Landlord selling house & increasing rent?!

thornelius_2

Hi,

My contract runs out the end of the month and the landlord hasn't asked if we are staying and we haven't said we are leaving and he hasn't given us notice to vacate,

He has however said that he is increasing the rent by £100pcm but has not mentioned a new contract, if he was increasing it would we have to sign a new tenancy agreement? Can you increase rent on a rolling contract?

He has also put the house up for sale, and no where does it state that the property has tenants so I'm presuming he's selling it as vacant possession.

I'm not really sure what I'm asking as I'm not sure where I stand on rent increase and the house being for sale, what if the house sells before we're evicted? :think:

vuvuzela

What does your contract say about rent increases ? How long have you lived there ? Ie 6 months, 12 months etc.
In short, if the house sells and you haven't been given proper notice and left, then the new owners become your new landlords.

[Deleted User]

If the house is sold before you're evicted the problem is the buyers, not yours. You become tenants of the new owners and they have to follow legal eviction procedures.

Does your tenancy agreement mention anything to do with rent increases? If not and you think the rent increase is unreasonable you can appeal.

https://www.gov.uk/private-renting/rent-increases

zaax

The property will be very difficult to sell with a sitting tenent

Rents is useally the same cost as buying are your able to put down a offer for the house?

thesaint

zaax wrote: »

The property will be very difficult to sell with a sitting tenent

Rents is useally the same cost as buying are your able to put down a offer for the house?

You really have no clue on either point.

gordonbennet

Yes the landlord can request to put up the rent during a rolling contract (SPT). You do not have to agree to that increase, though obviously there is a risk that the LL will consider giving you notice if you don't.

Under the circumstances though it is likely the LL will be keen to hold onto you for a while until it looks like the house has sold, at which point he will possibly give you notice. I think you are probably in a strong position to negotiate no increase as he is unlikely to be able (or want) to find new people.

Has he ever issued you with a s21 notice? Some landlords do this at the beginning of a tenancy allowing them to begin possession proceedings as soon as the Fixed term is over. If he didn't, he will need to give you 2 months notice and even then you won't have to leave until a court awards him possession.

poppysarah

Ring shelter.

There is a process to follow for upping rent.

And if he wants you out he can issue you paperwork but you don't have to go until you are told to by a court.

You don't have to allow viewings.

What you decide to do depends on whether it's just less effort biting the bullet and moving ASAP rather than getting stressed by it.

jjlandlord

gordonbennet wrote: »

Yes the landlord can request to put up the rent during a rolling contract (SPT). You do not have to agree to that increase, though obviously there is a risk that the LL will consider giving you notice if you don't.

That's incorrect.
If landlord follows correct procedure (s.13 notice), the new rent will be binding unless the tenant successfully appeal within a prescribed time frame.

thornelius_2

Our current tenancy agreement doesn't say anything about rent increases.

He hasn't told us its up for sale, he had an estate agent come round to value it the other week but Ive seen it on the agents website!!!

RAS

Does the estate agent's details mention vacant possession or indicate that the property is being sold tenanted?

RAS

Sounds like the LL hopes to keep you there as long as the property is on the market and then give you notice to leave (S21) as soon as he accepts an offer.

You do understand that:

1. You are not obliged to let the estate agent in with viewers at all; they had no abslute right to come round and price up the property? Not even after you have been given an S21.

2. Even when you get the S21 you can stay after the end date?

3. That the LL cannot raise the rent without giving proper notice and if you refuse, he can give you notice to leave. He cannot firce you to pay higher rent.

Have you changed the locks on the doors since you moved in?