Everything is on my landlords terms?

red_devil

Am a long term renter (17 years) in which time there has never been much trouble with them getting them rent and also i have done alot to the house, added extras etc, made it nice to live in.

The house has no mortgage and is owned by a lady who owns several they were handed down to her so they have paid for themselves thousands of times over. The houses have been in the family for years.

The house is managed by a local letting agency although i do have the address of the owner.

When i had my last rent rise, nothing had been done to the house that needed doing, they just put the rent up. Agency very rarerly come round and check anything.

On friday i got agency to come round and show some jobs that needed doing and he took notes and agreed to act on them. I mentioned the rent, how i couldnt afford the increase, and even if i could i think the rent should be increased from the time the work is done ie now, not back in December.

I also asked for a negotiation on the rent for being a long term renter and having done so much to the house and looked after it.

He said he would speak to the owner and let me know. Whether he does or not is anyone's guess or just decides himself.

Anyway I now have a letter to say that he will speak to the lady owner about the rent but i should assume the rent has gone up from December last. What does this mean? How can he know that without speaking to her?

Didnt he listen to anything I said? Also am i within my rights to hold the increase of until the work has been done.

Im sick of my agency, they are just money grabbing all the time, its all on their terms and they dont realise when they are on to a good thing? They have put very little into the house. They dont listen when i say i cant afford an increase and then when i try and negotiate he says i will speak with her but assume the worst?

pmlindyloo

The first thing you need to do is check what kind of tenancy you have. Depending on this it will give you certain rights.

You can do the tenancy checker on here:

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/downloads_and_tools/tenancy_checker

and follow the links according to your kind of tenancy.

Don't forget to change the country if you are not in England - there may be different regulations.

ivavoucher

The good news is the jobs are going to get done and the agent is going to speak to the landlady.

If you do anything further to improve the house, do it for you in the knowledge it is not going to reduce your rent.

stay happy fellow red.

~Beanie~

You can challenge a rent increase by applying to a Rent Assessment Committee, if you feel that the increase in excessive, see here: http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/complaints_and_legal_action/tribunals/rent_asssessment_committeees

How much are other properties in your area being rented for? The fact the landlord doesn't have a mortgage to pay and owns other properties is irrelevant does not mean that you should get it cheaper.

The fact that you have improved the house probably now makes it more desirable and they could probably rent it out to someone else for more than before!

You are not within your rights to hold the increase of until the work has been done. (what work exactly?)

princeofpounds

I assume you have an AST contract?

Using the rent assessment committee is effectively pointless for an AST. The LA/LL can just give you notice via Section 21 as the fixed term expires. Much less hassle than going through the bureaucracy.

You cannot link rent rises to length of time 'served' or improvements. The rent charged is a pure matter of negotiation once any fixed periods expire (subject to proper notices etc).

To put it bluntly, you expect too much from the transaction. Either you accept an increase, leave, or bluff about leaving.

R_P_W

Have you lived there for the 17 years? How many times have they increased the rent? What is the level of increase this time?

The fact that the owner has several properties and has no mortgage isn't really relevant to what they charge you as rent I'm afraid.

You sound like a good tenant if you have looked after the property and made some improvements - unfortunately doesn't give you any leverage.

ognum

can you actually talk with the landlady?

BitterAndTwisted

The agent has their own agenda: the more rent they can collect means they earn more commission from it. If they can persuade the landlord to give you notice so they can replace you with a tenant prepared to pay a higher rent they will also earn a nice, fat tenant-finding fee plus the usual mark-up on referencing and arrangement fees from the new tenant/s.

The landlord has to balance the higher rent against any void-period suffered between tenancies.

Be in no doubt, the improvements you have made to the landlord's property has almost certainly increased the potential rent. If they want to get shot of you to acquire that higher rent, they probably will.

mart.vader

red_devil wrote: »

Anyway I now have a letter to say that he will speak to the lady owner about the rent but i should assume the rent has gone up from December last. What does this mean? How can he know that without speaking to her?

Sounds like you are a model tenant.
I don't see how a rent increase can apply retrospectively, as that would mean you are now in arrears, Yes?

red_devil

ognum wrote: »

can you actually talk with the landlady?

i can write.

red_devil

mart.vader wrote: »

Sounds like you are a model tenant.
I don't see how a rent increase can apply retrospectively, as that would mean you are now in arrears, Yes?

yes they are saying i am in arrears from december, but the work wasnt done then? They didnt even come out to look around.