Change of managing agents insistent on signing new tenancy agreement

flaura

we moved into a house last october ona 6 month assured shorthold tenancy - due to a dispute between the agent and the landlord the managing agents have changed...

The new managing agents want us to sign a new and differnt AST up until the last day of our tenancy (april 2010) and asked us if we want to stay beyone the 16th and if we want to sign a new AST for a fixed period.

are we obliged to sign a new contract or can we just say no thanks we'd like to remain on the current tenancy which alows us to remain ona roliing month past the date in april (which suits us as we are selling our own property?)

DVardysShadow

Just tell them you are quite happy with your agreement. Their problem is that they probably don't have a copy of the existing agreement. You could offer them a copy for a fee, but it sets a bad precedent if you plan on staying.

G_M

DVardysShadow wrote: »

Just tell them you are quite happy with your agreement. Their problem is that they probably don't have a copy of the existing agreement. You could offer them a copy for a fee, but it sets a bad precedent if you plan on staying.

I agree. Except why try to charge a fee? I know an agent would (!) but better to keep good relations. Just offer them a copy, or offer to take it in to their office to use their photocopier.

But definately no need to sign a new one - you have a perfectly valid contract with the landlord. And after April, as you say, you can become periodic tenants without any need to pay a renewal fee, or sign a new agreement then.

If the LL is happy with you as tenants, he'll be OK with this (though the agents may not - they like renewal fees!).

Procrastinator333

We just said no thanks, happy with a rolling tenancy. The only reason they want you to sign is because they want to charge either you or the landlord a fee for sorting it out.

Don't forget, your contract is with the landlord, not the letting agent. They can stomp and shout all they want, but if you are a good tenant paying rent on time, they can do nothing, and why would the landlord care if you sign a new contract or not?

Even if they send you a contract, just leave it to one side and don't send it back. Unless you get something in writing from the landlord that says sign it or we will use the notice period to ask you to leave, just ignore it. Again I come back to the point that why would the landlord ever ask you to leave if you are a good tenant?

sequence

The new agent is probably after an admin fee (off the landlord) for getting the new contract signed or some such, they'll be money in it thats for sure.

chappers

I agree they are probably trying to weedle a fee from you or your LL.
However I think you would be better off signing a new contract until April.
You would be signing a 2 month AST which would allow you to leave on the 16th of April with no notice, however as it is a new AST they couldn't get you to leave until 6 months were up (August 16th).
After April 16th, when the tennacy become periodic, you could then give one months notice to quit, they still couldn't get you to leave until August.

As you are, on the current contract, they could give you notice to leave today and you would have to leave by 26th April or when the tenancy becomes periodic they can give you two months notice at any point after 16th April.

Which ever way you go you probably don't want to sign a new 6 month contract otherwise you will be stuck then definitely until August .