Help! Rent being increased more than advised

Queen.Bess

Hi, I hope someone can help!

We currently pay per month to rent our house and we've asked for some improvements to be made, such as UPVC double glazing, so we were fully expecting a rent increase. But a staff member at the agency told us rent would go up by no more than in £25 per month increments.

The improvements haven't been started yet and we've received a letter today saying that from 1st September our rent will increase by £50 per month.

Is there anyway we can challenge this increase? Can we withold paying an increased amount until the work is completed? Can we insist that as we were given verbal reassurances of only £25 increases, we only pay the additional £25?

Any help, or letter templates would be gratefully received!

QBx

BitterAndTwisted

Are you currently on a fixed-term rental agreement?

Queen.Bess

Well we've been living there for 6 years, so the first 6 months was fixed and then it's on a rolling agreement.

jjlandlord

In addition, what sort of letter notifying you of rent increase did you receive? E.g. a plain letter from the agent or something else?

Queen.Bess

It was a standard letter from the Agents.

Thanks for your interest.

jjlandlord

Queen.Bess wrote: »

It was a standard letter from the Agents.

Then you can legally ignore it, as rent of a statutory periodic tenancy can only be unilaterally increased by the landlord by serving a section 13 notice.

BitterAndTwisted

In which case it's all down to negotiation. In your situation I would carry out some extensive research into what similar properties are being offered for rent in your area. It's possible that this proposed £50 a month increase could be reasonable, especially as your are the party who has asked for these improvements. Improvements which your landlord is under no obligation to have carried out.

Queen.Bess

Thanks for your help.

Do they have to mention this 'section 13 notice' in the letter?

Also, we don't have to have the home improvements, so could we say - don't do the improvements and we don't have to pay the increase?! Cheeky I know, but £50 is a lot of extra money to find.

Finally, can we argue that we were verbally told rent would go up by no more than £25, therefore that is what we are willing to accept?

BTW - our rent is cheap relatively for our area, so it's not unexpected as I say, it's just the £50 jump we're not happy with!

Thanks again. QBx

jjlandlord

Queen.Bess wrote: »

Do they have to mention this 'section 13 notice' in the letter?

More than that. They have to use the prescribed section 13 (of the housing act 1988) form.

Queen.Bess wrote: »

don't do the improvements and we don't have to pay the increase?!

At the moment you don't have to pay any rent increase.
But obviously, if you p... off the landlord he might seek to evict you...

Queen.Bess

That's really interesting, thanks. Worth challenging then - maybe a trip to the CAB for help with a suitably worded letter of response?!