Landlord attempting to raise rent - after 7 months!

ChloeT_2

Hello, I'm looking for some fairly urgent help, my meeting is at 6pm tomorrow.

I own a one man business in hairdressing. I "rent a chair" from a landlord. We have been there 7 months (two of us started together) and he is now wanting to increase our rent by 33%. This is money I just don't have. We have also been given 2 weeks notice of this.

I simply can't pay it. I may be able to over my busy Christmas period but come January certainly not. There are also two other girls who have been there for several years and theirs has been increased by 21% (they do a different job and therefore pay more which is why the figures are different).

So simply put, can he do this?

I have been under the impression that he can only do this after 12 months and only at the current rate of inflation. (5.3%??) This information was given to me by a friend of a friend who is a landlord that owns two hairdressing shops.

He also mentioned we can take action via rent tribunal if the landlord does not cease to request or threatens to evict us.

We have a contract however it does not mention anything regarding rent increases (more fool me but I am new to this and thought I was getting a great deal) Our contract does state that if we want to leave or he wishes us to leave we have to provide/be provided with two months notice, so would the time frame follow that? Ie. 2 months instead of two weeks?

I'm really hoping someone can point me in the right direction here. I'm online searching for proof of my rights as pointed out to me today but the jargon used is so confusing I just don't know where to start.

steve1980

What does your contract/agreement state? Something tells me you're going to say you haven't got one.

ChloeT_2

I have got a contract. It just literally does not cover it. It only states the amount and what it covers. It says absolutely nothing about raising it if the landlords costs go up etc.

daveyjp

You have a licence not a lease therefore you have no legal protection under commercial landlord and tenant acts. The Landlord can do as he wishes.

steve1980

He can do as he wishes. Either time to go mobile or find another salon and take all the clients with you.

ChloeT_2

I was truly hoping that was not the case.

Am hoping he will prefer to take what he can and not tell us to sling our hook. He was 4 of us renting, all prepared to say the same and nobody wants to rent there.

motorguy

ChloeT wrote: »

I was truly hoping that was not the case.

Am hoping he will prefer to take what he can and not tell us to sling our hook. He was 4 of us renting, all prepared to say the same and nobody wants to rent there.

Is this an opportunity for one of you to take on premises and the other three to rent a chair there?

There are lots of empty units in every town....

texranger

Hi

yopu state

Our contract does state that if we want to leave or he wishes us to leave we have to provide/be provided with two months notice, so would the time frame follow that? Ie. 2 months instead of two weeks?

just wondering if your LL has had an offer on the building and rather giver you all notices etc. 2 months he is increasing the rents to a point you cannot afford, so you walk instead, (refuse to pay rent, so breach of contract, so you must leave immediately) then the LL can sell the building