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Increase in rent, decrease in repairs, unprotected deposit - what are my rights?
heidiann
Posts: 18 Forumite
Hi,
I have been privately renting a flat for over 7 years.
During this time, the area we live in has become gentrified so, naturally, the landlord has taken advantage of this and has been consistently hiking the rent up each year, however he has become less and less consistent with repairing things in a timely manner.
Our latest lease is up again and the landlord has asked for another increase, yet we still have unresolved issues with regard to mould (from a previous long-saga of a leaking roof), hot water issues and other non health-threatening repairs - some of which have been outstanding for over 3 years. I also usually have to chase for weeks and he then we will do the bare minimum to fix things - meaning the same issues are recurring.
The last time I resisted on paying the increase for the aforementioned reasons, the landlord nonchalantly threatened that he'd simply serve me notice as he could easily get someone to rent it. This is my home where I've lived for some time and did not want to leave, but after giving me this answer and no offer of negotiation, I felt bullied into signing.
Their argument for the increase is that they are getting the requested amount in "new" flats - however this flat has not had an update of any kind in over 10 years (except for a paint job which I begged for on the last increase last year), whereas I have seen that other flats in the building have been newly renovated. It's worth noting this is the case in our flat because I have treated it as my own, and kept it in excellent condition.
I know that the law prevents me from withholding rent b/c of outstanding repairs but at what point do I have rights when problems keep recurring and repairs are years outstanding? Is there anything I can do at all?
Also, I also believe that my deposit has not been protected. Does this leverage anything for me?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks/
I have been privately renting a flat for over 7 years.
During this time, the area we live in has become gentrified so, naturally, the landlord has taken advantage of this and has been consistently hiking the rent up each year, however he has become less and less consistent with repairing things in a timely manner.
Our latest lease is up again and the landlord has asked for another increase, yet we still have unresolved issues with regard to mould (from a previous long-saga of a leaking roof), hot water issues and other non health-threatening repairs - some of which have been outstanding for over 3 years. I also usually have to chase for weeks and he then we will do the bare minimum to fix things - meaning the same issues are recurring.
The last time I resisted on paying the increase for the aforementioned reasons, the landlord nonchalantly threatened that he'd simply serve me notice as he could easily get someone to rent it. This is my home where I've lived for some time and did not want to leave, but after giving me this answer and no offer of negotiation, I felt bullied into signing.
Their argument for the increase is that they are getting the requested amount in "new" flats - however this flat has not had an update of any kind in over 10 years (except for a paint job which I begged for on the last increase last year), whereas I have seen that other flats in the building have been newly renovated. It's worth noting this is the case in our flat because I have treated it as my own, and kept it in excellent condition.
I know that the law prevents me from withholding rent b/c of outstanding repairs but at what point do I have rights when problems keep recurring and repairs are years outstanding? Is there anything I can do at all?
Also, I also believe that my deposit has not been protected. Does this leverage anything for me?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks/
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