Replacement tenant - landlord doubling rent

worriedrenter

Hi there

I am currently a joint tenant on an assured tenancy for a 3 bedroom house (shared with 2 others) in London. I have been living in the property for 4 years in August 2014. Our current 12 month contract expires on 14th August 2014. I have asked my landlord if I can find a replacement to take my room as I would like to move in with my partner. He has said that to do this he wants to put the rent up from £1550 per calendar month to £2200 per calendar month and that the new tenant would be liable to pay the entire price rise (from £545pcm for my rent to £900pcm). I was wondering if he is allowed to do this? I was under the impression that landlords should always accept a replacement tenant on an existing contract unless there is good reason to do so (for example no guarantor or bad credit history)? Any help or advice you can give will be gratefully received.

BitterAndTwisted

You are in a legally-binding contract until August. If you are seeking a mutual surrender before that date the landlord is entitled to ask what rent of the new incoming tenant he likes as it would be a new contract and nothing whatsoever to do with you.

G_M

worriedrenter wrote: »

Hi there

I am currently a joint tenant on an assured tenancy for a 3 bedroom house (shared with 2 others) in London. I have been living in the property for 4 years in August 2014. Our current 12 month contract expires on 14th August 2014.

I assume this is a 'joint and several' tenancy with all three of you named on a single contract?

So to surrender this tenancy as bitterandtwisted suggests would require the consent, and signatures of ALL 3 TENANTS as well as the landlord.

The LL can then offer a new tenancy to your 2 mates+ new person, at whatever rent he wishes. They can agree, decline and move out,or negotiate, in the normal way when a new tenancy is proposed

An alternative would be a 'Deed of Variation'. The current tenancy would not end (so would continue to Aug 2014) and the rent would remain as before, but one name could be substituted for a new name.

Again,this would require the consent (signatures) on the Deed, of landlord, all 3 current tenants, new tenant, and a witness.

A landlord is certainly NOT obliged to accept any new tenant the existing tenants happen to drag in off the streets! He is entitled to credit check them, take up references, and then accept or reject as he feels fit.