Checkout fee added to my Tenancy Agreement

anuglyguy

Hi there,

One year ago I started renting a flat; the documents that I signed stated renewal fee of £42 and check-in fee of £100.
Apart from that - no other fees were mentioned in the documents that I signed.


A few months ago the property was sold to another landlord, and I was informed that all the terms and conditions will remain the same.

Now I am about to renew my contract; I received a few documents which I have to sign and send to my landlord; among them I found:
Addendum Agreement
(...)
It is agreed that:
(...)
6. The tenant(s) agree that a checkout fee of £ 240.00 is to be deducted from the deposit as per the tenancy.

My question is: is it legal?

I read the tenancy agreement which I signed one year ago (with the first landlord), and I found NOTHING about a checkout fee, nor that the checkout fee may be deducted from my deposit (it only says that the deposit has been taken for damages, compensations, any unpaid accounts, any unpaid rent etc).

Can my landlord add anything they wish to to a "renewed" tenancy agreement, like check-out fee of £240?

Thank you in advance

marksoton

anuglyguy wrote: »

Can my landlord add anything they wish to to a "renewed" tenancy agreement, like check-out fee of £240?

It's probably the agent adding it in, and yes they can. Doesn't mean you have to sign it though...

Guest101

£240?! Ye don't rush to sign that!!

anuglyguy

Guest101 wrote: »

£240?! Ye don't rush to sign that!!

What can I do then?
It's the first time I've rented a flat and I don't have much experience with tenancy agreements

marksoton

Sit tight and enjoy a periodic tenancy....

Guest101

anuglyguy wrote: »

What can I do then?
It's the first time I've rented a flat and I don't have much experience with tenancy agreements

Do nothing. In law you have a valid tenancy and will do until you choose to leave or the LL goes to court and evicted you ( not likely )

dancingfairy

Normally the tenant pays either check in or check out and the landlord pays the other one I think. Clearly you've already paid the check in.
What sort of tenancy are you on at the moment? Are you happy in terns of notice periods, price etc?
Do you want to carry on with your current tenancy or do you want to sign a new one with your new landlord? Perhaps you would be happy to sign for a further 6 months or 12 months which would give you and your landlord some security but want to negotiate over the check out fees? You're in a strong position, you don't have to sign anything and things like the check out fee is definitely negotiable.
Decide if you want a new contract and what terms you want ( or don't) and discuss with your landlord.
Best of luck
Df

csgohan4

sadly this is the problem with unregulated letting at the moment, they can charge what ever they want. I remember paying 300 for a check out fee not so long a go. All for expensive clipboard and pencil

Alter_ego

csgohan4 wrote: »

All for expensive clipboard and pencil

Presumably the pencil operator was included?

Miss_Samantha

Since none of this was discussed and agreed beforehand, you can also cross out and initial every clause you do not agree with, and sign and return (you keep a copy, of course). Then wait and see what happens.

G_M

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


Did the new landlord comply with the Landlord & Tenant Act 1985 setion 3?