Is my Land Lord Behaving Reasonably?

marleyboy

Before you know it, she will be wanting you to move your bedroom furniture, so she has a safe storage area for her bed.

lindsaygalaxy

When is your tenancy up for renewal? I ask because I suspect if you argue it when you get your new one it will no longer be with a garage

Wiltshire_Ham

Many thanks indeed for all the replies. You have confirmed what I suspected:
- That the garage is part of the tenancy
- It represents a proportion of the rent
- My land lady is in breach of the tenancy.

I shall have to approach her, I know, but she's not very approachable. I know that I'll have to 'man-up' and bite the bullet, but I know she's not going to just say "oh, ok" and accept the situation. She is also my next-door neighbour, which doesn't help.

lindsaygalaxy wrote: »

When is your tenancy up for renewal? I ask because I suspect if you argue it when you get your new one it will no longer be with a garage

After the first year it lapsed into a periodic tenancy. No new documents were signed. This has not, to date, been a problem.

G_M

As advised above.

Most reasonable solution would be for the LL to pay for the garage you are now renting elsewhere.

Or to return the garage to you.

But sadly, by moving your stuff out, you have effectively agreed to the change in the tenancy terms ie to remove the garage from the tenancy.

Furthermore, you have to accept you have no security. On a periodic tenancy you can be given a 2 month S21 Notice any time, so escalating this to a dispute may back-fire.

ging84

how often does she come round?
i'd be tempted to have a garage sale

amiehall

ging84 wrote: »

how often does she come round?
i'd be tempted to have a garage sale

He said she lives next door. I think she might notice

twink22

We had this problem, garage not emptied before we began renting, advert and LA both said garage was included. We could not resolve it with the landlord, had to start court proceedings for a reimbursement of the portion of rent we felt represented the garage, used local adverts for garage rentals to determine the cost. Finally after our letter before claim was sent he took £60 a month off the rent back dated to our move in date.

our AST did mention the garage, a S21 was issued at the end of our 18 month contract (we had expected that) but we can't move out as we haven't completed on our house yet (not looking forward to the 11th Nov when they realise we aren't moving out!)

pmlindyloo

Wiltshire_Ham wrote: »

Thanks for the swift reply!

In retrospect, you're right, I probably should have sought advice first; but because she asked me to vacate I just did what she said. My car, and my old Land Rover, now park outside and the garage is filled with crates and crates of 'stuff' (my land lord sold her 'other' property in London recently and has no room in her 'main house' for all the furniture etc.).

I have since rented another garage in the village to store all my other workshop tools and equipment (hobby not trade).

I still have a few garden tools in the garage (because I want them to hand but kept under lock and key) but she has made it quite clear that she does not like me entering the garage at all anymore.

The garage is huge - you could easily fit four vehicles in there - and to be honest, it was the garage that really swung it for me when I decided to rent the property. That's the main reason why I feel a bit miffed.

I think you need to negotiate with your LL about this.

My approach would be 'have you any idea how long you are going to need my garage for because it's costing me £££ to rent another garage to store my tools'?

If she says 'just another month' then you might feel that paying out extra is worth not getting a Section 21.

if she gives you an unacceptable time then that is the time to negotiate a reduction in the rent. 'Would you consider.......... 'type thing.

Of course you are totally in the right and the garage is yours whilst you rent the property. As regards already allowing her to use it negating your right to use it I believe that a perfectly valid argument would be that you were doing her a favour for a short time.

These types of things are really difficult because although right is on your side a Section 21 is a no fault repossession so in the end she does hold the 'final card'.

Guest101

Open the garage doors, leave them open. Think she'll get the hint - two months of her stuff getting stolen whilst she pursues you in court, or worse still she changes the locks on the garage and you sue her.

And best part if she comes round, ask her to leave.

But perhaps tak to her first.

marleyboy

amiehall wrote: »

He said she lives next door. I think she might notice

She will just have to queue up like the rest of them, no preferential treatment or queue jumping, just because they live next door.