Landlord wants me to split rent payments

Casperthefriendlyghost

Hi everyone

I have a question I'd like some help with. My landlady has just asked me to split my rent payment between her and another man who apparently co-owns the flat with her, meaning I need to set up two direct debits, one in her name and one in his name. I was told this today after 12 years of living in this flat. It sounds very dodgy to me, apparently it's for tax purposes and quite legal. I've told her that my lease needs to be changed if I'm paying money to two different people as I in effect have two landlords now. What should i do?

Thanks so much, any help would be greatly appreciated.

CTFG

jjlandlord

You need to set up 2 standing orders.

As long as you have her request and bank details in writing I don't see that it makes any difference to you.

Casperthefriendlyghost

Thanks so much jjlandlord, I really appreciate the speedy reply. I have an email I received from her this morning. Shall I print it out for future reference? Thanks so much for your help.

CTFG
xx

Guest101

I'd ask her to sign something.

An email can be sent by anyone.

The tax purposes thing is abit silly. They have to supply details of income to HMRC. But that doesnt mean you have to pay 2 people. They can set up the transfers themselves.

pmlindyloo

Personally I wouldn't do this especially as you have received this request by email.

As already said there is absolutely no reason why this has to be set up for tax purposes. It is more likely to do with splitting assets with an ex partner.

I would keep out of it. Any transaction can be done between themselves. Your rent should be paid to your landlord.

stator

Could be fraud. Send a letter to the Landlords postal address asking for instruction in writing.

thesaint

Casperthefriendlyghost wrote: »

Thanks so much jjlandlord, I really appreciate the speedy reply. I have an email I received from her this morning. Shall I print it out for future reference? Thanks so much for your help.

CTFG
xx

Print it out, and don't delete the e-mail.
It seems you are sure it is from the landlady, so keep it simple and follow her instruction.

If it was the other way around, then that would be time to be suspicious.

glentoran99

in a years time when she says you haven't paid your full rent she will be able to show you haven't paid the full amount, something fishy, if she need to give someone half that's up to her to set up

princeofpounds

I think this is very likely to be nothing more than a misunderstanding of tax law.


The two landlords are probably thinking that they need to receive separate payments themselves in order to benefit from separate tax allowances. In reality, it is perfectly ok for one of them to act as agent for the other and collect and transfer the cash, but only record half of it as income each.


So quite probably nothing that fishy - and from your point of view entirely legal - but entirely unnecessary too.


Or perhaps her partner has insisted he gets some rent direct, could be trust issues or anything really.


Whatever you do, the most important thing is to get the payment instructions in writing with a signature. And not to request this via the email, but via the address given for service of notices on your tenancy agreement (or other confirmed contact details of the landlord). That's not for paranoia reasons - although emails can be spoofed - but simply because you need some evidence you followed instructions in case there is a mix-up down the line.

thesaint

glentoran99 wrote: »

in a years time when she says you haven't paid your full rent she will be able to show you haven't paid the full amount, something fishy, if she need to give someone half that's up to her to set up

You are talking nonsense.

glentoran99

thesaint wrote: »

You are talking nonsense.

how so?


The OP tenancy agreement says she has to pay X, and to pay them X amount per month, so unless these changes are documented and in writing as they have requested then how would it not be open to abuse?


and is she needs to give someone else half that isn't the OP problem, so explain how am I talking nonsense?