Mislead into signing a tenancy agreement

novicetom

Hi All,

I have a slight issue with a recently (last 3 weeks) signed tenancy agreement.

To put it simply I just signed a 12 month agreement with a 6 month break clause that either party can give notice on. I have just found out that the landlord is planning on knocking the house down to build 2 in its place.

I understand that after the initial term either party would normally be able to give notice anyway, so if the landlord wanted to turn it into a petting zoo then there would be nothing i could do. However i wasn't told by the letting agency that i could be kicked out at 6 or 12 months and the landlord is literally waiting for the final bit of planning permission to go through. Then im out on the street.

So I just paid £450s worth of fees to the letting agency, spent ALOT of money in moving and to only be there for 12 months max. I told them on several occasions that i wanted a place to stay for years and they knowingly missed out the fact that i will be kicked out when ever the landlord gets planning.

Obviously im furious as i can't settle into this place knowing that in 6 months i could be out again. I can't justify paying the letting agency £450 to then have to pay another £450 to the next letting agency. I wouldn't mind paying if i was somewhere for 2 years+

Stupidly i was advised not to use the letting agency from some people who had the same experience which is why i carefully read the contract prior to signing and documented everything about the house once moved in. Sadly i didn't count for them missing important bits of information out.

It's a letting agency recently purchased by Countrywide Estate agents.

On top of all of the above, i was told there was a dishwasher but when i moved in there wasn't, it was the previous tenants. I was told that the holes left by the previous tenant would be filled, they weren't!

Also i specifically said that i need a garage to fix a car in, got the contract (luckily i checked before signing) it specifically said that you can not repair a car at the property. It's been an absolut joke!

Is there anything anyone advices, i wouldn't normally ask but my expertise fall more towards the financial sector where FOS, ICO and OFT would be the first steps. So not sure about the letting arena.

Help is appreciated.

Thanks

sharp910sh

This is why renting is not secure.

G_M

When you read the tenancy agreement before signing it, you presumably were happy about the fact that there was a 6 month break clause, and that therefore that was all the guaranteed security you had.

Werdnal

Have you actually been told that the LL will act on the plan to demolish as soon as everything signed and sealed on planning? I believe planning permission runs for 3 years, so in theory he may not act on it immediately and be happy to continue receiving your rent for 2 or more years yet.

Sadly, nothing is certain where renting is concerned, and if you have signed an agreement allowing 6 month break either way, then you have allowed yourself the insecurity of only having a minimum 6 month tenancy. Regardless of what was said or not said before you signed, you have signed it, so little you can do now!

thelem

What promises have they broken? They offered a contract for 6-12 months, and that is what you have. If you'd wanted a longer contract you should have negioated that at the time. If you don't want to pay letting agency fees, then don't use a letting agency (rent directly from a private landlord).

Turnbull2000

Nowt you can do. That's renting.

novicetom

Werdnal wrote: »

Have you actually been told that the LL will act on the plan to demolish as soon as everything signed and sealed on planning? I believe planning permission runs for 3 years, so in theory he may not act on it immediately and be happy to continue receiving your rent for 2 or more years yet.

Sadly, nothing is certain where renting is concerned, and if you have signed an agreement allowing 6 month break either way, then you have allowed yourself the insecurity of only having a minimum 6 month tenancy. Regardless of what was said or not said before you signed, you have signed it, so little you can do now!

From all accounts he will be building immediately. Hes spent the last couple of years buying all of the houses in a row. He now has them and is knocking everything down to build a total of 6 houses. It's such a shame as ignoring the fact that we will be kicked out, it's actually a fantastic house with a lot of character, lovely large garden surrounded by trees etc.

novicetom

thelem wrote: »

What promises have they broken? They offered a contract for 6-12 months, and that is what you have. If you'd wanted a longer contract you should have negioated that at the time. If you don't want to pay letting agency fees, then don't use a letting agency (rent directly from a private landlord).

Well 3 promises really, They said there is a dishwasher, there isn't.

They said it would be habitable and the walls would be repainted, it wasn't

Finally when we where discussing the term and how I wish to be here for years they said that it's a 12 month contract that will go onto rolling after this. They didn't say it's a 12 month contract then your out. The manager there was shocked that i wasn't told by the girl who showed me around however she hasn't got any authority to do anything about it.

I think NAEA is the next step.

maninthestreet

So the property is now un-inhabitable? You did actually read the contract before signing it? It's what is in the contract that actually counts....

novicetom

maninthestreet wrote: »

So the property is now un-inhabitable? You did actually read the contract before signing it? It's what is in the contract that actually counts....

No the property is fine, it's more like a student house than one thats £1250 a month for 2 bedrooms. The general condition of the place is not the issue here, its the fact that the contract, that i read!, did not state that the landlord is planning on building on the property even though i told the letting agency i planned to be there for years.

mrginge

novicetom wrote: »

No the property is fine, it's more like a student house than one thats £1250 a month for 2 bedrooms. The general condition of the place is not the issue here, its the fact that the contract, that i read!, did not state that the landlord is planning on building on the property even though i told the letting agency i planned to be there for years.

So if you read it, why did you sign it?