Help with letter to landlord re rent increase

nightsky224

Had a letter from landlord to increase rent by £75 (required notice given) I think that we should write a letter to see if we can pursuede him not to. Good tenants, never late with rent, place kept in good condition. Putting rent up from 875 to 950 if we leave and it takes a month to replace he would lose a year of the rent increase.

Anyway I am struggling to word it, wondered if anyone had written a similar letter that I could pinch the wordng from?

missile

I would search the market and for similar properties.

If you find they are less expensive include details with your letter and state you are prepared to move on if you cannot reach agreement, perhaps you could offer a compromise. If they are more expensive pay up.

theartfullodger

Dear Mr LL.

We've always been good tenants, no damage, no complaints, inspections all perfect, neighbours love us.

We've always paid the rent on time & in full. We both work full time & have passed your credit checks & you know where we work, our NI numbers, have copies of our DLs/Passports & emergency contact details so if we were ever to escape owing funds you'd find us easily.

Your Section 13 notice (it was one of those- yes??)
http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?116868-Rent-Increase&p=1175486

we decline and would invite you to consider the business benefits of no void, no disruption and the certainty of income plus the security of your investment..

I would prefer not to have to refer the matter to the Rent Assessment Committee.


Yours etc...

............


Note that the landlord can give you a Section 21 notice and have you out of the place for no reason at all, and may do so in response to your letter..

Cheers!

Artful

missile

Any tennant who threatened me with rent tribunal would get Section 21 notice by return.

nightsky224

Misslie, are you a landlord, if so what would you think if ou received the below?

Dear …….
Re: notice of rent increase at PROPERTY NAME dated

We have been tenants within your property since ….. We've always paid the rent on time & in full. We have kept the property in good condition and have been understanding of the disruption caused to us in relation to the recent work that has been carried out to the main bathroom.

We would invite you to consider the business benefits of no void, no disruption and the certainty of income for the next 6 months/1 year (length of time dependant on your requirements.)

harz99

nightsky224 wrote: »

Had a letter from landlord to increase rent by £75 (required notice given) I think that we should write a letter to see if we can pursuede him not to. Good tenants, never late with rent, place kept in good condition. Putting rent up from 875 to 950 if we leave and it takes a month to replace he would lose a year of the rent increase.

Anyway I am struggling to word it, wondered if anyone had written a similar letter that I could pinch the wordng from?

Out of interest, how long have you been a tenant at this property and when was the last rent increase - whilst nobody likes to pay more could an increase be justified by the time period elapsed?

nightsky224

Its will of been 1 year

moromir

I tend to be of the view that paying the rent on time and looking after the place is the very least that a tenant is legally required to do, and if I recieved a letter suggesting I was lucky that you bothered to pay the rent on time, my back would be up immediately.

(I'm sure thats not how you meant it, I'm only on my second cup of coffee this morning and am therefore still a bit grumpy)

I would simply acknowledge reciept of his notice and explain that you are not in a financial position to meet the increase but you appreciate that he needs to maintain a market rent, would he consider an increase of £xx amount instead on a tenancy of x length.

In other words, negociate. A rent increase after 12 months is pretty standard practice although this seems to be a large increase.

tbs624

Assuming OP is on a stat periodic tenancy

missile wrote: »

Any tennant who threatened me with rent tribunal would get Section 21 notice by return.

That's one "n" there in tenant missile

Lately there have been some LLs on this board who bleat "the law works all one way, in favour of a T" and yet if a T is on a stat periodic they are particularly vulnerable to this kind of retaliatory action by the LL . Oppose the LLs rent rise and he'll kick you out, complain about repairs issues and he'll kick you out.....

Anyway.....

Part of Artful's letter may perhaps be viewed as a tad inflammatory but the T has absolute legal right to refer such a proposed rent increase to a Rent Assessment Committee. Worth remembering too that RACs have the power to *increase* rents so it's not automatic that a LL would find their proposed increase refused.

Missile - so you'd be prepared to cut your nose off to spite your face? Yes you can s21 the T - two things:

1. the T is likely to refuse viewings
2. the T does not have to leave at the expiry of your s21, without you obtaining a court order.

As Artful says - plenty of delay and expense involved for you there, via void etc, which would more than wipe out the next year's worth of increase in rent , plus your new T would obviously be an unknown. Despite vetting etc they may well prove to be less reliable than the current T.

OP - if you are dealing direct with the LL, take the suggestion from Missile's first post and gather up info on other similar properties and then arrange to meet the LL f2f to talk it through. Remind him that you have been reliable Ts.

You don't mention how long it is since the LL last raised the rent? ( Edit- I see this has now been answered) Many experienced LLs do forgo regular rent increases for Ts who pay on time, take care of the property etc

Negotiate, but if he won't play ball your options are unfortunately:

(a) proceed to the RAC, & hope that the decision goes in your favour but you have to get this action underway before the first increased rent payment would fall due
(b) be prepared to find another property and possibly get stung for a couple of hundred in LA fees, unless you can go direct to another LL who would probably only charge the actual costs of those 3rd party credit checks. You'd also have the costs of removal .
(c) pay the increase and start looking for somewhere cheaper

G_M

Depending on the past relationship (direct or via agent? have you ever met him? how often?) I would be inclined to discuss face to face or by phone first. Then depending on outcome of discussion/negotiation, follow up with letter.

But before doing anything, have examples to hand of similar properties and rents.

Useful a) to quote to him and b) you'll know if it's realistic for you to move if you can't reach agreement.

nightsky224

Thankyou all for your help, I will finish writing the letter later taking bits of all your advice and see where we get to, fingers crossed! x