Rental Agreement Renewal

karl_a

Hello

I've been in a privately rented property for the past 1 year and four months with my partner.
Our lettings agent who manage the property on behalf of the landlord recently sent a new tenancy agreement through for when the current one expires (End of May) for another 6 months.

We signed this and returned it to the lettings agent.
I have since had a phone call from them informing me the landlord has refused to sign this and is looking for an increase in rent.

Where do I stand legally on this?
Does the new agreement only become legally binding when both have signed, in which case I either agree to the increase or move out at the end of our current 6 months. Or should this increase have been on the contract I signed and so I do not have to agree to the increase until the end of the new period (end of November?)

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Karl

G_M

Does the new agreement only become legally binding when both have signed,

Of course.
You can:
1) agree to the increase and sign a new contract
2) Move out when the current fixed term runs out
3) Speak to the landlord (NOT agent) and negotiate
4) Do nothing and sign nothing. The day after your current fixed term runs out, if you a) stay and b) continue to pay rent, you will automatically move to a Periodic Monthly Tenancy. Same rent as now. Same terms as now, except it continues indefinately until one side ends it. To end it, you must give the LL one month notice, the LL must give you two months.

Bear in mind the LL might then give you 2 months notice. Or seek to raise the rent on your periodic tenancy by following the correct procedure.

karl_a

Thought that's where i stood just wanted to check.

The increase being asked for is slim and we are probably paying slightly under the going rate for a similar rental property similar so I think it would be hard to negotiate.

Thanks for your help.