Six month renew of tenancy

BillTrac

Hi All,

I have a had a search but can't really find the answers.

A young couple I know are renting privately. I heard yesterday that they have to renew every six months and pay £100 to the LA each time.

I was wondering if this was fair/legal/standard practice. I haven't rented for over 30 years and back then we practically had the LL running around to keep us happy. I know times have changed, but times are hard and if I can help them keep their money then I will try and find the answers

Thanks all

Rachel_123

I have to pay £120 a time and spend weeks chasing the LA up reminding them to actually renew it, correct mistakes etc. I'm considering sending them an invoice for my costs next time. Can they not renew for longer than 6 months?

Lokolo

You don't have to renew and you don't have to pay, but then you will go onto a standard periodic tenancy which will mean you can be given 2 months notice.

Or you can choose to haggle the fee.

RAS

And if you want to have a contract (and pay the fee), ask for a 12 or even 18 month tenancy.

Which is fine as long as you do not lose your job and need to move quickly.

ognum

Choose your letting agent carefully, I am a LL and my tenants pay nothing to renew a tenancy, I pay £25!

Jordo

LA's can charge what they want I'm afraid, until the indsutry is legislated they'll continue to get away with it.

Ask for a 12 month extension to avoid paying half way through.

BitterAndTwisted

The couple should contact the landlord direct and enquire whether they would be happier with their tenants going on to a periodic tenancy. It's not unknown for both the tenant and the landlord to be charged for every renewal by an agent.

Going on to a periodic tenancy risks the couple being given two rental-period's notice at any time and the tenants being able to give only one, so it all depends on how much security both parties want

tbs624

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

The couple should contact the landlord direct and enquire whether they would be happier with their tenants going on to a periodic tenancy. It's not unknown for both the tenant and the landlord to be charged for every renewal by an agent.

Unfortunately, some LLs are unaware of the LA fees charged to the Ts and then wonder why they have a regular "churn" on their rental property.

If contacted direct as B&T suggests, LL may want a new Fixed Term and put pressure on the LA over the fee, especially if the T has been reliable. Who wants to have the possibility of starting over with a new T, who may turn out to be a "wrong un", rather than retain the current T?

It's high time LAs and their spurious fees were regulated. The only fees they should be able to charge should to be to the LL, for whom they act. The LL can of course slap such fees down against the rental income for HMRC purposes.

Kayalana99

Jordo wrote: »

LA's can charge what they want I'm afraid, until the indsutry is legislated they'll continue to get away with it.

Ask for a 12 month extension to avoid paying half way through.

Knowing EA's they will just charge double on renew!!

G_M

Read:

Ending/Renewing an AST (what happens when the Fixed Term ends?)(What is a Periodic Tenancy?)(How can a LL remove a tenant?)(How can a tenant end a tenancy?)

BillTrac

Thanks to you all, sorry I haven't posted sooner.

I have passed on all the info to them.

I guessed that LAs were not exactly 'honest' in their dealings with tenants who aren't as savvy as most