Huge rent increase - is this legal?

MarkBargain

mrginge wrote: »

How charitable of you.
I'm not sure however how a halving of the oil price has much bearing on the cost of being a landlord or the market rent rate in the OP's area.
If viewings are taking place at this massively increased rate, it may suggest that it is perfectly in line with local comparables.

It's not charity, it's just fairness and consideration of people's lives. If tenants are spending money on decorating the house and making it their home, hitting them with a 30% price hike so soon is very harsh.

I like the Labour Party's ideas on protecting tenants more, and I write that as a landlord myself.

http://www.labour.org.uk/issues/detail/renting

Onawingandaprayer

An update on this mini-saga that I would appreciate any thoughts on.

My daughter and fiance did want to stay on, so after a deal of to-ing and fro-ing, they have agreed with their landlord to a 10% rent increase.

However, she is still showing prospective new tenants round and is asking them (daughter & fiance) for;

£75 each for new references as rent and contract changed

plus

£75 - £100 for drawing up a new contract.

Does this sound fair, for a renewal of an existing contract. And why new references?

Thanks

(She has served them with an S21, whilst negotiations were taking place)

lighting_up_the_chalice

Onawingandaprayer wrote: »

An update on this mini-saga that I would appreciate any thoughts on.

My daughter and fiance did want to stay on, so after a deal of to-ing and fro-ing, they have agreed with their landlord to a 10% rent increase.

However, she is still showing prospective new tenants round and is asking them (daughter & fiance) for;

£75 each for new references as rent and contract changed

plus

£75 - £100 for drawing up a new contract.

Does this sound fair, for a renewal of an existing contract. And why new references?

Thanks

(She has served them with an S21, whilst negotiations were taking place)

Fair?... Of course not. The references will not have changed and the renewal of contract involves little more that 5 minutes by an admin assistant to change the dates on the original tenancy.

The real question is how much your daughter wants to stay in the property and how "vibrant" the local rental market is. Look on Rightmove. That should give you an idea of the going rent and the length of time each property has been advertised for. Higher rent with longer voids are far worse for most landlords than quicker re-lets at lower rents. Might be a bargaining tool for your daughter, She should be aware of the local market in any case.

Onawingandaprayer

lighting_up_the_chalice wrote: »

Fair?... Of course not. The references will not have changed and the renewal of contract involves little more that 5 minutes by an admin assistant to change the dates on the original tenancy.

The real question is how much your daughter wants to stay in the property and how "vibrant" the local rental market is. Look on Rightmove. That should give you an idea of the going rent and the length of time each property has been advertised for. Higher rent with longer voids are far worse for most landlords than quicker re-lets at lower rents. Might be a bargaining tool for your daughter, She should be aware of the local market in any case.

They want to stay but not obviously at a 30% increase. Grudgingly they agreed to 10% but now it seems to my eyes that the landlord is making them pay over the odds on the admin. The price they've agreed is now at the high end locally, but the hassle of moving is reason to stay. But not at any price!

HappyMJ

The property is your daughters...she can take the signs down if she wishes...I would. What can the landlord do? Issue a S.21. That's all.

Onawingandaprayer

Thanks, but The signage is not an issue any more. It's the seemingly vindictive extra admin charges, just for a renewal, that I was querying.

Pixie5740

Has your daughter contacted the LL rather than the LA about all this. The rent increase is one thing but the fees are something else altogether. The rent increase will benefit the LL but the admin and referencing fees your daughter is being charged are being levied by the LA and there's a good chance the LL will also be charged a fee by the LA if your daughter signs a new fixed term contract.

Perhaps your daughter could negotiate with the LL and say yes to a 10% increase but on a SPT so that neither the T nor the LL has to pay the LA's fees.

dancingfairy

It is a commercial transaction. The landlord can ask for what he/she likes and the tenant is free to accept it or refuse. The landlord probably knows full well they want to stay and like it there and therefore has them over a barrel. .
It's not uncommon. They will have to weigh up the costs of moving and the costs for new references elsewhere/contract fees against the charges the landlord is proposing.
It's not fair but there is little they can do about it.
df