Too many children

ewingoil

I am currently moving out of my rented property, as the landlord wants me to sign a 1 year contract, 6 month postdated contract for £200. He has told me that because I did not tell him I wanted to leave, 8 weeks before the previous contract ended, I have automatically entered into a new 1 year contract.

I visited estate agents and found a house I really like and put the holding fee down. I was phoned today by the estate agents telling me that my credit checks came back ok, but the landlord does not want to rent to me because I have 4 children under 4.

Can they do this? As it seems so unfair, as I was trying to rent a 3 bed family home.

telfordwhite

I suppose they can do what they like but doesn't sound very fair. And if you have 4 children under 4 you have my admiration/sympathy.

As for your current landlord, others with more knowledge than I will probably tell you he is talking codswallop.

Doozergirl

Your landlord is indeed talking codswallop. If you do not sign a new contract it becomes a Statutory Periodic Tenancy, which in plain english is a rolling tenancy from month to month.

In order to leave, you would be required to give at least one month's notice with that notice expiring on the day of the month that the original contract expired, iyswim. So if your contract expired on October 15th, you could now give notice to leave on April 15th.

He cannot force you to sign a new contract, therefore you could simply sit it out until he gives you notice himself - which needs to be the same as above but two full months, not one. Or indeed until it properly suits you to leave.

Has your deposit been protected?