Rent increase by text?

lizzielondon

i know you don't want to go down this route but your section 21 is not valid anyway if your deposit is not protected

Enfieldian

Thanks. I had forgotten about that.....

I just know that I going to have fun with the return of the deposit as well.......

clutton_2

did your landlord do an inventory which you both signed when you moved in ?

write to him a VERY short and simple letter saying that

Dear landlord
thank you for your text of .... date..... it is my understanding that you cannot increase the rent during the fixed term.
yours
tenant

Enfieldian

Of course not Clutton....

He turned up two hours late with the inventory for a different flat and never got round to producing the correct one.

I will get a letter off to him tomorrow.

eco-friendly_2

Enfieldian wrote: »

And he's an Arsenal fan......

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:rotfl:

Fire_Fox

I would not even acknowledge the text, totally inappropriate form of communication.

DVardysShadow

Enfieldian wrote: »

Thanks. I had forgotten about that.....

I just know that I going to have fun with the return of the deposit as well.......

Go down the route of getting it protected. Potentially, it could be profitable.

snapping_crocodile

clutton wrote: »

did your landlord do an inventory which you both signed when you moved in ?

write to him a VERY short and simple letter saying that

Dear landlord
thank you for your text of .... date..... it is my understanding that you cannot increase the rent during the fixed term.
yours
tenant

Add onto that letter that you are not sure if you were ever sent the details as to which scheme your deposit is being protected in, and ask him ever so sweetly if he might be able to provide you with said information

sequence

Your easiest route is to not pay however much rent the deposit is worth. With an amateur like this you will have no end of troubles getting your deposit back. It will make him learn to protect it in future.

tbs624

Enfieldian wrote: »

I renewed my AST at the end of January this year for another 6 months to take me through to the end of July, at the same rent as the previous 12 months, £750pcm.

I have received a text from my LL today which reads:

"Hi, will you be staying or leaving. The rent has gone up to £850pcm for the next 12 months. Let me know ASAP"

Not withstanding the fact that this is a huge and totally unwarranted rent increase, unless I have gained another bedroom that I have not found yet, I was under the impression that either:

The rent agreed for a fixed term, in this case 6 months, could not be reviewed until the end of the fixed term.

AND/OR

Correct notice/forms had to be used, rather than a text (!)

Can anyone advise please?

I would read that as saying that the LL wants to increase the rent for the period following your current Fixed Term. He still has time to serve a valid S13 Notice if that is the case.

The trouble with texts and emails is that they are open to different interpretation & some posters may be running with the wrong one.However, just because a LL may be acting like an idiot doesn't mean that you have to respond in kind

As you say you intend to leave at the end of your current Fixed Term , the proposed Rent increase is of no relevance to you and it is in your own interest to have that tenancy deposit scheme registered. Had you wanted to stay you could have referred the increase proposal to a local Rent Assessment Committee.

Simply contact each of three schemes (DPS, TDS and Mydeposits) and ask for written confirmation of whether your deposit is protected with them. Then write to the LL, keeping a copy, explain that you have contacted the schemes and that you want your deposit protecting forthwith, plus a copy of the scheme's "prescribed information". To encourage him remind him that its a legal requirement under the Housing Act 2004. Copy the letter to the Tenancy Relations Officer at the local Council, Private Sector Rentals Team and note it cc: at the bottom so the LL knows.