Please help! Letting agent making threats>

paddy's_mum

You know, if I were a landlord and had been receiving 'close to' five years rent from an 'obviously' good tenant, it would have been me asking the polite questions and not allowing a Letting Agent to queer my pitch with a person who had run into 'temporary' difficulties.

Where does the recent, soon-to-be-implemented-deposit-protection-section21 legislation leave this particular tenant?

sonastin

Don't forget that the agents will get more fees for a change of tenants than they get for you remaining in situ. Obviously their interest lies in getting you out. The LL might be sensible and prefer the devil-he-knows than risk a void and a potentially worse new tenant. It isn't going to stop the agent trying to scare you out of there or mis-informing the LL to persuade him to get you out.

If you are relying on the LL's good graces/common sense AND the agent to pass the message on, chances are that the LL has no idea that you're planning to bring things up to date at the end of next month. As others have suggested write to the LL directly to let him know what is happening. If he does want you out, there's not a lot you can do. But if he is just getting the agent's side of the story, you might find yourself out on your ear unnecessarily.

Kynthia

I'm a landlord and I would cut some slack to a long term tenant who had been paying on time for years. I would definitely prefer some communication explaining the situation though, maybe write a letter to the landlord (care of the agents if you don't have an address on your contract). Are you gradually bringing down the arears or will it be a lump sum in June, as any overpayments will look really good?

It's unlikely you will be served a section 8 and if they did I really doubt a judge would make someone homeless who is is less than two months unpaid, has spent years up to date, is making payments to reduce the arrears, and hasn't done anything else wrong like break the law or damage the property.

As you are have a statutory periodic tenancy you can be served a section 21 at any time which doesn't need to have a reason. This gives not less than two months notice that the LL is going to apply for possession, so you don't leave at it's expiry unless you want to and you still must give notice. But a while after that possession will be granted so it's a good idea to start looking for somewhere else.

Beryl_Sole

There's been absolutely no mention of a Section 21. The only thing I've been threatened with is Section 8. What little I do know about the landlord is that he is Buy To Let and he just wants a long-term tenant in the flat who will pay the rent and not cause too much wear and tear. The area I live in is rapidly going downhill and there aren't all that many decent tenants who'd want to live here these days. There's also usually a very high turnover of tenants in this building and flats sit empty for a long while. In the near 5 years I've been here we've had 9 different sets of tenants in the flat next door to mine. One of them apparently scarpered owing 7 months of rent. It might seem to be in the landlord's best interests to hold onto me.