Landlord and letting agents behaviour RE selling house

sam791

bit of backround - Been in property for 3 years. I signed another 12 month fixed term back in March 14.
Letting agent emailed in June when i was heavily pregnant to say house is being put on the market and i have to move out in 2 months time. I pointed out my tenancy doesnt expire till March 15 .Shelter advised this is completely illegal. He backed off at this point.

In jan i got another email giving me two months notice and stating i can stay until a buyer is found.
Great!
I am a low income and do claim hb so i have struggling trying to find another private let.
I went to my local council for help.
They advise my notice wasnt legal (wording wasnt correct) and they would contact the letting agent for a new one. Apparently he is quite well known to them!
Housing said my chances of getting a home with them are quite high with this notice. I really got my hopes up at the thought of having a 'long term' home after moving every few years.

Anyway letting agent has come back and said no they will not issue a notice until a buyer is found.
Council now wont help me until this happens.

letting agent and ll are very good friends.

I emailed letting agent asking why he has changed his mind (property has been up for 8 weeks with no interest)
I know the ll cannot afford to keep this empty so needs me here until it is sold.

He replied with an email meant for his colleague basically slagging me off.

I do not want to accommodate viewings.
I have 3 very small children and will find this difficult.
I have in the past said i would but after this ive changed my mind.
He wants it all his own way.

Where do i stand legally ?
It says in my tenancy to allow viewings in the last month of the tenancy but since the notice wasnt valid and he wont issue me with a new one where do i stand?

Guest101

sam791 wrote: »

bit of backround - Been in property for 3 years. I signed another 12 month fixed term back in March 14.
Letting agent emailed in June when i was heavily pregnant to say house is being put on the market and i have to move out in 2 months time. I pointed out my tenancy doesnt expire till March 15 .Shelter advised this is completely illegal. He backed off at this point.

In jan i got another email giving me two months notice and stating i can stay until a buyer is found.
Great!
I am a low income and do claim hb so i have struggling trying to find another private let.
I went to my local council for help.
They advise my notice wasnt legal (wording wasnt correct) and they would contact the letting agent for a new one. Apparently he is quite well known to them!
Housing said my chances of getting a home with them are quite high with this notice. I really got my hopes up at the thought of having a 'long term' home after moving every few years.

Anyway letting agent has come back and said no they will not issue a notice until a buyer is found.
Council now wont help me until this happens.

letting agent and ll are very good friends.

I emailed letting agent asking why he has changed his mind (property has been up for 8 weeks with no interest)
I know the ll cannot afford to keep this empty so needs me here until it is sold.

He replied with an email meant for his colleague basically slagging me off.

I do not want to accommodate viewings.
I have 3 very small children and will find this difficult.
I have in the past said i would but after this ive changed my mind.
He wants it all his own way.

Where do i stand legally ?
It says in my tenancy to allow viewings in the last month of the tenancy but since the notice wasnt valid and he wont issue me with a new one where do i stand?

You basically understand it very well. Say no to viewings, you aren't in last month of tenancy. And you won't be at the earliest until after a month after the notice, and some might argue as the tenancy doesn't end until you are legally evicted until a month prior to bailiffs date.

Pixie5740

You're between a rock and a hard place. The council are just gatekeeping you because, for now, you have a roof over your head.

The LL won't want you out until he's ready to exchange so he finds himself in a catch 22 situation. He won't find a buyer if you won't permit viewings until the last month of your tenancy and you aren't in the last month of your tenancy until he serves notice, or in other words finds a buyer.

Say no to the viewings, if the LL or LA should try and bully and harass you into allowing viewings take note of it in case you need to use it as evidence at a later date.

Hopefully when the LL realised the situation he is in, he will stop trying to have his cake and eat it and just issue you with a (correct) Section 21.

G_M

* you've not been given valid notice, so you don't need to leave. Not even when your fixed term ends. Read the link below.

* you've not been given valid notice, so you don't need to permit viewings. Write (WRITE A LETTER) to the LL, and cc the agent, saying as the tenancy is continuing you are not able to facilitate viewings. If you don't trust the LL/agent, change the lock to protect your home. Keep the old lock to put back when you leave

* you cannot expect the council to re-house you if you are not homeless. You are not homeless, so......

* Ending/renewing an AST: what happens when a fixed term ends? How can a LL or tenant end a tenancy?

sam791

GM.

My council issue insecure tenancy points so i could of stayed here until a buyer is found and bidded for houses at the same time.
The landlord wouldnt of had the cost of an empty house and i would of helped with viewings.
If i explain this to him , is that blackmail?

Guest101

sam791 wrote: »

GM.

My council issue insecure tenancy points so i could of stayed here until a buyer is found and bidded for houses at the same time.
The landlord wouldnt of had the cost of an empty house and i would of helped with viewings.
If i explain this to him , is that blackmail?

No it's not blackmail.

It would be blackmail if you threatened him with something illegal if he didn't do it