Urgent help required re tenancy

Calleja

Hi all,

Apologies for re-posting but putting this query into a new thread to hopefully get some help.

I wrote to my landlord a month ago asking if it was possible to move to weekly lets after the month was out (I am on a periodic tenancy). He agreed, stating a weeks notice would then be needed from either party. This was due to come into force this weekend. However, he has got in contact today stating he can no longer honour this due to work needing to be done in the flat and asking me to vacate this weekend (which would be when my monthly tenancy was due to end).

Where do I stand? I guess in some respects, I gave a months notice when we made the agreement - but I only did it when I had assurances I would be on weekly lets (I only need one or two more weeks!). I wouldn't have given notice otherwise (if thats what I did!). It just seems like very short notice to go back on the agreement.

Thanks for your help!

simpywimpy

He has to give you two months notice I believe, no less. Tell him this and if he gets stroppy tell him to issue you the relevant forms to quit which will take at least that two months to process

RAS

Did you

Calleja wrote: »

write to my landlord a month ago asking if it was possible to move to weekly lets after the month was out (I am on a periodic tenancy).

Or did you give him one month's notice?

Which?

Calleja

Thanks all. No, the landlord does not live in the same building.

I don't have the letter with me, but I think I said something like...I would like to give a months notice and then move on to weekly lets.

So, sounds like I've potentially shot myself in the foot, right?!! Would it make any difference that I sent that letter to the previous letting agency who were dealing with my flat at the time (this one has just taken over)? Clutching at straws, I know....

Just seems a little unfair that they agreed to this a month ago, and less than 7 days notice they can change their mind - I thought the least they could do was honour the week notice period which starts at the weekend? You think I will have any luck asking them to do this?

Angelicdevil

Calleja wrote: »

Thanks all. No, the landlord does not live in the same building.

I don't have the letter with me, but I think I said something like...I would like to give a months notice and then move on to weekly lets.

So, sounds like I've potentially shot myself in the foot, right?!! Would it make any difference that I sent that letter to the previous letting agency who were dealing with my flat at the time (this one has just taken over)? Clutching at straws, I know....

Just seems a little unfair that they agreed to this a month ago, and less than 7 days notice they can change their mind - I thought the least they could do was honour the week notice period which starts at the weekend? You think I will have any luck asking them to do this?

You ddn't give notice to end your tenancy, therefore LL needs to give you 2 months notice to vacate (or at the very least honour the weeks notice period agreed to in your letter).

Did you have a deposit and is it protected?

He can't simply request you leave this weekend. If he forces you out then that would be an illegal eviction.

Calleja

Thank Angelicdevil - that sounds optimistic! So, assuming my letter stated I was revising the terms of my tenancy with a months notice, rather than giving a months notice to move out, then I do have a leg to stand on?! I'll dig out my letter and have a look.

If anyone disagrees, let me know!

Perelandra

Agree with AngelicDevil (nice name). If the letter you wrote does constitute notice, then it needs to be taken in its entirety- he needs to give you a week's notice, so at the very least you should have this.

The two questions that need answering now are:

Did the letter you write constitute giving notice (it may have done)

If so, were you allowed to give notice in that way- what does the original contract say about ending the agreement? It may be that any notice you'd given could only take affect for the next rental period (Example: your rent was paid monthly on the 1st of the month. You wrote the letter on the 3rd of May, given one month's notice from the 1st of June- your next rental period. You therefore move to weekly let in July).

So there might be three options here:

Worst case: 1 week.
Best case: landlord needs to give you two rental periods of notice
Mid-case: you may have the current month, plus the next, plus one week's notice.

Calleja

Thanks Prelandra - glad there is a bit of a consensus going on my side!

I was very sure to get the letter in to coincide with the correct notice period, i.e. I pay my rent on 23rd of the month, so this was all organised prior to 23rd May, and weekly lets due to start 23rd June.

All I need is an extra week from 23rd June! So I'm hoping I can come to an agreement with him. You would think a week isn't too much to ask, but I have a suspicion he is going to fight it, hence why I wanted to know where I stood.

Thanks again all!!

nomoneytoday

I'd call the landlord and agree a moving date a week later.
He can still do the work, as long as not booked, and gets an extra week's rent too.

Win Win IMHO