Landlord being a little unfair...?

Opinion

Posting on behalf of a friend, please bear with me.

My friend, 21 years old, in full time education and working more than full time started renting her 3 bedroom terrace last February. This was her second time living away from home so she had good references from the first. Both her and her house mate passed credit checks etc. There were a few people interested in the house so to secure it for her I gave her the money to pay for six months rent upfront(which she has duly paid back)

So now it's time to renew the lease. Her house mate is moving out and her boyfriend is moving in. He too works full time, has good references but failed the credit check due to a CCJ that he's been paying off, but unfortunately he can't find anyone to act as a guarantor for him.

My friend has been a perfect tenant- they've had absolutely no issues with the landlord or letting agent, paid six months in advance, paid on time since then and have had faultless inspections.

Two days ago the landlord said, "Okay, this is not a problem but I want you to pay three months rent in advance." Fine, not a problem. I agreed to help her out and so she got back to the landlord and agreed. Great. Yesterday he calls her back and says, "No, in fact I want three months in advance, and I want to raise your rent from £795pcm to £820pcm." She told him she'd get back to him. Not a huge rise, but a rise all the same. Today the landlord calls AGAIN and says "Actually, I want SIX months rent in advance, and if you don't do that I want £850pcm."

I've checked comparable properties in there area and in the landlords defence £820pcm is probably nearer the mark for her house, though their are plenty in the area from £725-£795pcm.

Any experienced landlords/tenants/helpful people got any advice or thoughts, because it seems to me like he's just trying it on? It'd be much appreciated.

N79

This post underlines the importance of getting offers from LL's in writing!

LL is being a bit of a pratt but ultimately, if it is a good property in a popular location (which you imply it is) then he will expect a premium of some sort for letting it to someone with a history of failing to meet their financial obligations.

You could make a final offer to the LL, in writing, and then be prepared to walk away if the LL demands more than you feel is reasonable.

poppysarah

Sounds like she needs a new landlord.

Opinion

N79 wrote: »

This post underlines the importance of getting offers from LL's in writing!

LL is being a bit of a pratt but ultimately, if it is a good property in a popular location (which you imply it is) then he will expect a premium of some sort for letting it to someone with a history of failing to meet their financial obligations.

You could make a final offer to the LL, in writing, and then be prepared to walk away if the LL demands more than you feel is reasonable.

It's a decent property, a little dated inside, about 3/4 mile from the local station and 15 minutes walk in to town. There's a similar property(3 bed terrace vs. 3 bed semi) in the next road that's been on the market for £900pcm since June. As I said, there are various properties on the market for less than/around what she's paying but she doesn't want to move as the location is perfect for her.

tbs624

If she is paying the whole lot upfront the LL should be offering her a few quid discount, not trying to squeeze every last drop of money out of them. She should negotiate on the basis of that advance *and* the fact that he knows that she is a "good" reliable T. She would probably be signing up as a T with joint and several liability so would be jointly responsible for any shortcomings of the BF

If the LL had to start looking for a new T the LL will have advertising fees etc, a possible void and then the worry of having a couple of Ts who are an unknown quantity. Any potential profit from that proposed 25 quid pm rent raise would soon be wiped out.

Is her tenancy deposit scheme registered by the way, if this property is in Eng/Wales? The reason I ask is because the LL cannot serve a valid S21 Notice of Intent to Regain Possession at the end of the original Fixed Term if not.

Mallotum_X

It will cost the landlord far more if she moves out, a month or two void whilst he sorts out new tenants will cost him dearly. I'd call his bluff, certainly dont give in to such silly demands in the middle of a recession, and start looking for somewhere else.

evoke

Sounds like another greedy landlord. I think you have to be fairly unscrupulous and devoid of even a morsel of morality and ethics to be a landlord these days. Of course, i'm generalising but pure greed must be the biggest driving force for virtually all landlords these days.

marleyboy

Time to move out I think, he obviously thinks she is gullible. Every 12 Months I get a contract renewal, thats my LL opportunity to up the rent, if I am not happy with an increase, my LL is a pretty decent chap and will allow a haggle, it would be difficult to get a new tenant so quick if the rent was over the top.

Opinion

Thanks for the comments guys. I've said that I'll help her with the full six months up front, but I'm going to speak to the letting agent with her because, without sounding stupid, I think it's pretty disgusting what he's doing. It's even worse when you figure in the interest he'll gain on six months rent up front, which is around 50% of what he's going to gain from raising her rent which compounds the "greedy ***tard" view I'm currently carrying. Any other opinions/advice?

Sorry, not very good with these forums...

Mallotum X: My thinking exactly. £25pcm extra is £300pa, so at the current rate of £795pcm he needs to get a tenant in there within two weeks else he's losing out- I'm assuming this is a point I/we can use to negotiate. Throw in the interest he'd earn on six months rent upfront... surely if he can't comprehend this then he really is just trying it on?

evoke: At least it's not just me, then.

marleyboy: The rent raising is fine. The paying three months up front is fine. What isn't really fine is the rent raising AND the three months up front. That's what's getting my back up. Add to that the "Six months or it's even more." and it's just a *iss take- he knows that she's a full time student, thus he knows she doesn't have the money to pay six months up front, and so it seems like he's trying to corner her in to stretching a bit further each month.