House rent

nikkif_3

Just want some advise, here's the situation...

we are renting a student house, started paying rent in july but only got my keys today, our landlady has asked for augusts rent (only from me, not the other girls), but we don't understand what we paid for in july, as we didnt have the keys, should we pay the august rent or not? As is part of our contract? (although having our keys on 1st july is aswel)

Thanks

jennifernil

If you signed up to rent from 1st July then you start paying then, but you should have had access then too. Have you paid a deposit as well? Was the house empty in July? Why did you not insist on getting the keys then?
Not criticising, just wondering!

hjb123

Was the rent the full rate you will normally be paying each month or was it a smaller amount like a deposit or retainer?

When I was a student we had to pay a retainer over the summer in some cases - that guaranteed that we would have a room in that property for the next academic year.

Is there just you living in it at present or have the others moved in - you mentioned you were only asked for Augusts rent not the other girls.

Read through your contract carefully and see what it says!

nikkif_3

I paid a deposit when we signed the contract. And now paying half rent for the holidays, but when signing the contract I asked if we were still able to stay there and landlady said yes. We chased them up but landlady said there were still decorating. The previous tenants left middle of June.

hjb123

It sounds like a sort of retainer fee - you have to pay a small - or not so small amount - over the summer holidays and if you want to live there you have the choice.

nikkif_3

hjb123 wrote:

It sounds like a sort of retainer fee - you have to pay a small - or not so small amount - over the summer holidays and if you want to live there you have the choice.

but shouldn't we of had the keys at the beginning of july?

hjb123

If you wanted them you should of got them! Sorry if that sounds harsh!

Is there anything in the contract that says what you pay over the summer and what it covers?

nikkif_3

we got told we would have them sent to us in the post at beginning of july when we signed our contract.

Dan29

I rent a house to students and charge half-rent for July and August. The keys are available for the tenants to collect from 1 July and they can move belongings in and stay the odd night, but I wouldn't expect them to live there full-time without paying full rent. I do repairs and redecorating during July and August and expect to be able to access any/all rooms.

So yes, I think the keys should have been available to you from the beginning of July, and hopefully your contract states that. If the landlord refused to let you have the keys during July then I would have thought you'd have a good argument for not paying for July, but it wouldn't be an easy situation given that you're planning on living in her house for the next year.

lau_dicker

I got my keys on the 1st of July and I'm paying half rent for July, August and September, but I'm allowed to stay here full time. I start paying full rent in October ready for when uni starts again. This is so it works out at £50 a week (the going rate where I am for a house with a cleaner and all bills paid).

We're expected to let the maintainence men in cos there's little jobs that need doing, but by law, they're supposed to give you notice. I guess it depends whether you rent from a company or a private landlord (I rent from a company, but it's not university managed).

To me, it seems a bit odd that your keys were going to be posted. I was there when the office opened on the 1st July to get mine! I was living at home with my parents until I moved into this house (for my third year of uni), and that's only 20 minutes away, so it wasnt like I was miles and miles away, but I thought, the house is there, might as well use it!

Surely if you're paying for the house, you should be allowed in it!?!?!

melancholly

Dan29 wrote:

I rent a house to students and charge half-rent for July and August. The keys are available for the tenants to collect from 1 July and they can move belongings in and stay the odd night, but I wouldn't expect them to live there full-time without paying full rent.

that's quite interesting - i guess as a postgrad student that wouldn't fit for me, i need to be at university all year round.... but it explains the situation for people i know. do you specify anything in the contract about that or is it just an 'understanding'? (and clearly in the OP's case, this understanding was quite one-sided, and even if the landlord feels justified, this should have been conveyed to all the tenants).