Landlord to increase rent from £675 to £795

Jmua

Hello,

new to these forums and wanted some advice on our rights.

We currently rent a property via a letting agency for £675pcm since July 2007. At the end of last year our landlord put the property on the market with us in situ. It was a pain at the time as we didn't know whether it we would have to eventually move out but we allowed all viewings etc and it eventually sold to an investor, we were told she was happy to keep us on as tenants, we were obviously happy with this outcome.

My partner received a call from the letting agent today to say that she believes we are paying too little in rent and wants to increase it to £795pcm. She said as an alternative if we allow decorators into one room at a time then she would let us stay at £675pcm.

We really don't want our rent increased that much (when the flat was on the market we had a look at other rental properties just in case and there were much nicer places available at less than £750) and we don't really want to have to be accomodating her decorators throughout summer.

We had hoped to stay in this flat until we bought our first home later this year so had wanted to avoid moving out and signing another lease which would tie us down for another 6/12 months.

Any suggestions or advice appreciated!

thanks

Mankysteve

What does your contract say?

G_M

Have you been signing new contracts? ie repeated 6 or 12 month fixed term contracts? Or did your original contract expire leaving you on a periodic (month-by-month) contract?
If you are in a fixed term contract, the rent cannot be increased till it ends.
If periodic, it can (unless the original contract restricts the timing of increases).

You can, of course, not agree to the increase OR the decorators. However the landlord may then give you notice. This will
a) take some time
b) leave the LL with a void (no rent between tenants) + marketing costs + tenant vetting etc etc.

Faced with this, the LL may prefer to keep reliable, paying tenants in place even at the lower rent, especially if, as you say other properties locally "were much nicer places available at less than £750". He'll know he may not find another tenant willing to pay the higher rent.

BitterAndTwisted

Jmua wrote: »

My partner received a call from the letting agent today to say that she believes we are paying too little in rent and wants to increase it to £795pcm. She said as an alternative if we allow decorators into one room at a time then she would let us stay at £675pcm.

Let you stay at £675pcm for how long? While the decorators are in or indefinitely?

Look at it this way, you could get the place completely redecorated and for no increase in rent although a cynic (me) could interpret their eagerness to get the place in tip-top condition could suggest that you'll get a Notice to Quit as soon as it's been done to get new tenants in at the higher rent.

JA1000

Same rent and fresh paint, ask how long they will be in for sounds ok to me and in summer so just open the windows, move some furniture and live with it, surely it wont be more than 2 weeks.

Ulfar

Them wanting the decorators in sounds like they either want to sell or get new tenants in.

Find somewhere nicer now and leave them with a void.

Radiantsoul

I think you need to accept that they are looking to do the place up to increase its value and so will end up charging you more. If there are better places locally then go for them instead.

Fire_Fox

Sounds like the rent increase is a ploy to get you to agree to letting the decorators come in.

Jmua

Thanks all.

We're now on a rolling contract, I'll double check the contract to see if mentions any restrictions on the timing of increases though.

They're saying keeping the rent at £675 for the duration of the decorating and then increasing to £795 once done, the LA didn't specify what they mean by decorating, whether just a lick of paint or a lot more. It was certainly looking a bit dated when we moved in so I'm suspecting that they want a lot of work done to it.

I'm thinking of refusing both the decorators and rent increase and hoping she'll not want to lose out financially and keep things the way they are but partner is thinking we should let the decorators in to give us more time. We'd really hoped not to have to move into another rented property and get tied into another contract as we had planned to buy our first home later this year.

mandi

Why dont you tell her you will decorate as long as the rent stays the same ?

BitterAndTwisted

If you're on a rolling periodic tenancy you risk being given two months notice any time the landlord feels like it. I should prepare your exit strategy now. Most rental contracts are for six months so if you leave before the end of April you'll only be tied until October