Landlord pursuing tens of pounds

mrlogan

My rent was raised a few months ago. I sent the letting agent (who I think also owns the property) an email detailing why I disagree with the increase. They didn't respond. Then the next month I get a letter saying that it must have been an oversight that I didn't pay the new amount and to send a cheque for the difference and change my direct debit to reflect the new rent.

I plan on moving in the near future because of this increase but I'm waiting for some contract stuff at work to be decided. I ended up changing the direct debit to the new amount but never sent them that cheque for a small amount of money.

Now I'm getting phone calls from them for this money. I'm just ignoring them because they couldn't be bothered to respond to my email. Do you anticipate them doing anything over this? It's a ridiculously small amount of money. They'll probably deduct it from the deposit when I move but other than that they probably won't bother to take any action, I assume.

Naf

Assume away; they could, and then you'd end up paying all their costs too.
If its such a small amount that you don't think they'll chase you, it can't be so big you can't pay...

mrlogan

I can pay, it's the principle of the thing. They can't reply to a polite email but suddenly I owe a tiny amount of money and they can't wait to talk to me.

DRP

mrlogan wrote: »

I can pay, it's the principle of the thing. They can't reply to a polite email but suddenly I owe a tiny amount of money and they can't wait to talk to me.

Tell them you sent an email.

Confirm this *in writing* (not an email).

There is (i understand) a process that the LL needs to go through to notify an increase in rent (unless the increase is detailed on your contract).

mrlogan

DRP wrote: »

Tell them you sent an email.

Confirm this *in writing* (not an email).

There is (i understand) a process that the LL needs to go through to notify an increase in rent (unless the increase is detailed on your contract).

It's done. They sent me a notice of rent increase in the post, I emailed them detailing the reasons why I disagreed with this, but they never replied. So I decided I was going to move in the near future and started paying this new rent amount. So in the end, I didn't even dispute it. I plan on moving soon.

McKneff

Well when they sent you the notice, you had 2 choices.

Pay it or move. If its such a ridiculously small amount of money why ae you objecting so much. Everybodys costs rise, including yours

mrlogan

It's a hassle and I don't even have cheques. Plus, they couldn't extend the courtesy to reply to me so I'm in no hurry to reply to them. They can just deduct it from the deposit.

Naf

mrlogan wrote: »

It's done. They sent me a notice of rent increase in the post, I emailed them detailing the reasons why I disagreed with this, but they never replied. So I decided I was going to move in the near future and started paying this new rent amount. So in the end, I didn't even dispute it. I plan on moving soon.

So actually, instead of following up your original communication and trying to see your dispute through to the end; you gave up and started paying the new amount. You've now agreed to pay the new amount, so you have to pay. Now that you are paying it, what reason do they have to talk to you about it - the matter is closed. Had you continued paying the old amount, then they would have had reason to enter into discussion...
Now your options are either to open the dispute up again, and include backdating; or admit defeat and pay up. Paying the new amount now, but refusing the amount you're in arrears isn't really a tenable position to take...

mrlogan

Yes, this goes to what I'm saying. I didn't even bother continuing the complaint and now they're trying to get this money because they want me to pay for a couple of their lunches. I don't expect a reply to my email now because it's done but asking for this tiny amount of money is yet another insult from them. I didn't end up continuing the dispute because after they didn't reply I decided that these weren't people who I wanted to continue doing business with so I'm moving. They will not be able to get the money they're getting from me from a new tenant for this tiny, rat-infested place so you'd think they'd be more sensible about this.

wwtrend

I don't know how long you had been in the property or if your contract actually provided for the rent increase. I can understand your frustration at not receiving an answer from the agent but apart from a small amount on the first month it increased you are clearly paying your rent on time. Landlords like good tenants who pay on time and if this is your sole reason for moving you may have some negotiating room here. I would persist in getting an acknowledgement from the agent that they have passed your concern about the increase onto the landlord and that your decision to move in based purely on this increase. If you are going to move anyway then I'm sure anywhere you move your new landlord will be lucky to have you as a tenant. Go through your new contract and check about rental rises landlords are likely to build in a rent rise especially where utility bills are included and also when there is a mortgage interest rate rise. There is nearly always room for a little negotiation where good long staying tenants are involved.

mrlogan

I've been here for three years and pay all utilities and taxes. The rent increase isn't in the contract but it was done legally. I'm just on a month-to-month tenancy at this point.

After I got this rent increase letter, I sent them a detailed email explaining all the stuff that's wrong with the place (rats, terrible windows, et cetera) and said that there are plenty of places on a property website that are in this neighbourhood, look better than this place, and are cheaper so what's he's asking is not the market rate and I suggested that I was going to move if this rent increase went through. No reply until the next month when I got a "There must be some oversight. Why aren't you paying this new rent amount?" letter. Now they're going after this tiny amount of money from that month that I didn't pay their proposed new rent because I was waiting for a response from them. You'd think they would just drop it instead of being antagonistic over such a small amount of money.