Help : Breaking the agreement - How to negociate with the landlord ?

JudithG_3

Hello.

I'm a young woman and I've signed an AST for six months in a house share. The day I signed the agreement (1 month before the beginning of the agreement) my landlord told me that there would also be one woman and two men in the house. But when I arrived at the beginning of the month, the landlord had finally decided to sign an AST with three men and no woman.

The problem is that my housemates are drunk (so noisy) several times a week. One of them entered twice into my room when I was sleeping. I don't think he had bad intentions, but as a young woman, I feel unsafe.

I want to break the agreement but the only paragraph giving mention to this says "if you give us (I presume the authors i.e. residential landlords association) notice that you are going to leave the property before this agreement has ended, you must pay our reasonable costs for letting the property and pay the rent until a new tenant moves in. We do not have to take the property or the tenancy back from uou early unless we want to do so".

Would you have any advice for me to speak about it with my landlord ? If he agrees me to leave, will I have to pay the rent until there is a new housemate ? Or is there any writing agreement I could make with the landlord for me not to pay until he's found a new housemate (given that there is no other woman in the house share, unlike what he told me when I signed the agreement) ?

Many thanks in advance for your help.

Jude.

Guest101

JudithG wrote: »

Hello.

I'm a young woman - How is that relevant? and I've signed an AST for six months in a house share. The day I signed the agreement (1 month before the beginning of the agreement) my landlord told me that there would also be one woman and two men in the house. - How is that relevant? But when I arrived at the beginning of the month, the landlord had finally decided to sign an AST with three men and no woman. - again I'm failing to see the relevance?

The problem is that my housemates are drunk (so noisy) several times a week. - have you spoken to them? One of them entered twice into my room when I was sleeping. - Have you considered adding a lock? I don't think he had bad intentions, but as a young woman, I feel unsafe. - Have you done anything about this?

I want to break the agreement but the only paragraph giving mention to this says "if you give us (I presume the authors i.e. residential landlords association - Why would you give the RLA notice? ) notice that you are going to leave the property before this agreement has ended, you must pay our reasonable costs for letting the property and pay the rent until a new tenant moves in. - seems reasonable. We do not have to take the property or the tenancy back from uou early unless we want to do so". - Correct.

Would you have any advice for me to speak about it with my landlord ? - Yes start by speaking to him or her. If he agrees me to leave, will I have to pay the rent until there is a new housemate ? - Yes that's what it says. Or is there any writing agreement I could make with the landlord for me not to pay until he's found a new housemate (given that there is no other woman in the house share, unlike what he told me when I signed the agreement) ? - The gender of you and your housemates is totally irrelevant

Many thanks in advance for your help.

Jude.

Speak to your landlord, speak to your housemates

FBaby

It is very likely that they will hold you responsible for any loss in rental so you need to be highly prepared for this, but then you won't know until you ask. You could be very lucky in that it happened that someone they know and would be like to help is looking for a room and you going might be perfect timing, but I think you need to prepare to them saying that you are responsible for the full rent until the end of your fix term.

G_M

I was accused of being harsh on a thread a short while ago - come on Guest101: that was a bit harsh. It's perfectly obvious why Jude finds her gender to be relevant.

Yes, there are thousands of house-shares where single women share with multiple men (and vice-verse) without problems, but in a minority of cases where the men are of a certain type and/or act a certain way, or the woman is of a certain timidity, it can be an issue.

And taking Jude's post at face value, that seems to be the case here.

Jude:
* the RLA drafted the contract for use by their members. It is the landlord who decided to use it, who signed it, and with whom you have a contract. You give notice/negotiate with him.

* Different LLs will have different personalities (compare Guest and myself!). Some may be very sympathetic and allow you to leave without cost, others will refuse point-blank, and yet others will agree subject to payment as per the contract.

Ask and find out!

* would a lock on your door make you feel able to stay? Ask the LL for permission to add a lock, or to fit a lock himself for you. Some LLs will, some won't. Ask.

