to sell?

Does anyone have any idea or any links to help please?

balsingh

AS far as I know, the length of time has no bearing. The notice period in the contract is what matters. Its usually a months notice so a landlord has to give tennants a months notice. Other than that, the tennants can't do anythign excpe tto buy the house for themselves!!

sand_2

Some councils have Housing Advice Centres, where both tenants and landlords can obtain all information required. A good website that i have come across recently is https://www.letlink.co.uk If you are a landlord, you can download some legal forms for free, whereas some other websites you have to pay. You didn't state whether you are the tenant or landlord.

sand_2

It is better to research it all properly, as it depends on what type of tenancy agreement is in place. Usually it is 2 months notice, where a landlord is seeking possession.

bamberbamboo

sand wrote:

www.letlink.co.uk

Sand that site is great just what I've been looking for

shellsuit

I got in from work before to a note left by OH saying landlady rang and asked if we want to buy the house.

If we could afford to buy any house we would have already bought one!

It was originally a shorthold tenancy (haven't got the papers to hand just now) but say for instance the landlady sells, I'm worrying what will happen to us as rented accomodation isn't cheap and is hard to find

shellsuit

Just gonna look at that link thanks!

iwanttosave_2

We had a really rough time when we were renting. They found out I was pregnant and assumed we couldnt afford the rent and sent us a text 5 mins late saying they had put the house on the market. It all went down hill from there, they let themselves in whenever they wanted, decorated when we were out. When they hadnt had an offer after a few weeks they blamed it on us, started verbly abusing us, threatening us that they would just change the locks and throw us on the street. Not bad for family ehh :rolleyes:

We contacted the local council law center and they said that unless they served us a notice to quit we didnt even have to move out, even after the sale had gone through. A standad notice is just a request from the landlord, and is not an order.

We eventually got fed up after they entered the house one night and stole a set of car keys. I now never see his side of the family so I think it was a win win situation.

I think you are best seeing if your local council has some sort of free law advice service and ask them, mine sent me all sorts of info, and also got that mad he wanted my landlords phone number so he could set them straight

Tassotti

Them entering the property without your consent is illegal (unless it is an emergency)

They stole your car keys?! Wow.

If a tenancy has become periodic, then the landlord has to issue a Section 21 notice giving 2 months notice to tenants to move out. The tenant however, just has to give notice the same amount of time as the periodic tenancy..ie if the rent is paid weekly, 1 weeks notice, monthly, 1 months notice.

If the Landlord goes about everything the right way, then you have no choice but to leave, unfortuantely.

iwanttosave_2

Tassotti wrote:

Them entering the property without your consent is illegal (unless it is an emergency)

They stole your car keys?! Wow.

Sorry, did I not say, they are above the law

Or at least they think they are, they even asked us to leave the curtains in while they sold it and they would return them, I did and low and behold they sold it with my curtains, not I get to drive past and see them hanging up :mad:

shellsuit

Well it gets better

She IS selling the house. She told OH that she is going to put it up for £X and was giving us first offer of £X (£7K cheaper)

She even gave him details of where we could get a mortgage!

!!!!!! If we could get a mortgage we would have one!

I've just found a house to rent privately and one through the council but it is only urgent need status who can apply (I've been on the council waiting list for 7 years btw) so I'll have to ring the Council on Monday to make sure what urgent status exactly is.

What a ruddy mess