No communications with Landlord

benshort

Hi,

I have been renting my current house for about 4 years now. The last 12 month tenancy ran from 14/10/2015 to 13/10/2016.

I contacted the landlord via phone a month before the end of the tenancy agreement to ask for another one. He said that would be fine and would sort out the paperwork. At the end of the tenancy, having hear nothing, I contacted him again. He said I'll do it tomorrow. Nothing arrived so a week later I tried phoning him again. He didn't answer. Now he never answers his phone or emails. I've also emailed his wife but she hasn't responded.

On the 12/11/2016 I received an email from mydeposits telling me that my deposit is now unprotected.

I was also given a Section 21 notice with the last tenancy agreement that was dated for the end of the tenancy. I did ask about this and the landlord said he had no intention of wanting the house back and that it was standard practice. I have continued paying the rent.

So what do I do now? I'm thinking of traveling up to London, I'm in Kent, to the landlords offices to ask what the heck is going on.

mrginge

Carry on paying the rent and stop fretting?

HouseBuyer77

On the 12/11/2016 I received an email from mydeposits telling me that my deposit is now unprotected.

That sounds rather odd, what exactly did it say? I don't think deposits just become 'unprotected'

csgohan4

seems like you have to find somewhere else eventually. That is the risk of renting

benshort

The email says...

End of Tenancy

At the end of the fixed term tenancy agreement it is the responsibility of your landlord/agent to notify my|deposits of the tenancy status.

We have not been notified by your landlord/agent that you will be remaining in the property therefore your deposit is no longer protected with my|deposits.

If you have vacated the property and have not yet had your deposit returned then you must formally request the return of the deposit from the landlord/agent. If the agreed amount is not returned or you are unable to contact them to negotiate its return, then you have up to three months from the date you vacated the property to raise a deposit dispute with my|deposits.

If you are still living in the property or have signed a new fixed term tenancy agreement we recommend you contact your landlord/agent to confirm the status of the deposit protection. You can still raise a dispute with my|deposits up to three months from the date of this letter if you vacate the property during this period.

benshort

mrginge wrote: »

Carry on paying the rent and stop fretting?

I'd rather know that I had 12 months than 2 whenever the landlord decided to serve notice though.

G_M

OPTION 1

Dear Mr Landlord,

Please find enclosed a copy of a letter I have received from MyDeposits.

As you know, the deposit needs to remain protected, so perhpas you could contact them to let them know the tenancy is continuing.

Many thanks,

Ben
(post to LL)

OPTION 2
Do nothing. About anything. You have a perfectly valid periodic tenancy (see below). If your deposit is unprotected (as it now is) you cannot be evicted as any S21 Notice will be invalid. Why tell the LL?

OPTION 3
Similar letter, but also asking for new 12 month contract

* Deposits: payment, protection and return

* 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?

agrinnall

Or potentially OPTION 4, similar to option 1 but ask for the deposit to be returned as it is now unprotected.