* are you able to talk to (any of) the housemates? Is there perhaps one of them who is less drunk, easier to talk to, who might be understaning and act as a go-between to speak to the others?

Houseshares are always about compromises (if it's not alcohol, it's kitchen and loo cleaning, or.... or.....) and the only way to make them work is through communication.

Guest101

G_M wrote: »

I was accused of being harsh on a thread a short while ago - come on Guest101: that was a bit harsh. It's perfectly obvious why Jude finds her gender to be relevant. - Perhaps, but:
1: another female in the house share would not prevent drunken behaviour (indeed alcohol use amongst young women is higher than previous generations)
2: the OP could not expect another female housemate to prevent any intrusion into her room; she's not a bouncer.
- There is no reason why a single gender household would be any safer. The OP simply needs to take some precaution, these types of problems arise in house shares, regardless of gender.

Yes, there are thousands of house-shares where single women share with multiple men (and vice-verse) without problems, but in a minority of cases where the men are of a certain type and/or act a certain way, or the woman is of a certain timidity, it can be an issue. - Of course it can be an issue, but I disagree that the issue is one of gender, simply personality. I'd counter by saying these issues are common in many single sex shares.

And taking Jude's post at face value, that seems to be the case here.

Jude:
* the RLA drafted the contract for use by their members. It is the landlord who decided to use it, who signed it, and with whom you have a contract. You give notice/negotiate with him.

* Different LLs will have different personalities (compare Guest and myself!). Some may be very sympathetic and allow you to leave without cost, others will refuse point-blank, and yet others will agree subject to payment as per the contract.

Ask and find out!

* would a lock on your door make you feel able to stay? Ask the LL for permission to add a lock, or to fit a lock himself for you. Some LLs will, some won't. Ask.

* are you able to talk to (any of) the housemates? Is there perhaps one of them who is less drunk, easier to talk to, who might be understaning and act as a go-between to speak to the others?

Houseshares are always about compromises (if it's not alcohol, it's kitchen and loo cleaning, or.... or.....) and the only way to make them work is through communication.

I agree with the solutions proposed (I did say the same )

G_M

Guest101 wrote: »

I agree with the solutions proposed (I did say the same )

I know. I just said it nicer. This time!

And whilst a 2nd female cannot necessarily prevent drunkenness or incursions, this can often be a matter of perception. Simply the presence in the house of a 2nd female might prevent OP from feeling so threatened by the actions of the others.

Guest101

G_M wrote: »

I know. I just said it nicer. This time! - You are normally so heartless... Tea and Cake... You monster!

And whilst a 2nd female cannot necessarily prevent drunkenness or incursions, this can often be a matter of perception. Simply the presence in the house of a 2nd female might prevent OP from feeling so threatened by the actions of the others.

Possibly. Like I say I think it's down to personality, the 2nd female could turn out to be worse than the blokes!

cloo

Do these guys know someone who might want to move in with them? Perhaps if they can offer an alternative housemate to take on your room the landlord will be amenable to you leaving.

JudithG_3

Thank you for your answers. Indeed I've already spoken about it with the guy who entered into my room and he apologized. I doubt it will make a big difference when he's drunk, but anyway we've spoken about that.

I'll try to find new housemates (asking my housemates he they know someone...) and speak about it with my landlord.

For Guest101 : the problem also does come from the gender of my housemate who came into my room. Seeing a drunk woman in your room in the middle of the night is unpleasant; seeing a drunk man in your room in the middle of the night is frightening. If you're a man I doubt you've ever been scared about sexual abuse, but as a woman, I have.

Having a second female in your house share is indeed probably a matter of feeling and it would not solve this kind of problem. Yet you know that you're not the only girl, and you have the feeling that you can more easily ask for help.

Anyway thank you for your advices and for phrasing them on a nicer way .

Jude

vic_sf49

Until you get a lock sorted out, put a door wedge under your door at night.