Two months' notice?

crafty*kate

Hi all, I think the last time I posted in this area of the forum was 2 years ago when I last moved house!

I've been renting happily for the last 2 years, the last year of which I have spent fighting bowel cancer. Thankfully I'm now in remission but I am due to have some more surgery in January - date as yet unconfirmed, probably towards the end. I've been off work for 12 months and I go back on Monday - eeeek!

My landlady has just given me 2 months' notice because she wants to move back into the house. This takes it to 4th February....at which point I will probably be recuperating from my op.

I guess I am just annoyed that the 2 months she's given me includes the Christmas break - everything down here seems to take any opportunity to close so there won't be much I can do over that break. And of course the timing with regards to my op couldn't be much worse, really.

I know she has every right to do this, and I can't expect her to change her plans just to suit me. I shall have to work round it somehow....just feeling quite upset and overwhelmed with the stress of it all at the moment! Thanks for letting me vent

Catblue

It is a real shame. Not your fault at all, but not the fault of the landlady either unfortunately. Just circumstances. 2 months really isn't a long time when health problems have to be taken into account.

I think you need to try to take matters into your own hands as soon as possible. Do you have any friends/relations/colleagues who can help you look for a new place and then move all your stuff for you? There may be charities who can help also.

If you are back to work on Monday can you put the feelers out with your colleagues? Maybe your HR department can help with this? I am sure that most of your colleagues will be very sympathetic, so let them help you if they can.

crafty*kate

Thanks Catblue....yeah, no-one's fault, just one of those things. Sucks though. And I'm a bit disappointed that my landlady didn't tell me herself - she does normally phone/text me but she left this one to the letting agents. Chicken

I will start being proactive on Monday (well, I've already started looking on Rightmove. Which has only made me panic even more at the lack of choice out there). I do have people to ask for help but I've asked for a lot already....still, I guess I will find out who my friends are!

smartpicture

I would have thought it's worth a phone-call or email to the landlady if you've been on previous good terms to explain the situation. Of course she's not obliged to change her mind, but if you explain and throw yourself on her mercy she might be willing to extend it by a couple of weeks.

G_M

When do you you pay rent? On the 4th of the month? Do both you and she realise the 2 months notice she has to give you must coincide with your rental periods - it's not just two months from whatever date she gives you notice.

This assumes you are on a periodic tenancy, not a fixed term one in which latter case she can only give notice to coincide with the end of the fixed term.

However you may prefer not to rely on this legal right and prefer to talk about negotiating an extension and just have your legal rights in your back pocket as it were.

crafty*kate

Yes the 4th is when I pay my rent, so it is two months from tomorrow - I went to pay my rent today and that's when they gave me the letter. I am on a periodic tenancy, can't remember the exact terminology but it's one of those where I have to give one month notice and the landlady two months....which she's done, all above board. Just annoying that it's over Christmas which reduces the time available to get stuff done - so many places here close over the week between Christmas and new year.

@ smartpicture - I may ask her to give me an extra couple of weeks, but I guess it really depends on if/when/where I find somewhere else. I can't put it off forever so I may as well just get on with trying to find somewhere asap.

I guess the ideal would be to move before I have my surgery - does anyone know where I can find out what the rules are regarding me leaving early once a s21 is served?

Hammyman

I wouldn't worry about that. She sounds OK, having done everything above board. Part of me reckons she'd like the property earlier than later so would most likely accept you leaving early but didn't feel it right to ask.

Catblue

crafty*kate wrote: »

Thanks Catblue....yeah, no-one's fault, just one of those things. Sucks though. And I'm a bit disappointed that my landlady didn't tell me herself - she does normally phone/text me but she left this one to the letting agents. Chicken

I will start being proactive on Monday (well, I've already started looking on Rightmove. Which has only made me panic even more at the lack of choice out there). I do have people to ask for help but I've asked for a lot already....still, I guess I will find out who my friends are!

When people do that "Awww, let me know if there's anything I can do" thing, just immediately tell them that there is something they can do and can they be on the lookout for a new place for you?

People do genuinely want to help, so put them to good use.

tbs624

Talk to the LL. If she knows what she is doing she will have given the S21 well before she actually *needs* possession of the property. This is because a S21 is a Notice of Intent to Repossess (after the expiry of either a FT or a rental period if tenancy now a SPA, as in your case,) rather than a notice to the T to immediately vacate on that expiry date. If a T does not move out the LL is obliged to go to court for a possession order.

Note that your rental period on a SPA runs from the day after the expiry of the original Fixed Term - this may or may not line up with your rent due day.

(ETA:some hold the opinion that) if you found a new place then you can simply leave at any time up to the end of the month for which you have just paid but will be obliged to pay a further month's rent if you stay put beyond the expiry of that rental period. (Clarify with Shelter.)

Check the yellow pages for a local LL association or ask the private sector rentals officer at the local Council if they have contact info for local accredited private LLs. Consider putting your own "wanted ad" up.

Firstly, however, talk the the LL and explain your position. Some LLs are merely hardnosed business fiends who won't allow any "huggy" gestures towards anyone and others would be sympathetic and try to adjust timings of they possibly could.

Good luck.

crafty*kate

Thank you all....I knew I'd get some practical advice on here

I feel slightly less panicky about the whole thing after a good night's sleep....off to check out the local paper and the other agents.

Brb

Bless your heart. Yes you are going to find out who your friends are! and do accept all help given, you've not the health for pride.

Start going through your stuff now and get packed what you don't need, get rid of what you don't really want. I say do this now because you're obviously healthier now.

When I got my last S21 I mentioned it on facebook and someone I went to junior school with (some 25+ years ago!) turned out to be a LL lol, I didn't ultimately go for her property as it was in a different location as to what I wanted but the offer was there should we have become homeless.

Also take a wander down your High Street. Private LLs sometimes put adverts in the local pet shop window etc.

Good luck and do accept all offers of friends helping. A good way I've found to show appreciation to friends helping is to buy masses of takeaway food/drink on moving day. Who is to say it wouldn't be fun to get friends round to help pack if you errr opened a bottle or two of wine

I try to look at each new move as ultimately end up for the better. Last place I found the bills were high and conservatory falling off the house! You may well end up somewhere far lovelier, get settled, have your op and have a great fresh start.

Good luck