What is my LL playing at?

jjlandlord

Caveat: What you quoted does not apply if OP agrees to sign a new tenancy agreement which stipulates a new, higher, rent.

If the tenancy remains periodic, then yes, the section 13 procedure applies.

G_M

You say you think he's planning to sell? So he want the property smartened up, but wants you to do it so he saves money.

Up to you! You get a nice new decorated home so maybe negotiate who does what work and at what convenient time? Or refuse! Your home, your choice!

The advantage to you of a new 6 (or better still 12) month contract is you know you are guaranteed security for that period. If you stay on a monthly rolling contract you can be given 2 months notice at any time.

But it is your choice. There has been no change in the law and there is no need for you to have a new fixed term if you don't want one.

And certainly no need to add detrimental clauses to the contract unless you want to.

If you like the idea of 12 months security, but not the increased rent/check out fee, suggest it! All you need do is cross out or amend the words in the contract and sign the changes, along with his signature.

Don't let him intimidate you when he comes round. If he uses too much pressure, ask him to leave - say you have another appointment to go to, or have to put the kids to bed or whatever, and you will 'think about it". Once he's gone, WRITE with whatever decision you come to. He cannnot make you sign anything you don't want to.

Good luck.

hazyjo

As above - he's talking out of his proverbial.

Agree it sounds like he wants the place doing up to sell - and the 6 month break clause would be for his benefit to get you out, not yours. Might be that he's in financial dire straits and is trying very hard to claw in a bit of cash, work on the house, etc from all angles.

Don't sign!

Jx

JoRoss

Scully38 wrote: »

What is the wording of the agreement with regards to painting/decorating and repairs? If you've been in for a while it's reasonable that repairs be carried out, but I would have thought that if you did the work, then you would take out some of the costs from the rent. could you give us specific wording of the areas of concern.

Also, don't be pressurised into signing, email the LL or ring and tell him that you are still reading the contract and there are a few areas of concern that you want to check out before you sign and you will contact him next Tuesday with your response after you've spoken with citizens advice /Shelter.

Hi Thank you, I will email him and explain that.

The wording is...

1.13 Notify the LL or his agent by telephone as soon as reasonably possible, having regards for the urgency of the matter, of any defect in the Property which comes to the tenants attention and which is the responsibility of the Tenant to repair.

The word Tenant that I have put in bold originally said Landlord in our original agreement. He has changed the word and highlighted in blue!

poppysarah

JoRoss wrote: »

Oh and I forgot to mention he is putting our rent up, by only £15 a month, but if we weren't paying too much for this property before, we certainly are now!

Move.

Or at least tell him if you don't stay on a rolling tenancy at the same rent then you will.

jjlandlord

JoRoss wrote: »

The wording is...

1.13 Notify the LL or his agent by telephone as soon as reasonably possible, having regards for the urgency of the matter, of any defect in the Property which comes to the tenants attention and which is the responsibility of the Tenant to repair.

The word Tenant that I have put in bold originally said Landlord in our original agreement. He has changed the word and highlighted in blue!

Strange indeed. Perhaps a "replace all" gone bad in Word?

That said this does not make you responsible for any more repairs than you already are: It just tells you to notify the landlord before repairing.
Similarly it does not diminish the landlord's responsibility towards repairs.

jamie11

If your tenancy began before 6th April 2007 then your landlord would not have had to protect the deposit at that time, he only needs to protect it if a new agreement is signed, and "mydeposits" charge a fee for this, but the money stays in the landlord's pocket, sort of like an insurance policy, except no-one ever gets paid back. With DPS the service is free and the deposit is actually given to them in cash and protected until such time as the tenancy finishes. That is much safer from your point of view.

As for 'allowing' you to do the decorating, he's having a laugh. No landlord in his right mind would allow tenants to decorate his property, (I'm not talking about minor touch ups).

It reminds of an episode in my army days when I was ordered to paint a window by a Corporal, I did, all over, glass 'n all. He wanted to charge me until I very reasonably pointed out that I was in the army to defend my country, not to be a painter and decorator. I could kill, if I had to, but I couldn't paint.