Can my landlord keep increasing my rent every year?

cazb317

G_M wrote: »

Have you read the link I gave you above?

Try contacting the landlord direct.

If LL/agent won't negotiate, consider moving to a SPT.

Have you looked at other rents in the area yet?

Do NOT sign a new contract unless you are willing to pay the rent it specifies.

Yes I have thank you

I think my landlord is a company rather than an individual, would this make a difference?

The other rents ive been able to find around the immediate area are a little higher than what I pay now and with the increase but they are all furnished and two beds whereas mine is unfurnished and one bed.

Because I work in retail and am on a fairly low wage i found it very difficult to find somewhere that would accept me in the first place as I kept being told i didnt earn enough so had to get a guarantor and im worried that finding somewhere else would prove as difficult as a couple of years ago.

Thank you to everyone for all the advice/help.:)

princeofpounds

Good luck!

cazb317

I have been into my estate agents today and now been told the landlord infact wants to increase the rend by £100 a month to £625 because the property has a car parking space. Im very angry about this as its an obscene amount that i cannot pay, i was told repeatedly the property did not have a car parking space as if it did i would have been renting it out for the past two years.
The estate agent said they were trying to convince the landlord to rent the car parking space out seperatly to my flat but he doesnt seem to want to
Surely what the landlord is doing now cannot be right? Im going to have to move out if he insists on charging this amount.

G_M

cazb317 wrote: »

Surely what the landlord is doing now cannot be right? Im going to have to move out if he insists on charging this amount.

Sigh..

If LL won't compromise, stop negotiating, stop discussing, stop communicating and move to a SPT

Meanwhile as a fallback, start quietly flat-hunting just in case.

theartfullodger

Yes, do what GM says, move to periodic tenancy.. you've probably got several months before they can get you out, and landlord may not anyway as it will cost him fees & a gap with no rent.

Your rent will stay the same.. until/unless LL tries to increase it using a section13 notice

Innys

cazb317 wrote: »

I have been into my estate agents today and now been told the landlord infact wants to increase the rend by £100 a month to £625 because the property has a car parking space. Im very angry about this as its an obscene amount that i cannot pay, i was told repeatedly the property did not have a car parking space as if it did i would have been renting it out for the past two years.
The estate agent said they were trying to convince the landlord to rent the car parking space out seperatly to my flat but he doesnt seem to want to
Surely what the landlord is doing now cannot be right? Im going to have to move out if he insists on charging this amount.

Your written tenancy contract would have stated what areas of land were and were not included in the tenancy.

It is possible that the parking space was not included in your tenancy which is about to expire - maybe the LL was letting it out separately.

The LL has now decided it would be less hassle for them if they let the flat and parking space together and raise the rent.

If you can't afford the increased rent, even though you may not want the parking space, that's life. You will have to find somewhere else to live.

Or, you may wish to agree to the increased rent and try to sublet the parking space, but only do that with the LL's written agreement.

G_M

Or as repeatedly advised, ignore the offered new contract and move to a SPT at the same rent as now.

But be prepared for the possibiity of either
* a S21 Notice (advice that LL wants property back and after 2 months may take action to evict which would take a further month or 3)
* a S13 Notice to increase the rent (a full rental periods notice required.)

Rent increases (how and when can rent be changed)

Sharon87

Going to a periodic tenancy may not work. My previous LL didn't let me do that. I remember when he tried to put my rent up I negotiated it with him (well the agent on behalf of him) he wanted to put rent up by £100 a month (to £1950 a month for a 4 bed house in London) but we negotiated it so it was only a £50 increase.

Best thing is to talk to them. Explain you can't afford that, and if you could bring the rent increase down or not at all, or you'll move out, and mean it. If they want you to move out they have to give you 2 months notice, if you give notice to move out you only have to give 1 month

Soot2006

Going to a periodic tenancy may not work. My previous LL didn't let me do that.

The first S stands for Statutory. That means your LL doesn't have much choice in the matter. Sure, they can S21 you, but they can't "not let you"!