Friend just signed contract - but pregnant!

mrstewieo

My friend has found a lovely 1 bedroom apartment in the city centre, it's her first house with her boyfriend!

They have had SO many problems with it, with being lied about parking etc, but they got all that sorted out.

They gave the money for the deposit, and also paid the first months rent. They started to get things moved in, but my friend has just found out that she is 3 months pregnant - so she needs a 2 bedroom.

It is through a letting agency, and she signed a 6 month tenancy, but the letting agents aren't letting her leave and get the deposit etc, even though she told them she is pregnant and the house isn't big enough

Is there any way she can get out of this? It's too much stress for her

iamana1ias

mrstewieo wrote: »

My friend has found a lovely 1 bedroom apartment in the city centre, it's her first house with her boyfriend!

They have had SO many problems with it, with being lied about parking etc, but they got all that sorted out.

They gave the money for the deposit, and also paid the first months rent. They started to get things moved in, but my friend has just found out that she is 3 months pregnant - so she needs a 3 bedroom.

It is through a letting agency, and she signed a 6 month tenancy, but the letting agents aren't letting her leave and get the deposit etc, even though she told them she is pregnant and the house isn't big enough

Is there any way she can get out of this? It's too much stress for her

Why does she suddenly need 3 beds instead of 1? The baby won't be born for 6 months, and can sleep in her room for another 6 months = a year in a 1 bed should be fine

She has no get out from the contract.

Can she even afford a 3 bed?

Cissi

Sorry but I don't understand why she "needs" a 3-bed because she's pregnant (if 1 bed was enough before)??? Yes, it might be nice, but "need"?

If she's just found out that she's pregnant then the baby will be due around the time that the 6-month term expires. Most babies sleep in their parents' bedroom initially anyway, so what's the big deal?

In any case they've signed a legally binding contract - that's tough, I'm afraid. The LL is entitled to hold them to it, although they may agree to release them early, but with your friends paying all additional costs until a new tenant can be found.

Edit: crossposted with Iamanalias - snap

Jowo_2

Her contract is legally binding. The landlord would not be able to get the property back in the first month of a six month contract by saying they were pregnant and wanted to move back in.

She doesn't need a 3 bed property. Those in social housing don't get allocated a 2 bed property necessarily - baby is supposed to stay with parents or in the living room until its owner.

I'm sure she can manage with a new born in a small property for the small overlap until they find onward accommodation.

Fire_Fox

The average length of a newborn baby is 20 inches (50cm) and it can't do so much as roll over, it really does NOT require a three bedroom house! How on earth you manage to get to three months PG and not realise?

mrstewieo

I made a mistake, I meant a 2 bedroom.

The flat in the city centre is classed as a studio - basically the bedroom is seperated by a half wall to the living room.

Firefox; she has had alot of problems getting pregnant, and dosent have regular cycles

Jowo_2

Sorry, but the contract is legally binding and no change in personal circumstances have to be taken into account by the landlord if they do not wish to consent to an early surrender. Check the Shelter website for info on how to end a fixed term tenancy agreement which should verify what the posters here have said.

BitterAndTwisted

In my opinion the sort of woman who believes they suddenly need a three-bedroomed property at only three months preggo is definitely the sort of woman who can't keep track of time and also believes that being preggo suddenly entitles them to not have to keep to a legally-binding contract!;)

MrsTinks

Fire Fox - no idea... I knew when I was 2 weeks gone LOL Possibly something to do with the violent morning sickness :huh:
As for the space a baby needs... they sleep with you in your bedroom (and this is recommended for safety anyway!) for at least 3 months (or is it 6 they recommend?) We put DD in her nursery at 3 months so that leaves them plenty fo time to find something bigger once the baby has arrived or just before it's due depending on her times and if the baby arrives early etc.

Apparently my parents managed in a small 1 bed till I was a year old... when we moved to a small 2 bed house...

Radiantsoul

Just going to have to lump it until the contract ends.

jackomdj

As other posters have said I would not worry about it, but use the extra money to save for the baby. 6 months down the line the baby will be born, they can move at that point or stay for a while longer as the baby will be fine in with the parents (again I would not worry about it being a studio as baby will sleep anywhere)