Landlord wants me to split rent payments

theartfullodger

You only pay whoever is named as landlord on your tenancy agreement, or the agent if that is specified, unless & until instructed to do different.

If no name & address for the landlord (could be c/o agent or a mail box) is provided, in England or Wales, for that person no rent is due.

Until you get a new instruction in writing, signed, make no changes.

Suggest you spend £3 with land registry to find out who actually owns the place & what addresses they have given.
https://eservices.landregistry.gov.uk/www/wps/portal/!ut/p/b1/04_Sj9CPykssy0xPLMnMz0vMAfGjzOKNjSxMDA1NjDwsjM3MDTxN3dyNDUNMjQ1MjPWDU_P0C7IdFQG9k5Tz/

I would also be happy to advise HMRC about this (don't like tax cheats, be they tenant, landlord, agent or MP). If nothing wrong occurring that's fine eh?
https://www.gov.uk/report-an-unregistered-trader-or-business

G_M

Like prince above, I doubt this is fishy. There are several perfectly understandable and legal explanations for the request.

However I too would urge caution. For the sake of an exchange of letters, far better to be 100% sure, and have cast-iron evidence down the line that you are following instructions from the landlord.

Write to the LL a polite letter thanking her for making contact and saying that you will of course be perfectly happy to follow her instructions once you've received those instructions in writing.

Post it to the address provided on your tenancy agreement "for serving notices".

jjlandlord

The signature should be in her own blood with a fingerprint. Just in case.

If you get a finger instead of a fingerprint it's probably a scam and time to call the police.

theartfullodger

Couple more thoughts...

a) Any request for rent must contain the name and address of the landlord(s). And that ain't the address of an agent or his mate or c/o some mail-box. So I would reply politely & calmly to any request for payment requesting those names & addresses.

b) Is there has been a change of landlord (not necessarily the same as a change of owner) then the new landlord/landlord(s) must serve appropriate notices: Not doing so is a criminal offence (!!!). Politely ask for any change of landlord(s) to be accompanied with those appropriate notice(s) - see
LL& T Act 1985 S3
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1985/70/section/3

Casperthefriendlyghost

Hi everyone

Thanks so much for your useful input, it's much appreciated. I texted my landlady this evening, she really is a lovely lady and have never had any issues with her. She recently found out when her husband passed away that he shared the flat with his brother, her brother in law, so they now want me to split the rent between her and him.

I have requested a letter from her explaining that I need both their details and that they put the request in writing and both sign it so that I will have it if there ever is any comeback as my lease (I recently signed the new one for the next six months) states that I must pay her the amount every month and if I split the payments there is no proof from my bank that I have paid in full in case of future problems. I also requested that the letter states very clearly who will be responsible for returning my deposit when I decide to move out.

I received a text response from her informing me that she will get the letter sorted out next week and hand deliver it to me personally. She's very happy to do as I requested and that I can change the payment when it suits me, in a month or two, whenever I can get time off to change the standing order.

Thanks so much for putting my mind at ease and for some really good advice.

CTFG
xx

DandelionPatrol

thesaint wrote: »

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.

Glentoran is indeed entirely correct to point this out as a potential risk for OP. Your little outburst is uncalled for.

theartfullodger

Casperthefriendlyghost wrote: »

...She recently found out when her husband passed away that he shared the flat with his brother, her brother in law, so they now want me to split the rent between her and him. ....

Errr.. so the original landlord was husband(??): Unless new landlord (her, BiL..) serve the right notices you don't owe any rent. Have they (either of them - or their solicitors) ever written giving their names & addresses??

Has probate been granted??

Have you checked with land registry that the story of joint ownership is true?? (Could be just a tax fiddle).

thesaint

DandelionPatrol wrote: »

Glentoran is indeed entirely correct to point this out as a potential risk for OP. Your little outburst is uncalled for.

I apologise.
I could see how the OP may be linked to funding terrorism in Syria if they complied with this request.

HappyMJ

I wonder if the wife actually owns any part of the property...

If the property was in the husbands name jointly with his brother which the wife should have known about before her husbands death if she was a joint owner as she would have signed the documents and she would have noticed his signature as well, then the property could have been automatically passed to the brother as joint owner.

I'd be doing as theartfullodger suggests and getting a copy of the title from land registry.

The landlady could have been acting as an agent for her husband collecting the rent and managing the property on his behalf.

Marktheshark

I would pay who is on the agreement as Landlord in full and tell them they will have to sort any split payments.
If they want to issue a new amended tenancy with landlord details on fair enough.

That way nothing can come back and bite you