Tenancy renewal

Jen_Jen1985

My tenancy is up for renewal on October 5th, I've told my landlord I'd like to stay and she has asked for a £40 a month increase due to the fact she's seen another flat on my road renting at a higher price and wants a similar price for the one I'm in.

My only prob is I don't think my flat is worth the same amount as the other flat. The other has a new modern kitchen (mine looks like its original from when the flats were built). The other has a modern bathroom with electric shower (I asked for for a shower last year and just got a pump to increase the water pressure so the water makes it up the pipe from the tap).
The second bedroom on the other flat is also bigger than my second bedroom, but the living room is slightly smaller, not that I'd mind.

I'm going to ask for a £20 increase rather than £40 listing the reasons above but what are my options if she decides she wants the £40 or I have to leave as I don't have the money to move out (or I'd happily go to the other flat lol).

I feel I should also mention I've lived here 6 years and my rent has gone from £867pcm to £1130pcm (current rent before renewal), and other than fitting the pump in the bathroom there have been no maintenance or improvements in the property in that time.

thesaint

If she insists on raising by £40 per month, then she has a procedure that she needs to go through to do so. You then have no choice, as this will be the new rent.

You not having any money to move out is irrelevant to your landlord.

agrinnall

It sounds to me like you'd be better off moving to the other flat anyway, it may be £40 more but it sounds like you're going to have to find that if you stay, and to be honest £40 on top of rent of £1130 isn't that much more to find.

Jen_Jen1985

I can cover the extra £40 for the rent if needs be, I just don't believe the property is worth what shes asking.
I just don't have the money for a deposit for somewhere else, which is a shame as I would love the other flat.
I'm on housing benefit and they paid my deposit for the current flat but won't help me move unless I'm homeless.

LittleMax

agrinnall wrote: »

It sounds to me like you'd be better off moving to the other flat anyway, it may be £40 more but it sounds like you're going to have to find that if you stay, and to be honest £40 on top of rent of £1130 isn't that much more to find.

It's not the rent but the cost of moving - charges for inventory, tenancy agreement, credit checks all mount up - not to mention having to find the cash for another deposit, as there will be some overlap before the deposit is returned from current flat.

Equally there is also a cost to a landlord of finding another tenant, they will have to readvertise and may even have a period where property is empty. The loss of rent on having the flat empty for just one month is far more than the proposed rent increase.

I would contact the landlord and try to keep it friendly - don't criticise them on lack of maintenance or say how much better the other flat is than theirs - I would explain that you have done the sums and simply can't afford a £40 increase. That you really like the flat and want to stay, but understand that their costs have risen so you are willing to offer a £20 increase, which is more in line with inflation. They can say no, but equally they could say yes.

Innys1

Is the other flat even available? If not, the OP moving these is not an option, clearly.

I don't know where the OP is living but an increase in rent of 25%, odd, across 6 years really isn't a great deal. Yes, I know inflation has hardly moved in that time, but rental prices have.

If the other flat isn't available, a £40 increase is tiny, IMHO, given how much the flat has gone up in the preceding 6 years.

If the other flat IS available, I suggest the OP moves there.