Landlord not replying to my messages

G_M

csgohan4 wrote: »

Wouldn't the land registry have details of the home owner, who I assume is also the LL? you can get it for £3

Perhaps. But

* the registered owner might not be the landlord

* the address for the owner recorded at the LR might be the property address (no law requiring his actual address at R - though sensible to record actual address). Many LLs forget, decide not to bother, or otherwise fail to inform LR of their actual address.


* the address might still not be the address the LL provided 'for serving notices' so writing there would still not strictly be valid notice. (eg he travels abroad frequently so gave his mum's address for serving notices)

Smodlet

Yes, it was wrong to suggest the lack of an address for serving notices exonerates the tenant from paying rent without also stipulating that having lost or forgotten this information is not a valid excuse. This holds only when the LL/LA fails to produce it in the first place. The fact the OP failed to make clear they had lost it rather than had never received it does not excuse the making of assumptions. Smodlet spanked. :(

G_M

Smodlet wrote: »

..... The fact the OP failed to make clear they had lost it rather than had never received it does not excuse the making of assumptions. Smodlet spanked. :(

Can I volunteer?

D_M_E

If it had been said in the original post that it was a room being rented and not a flat or house then I think the replies would have been different.

We do not know what was written in the original contract - terms, landlord's details, etc etc - and it must be asked, why do you not have a copy of what you signed?

Did the landlord ask you to sign a piece of paper and not give you a copy and this is why you don't have his details?

If the landlord is himself renting the property from someone else and then renting out rooms without permission from his own landlord then this could also explain why you were not given his details when you took up residence.

Also, since you rent a room then the property must be an HMO - as pointed out above - is it licensed by the local authority, does it fall under rules requiring it be licensed?

Smodlet

G_M wrote: »

Can I volunteer?

Get back in your basket, now! Down, G_M!

theartfullodger

Just write (keep copy) to any email plus c/o the property you live at, plus c/o of any agent ever involved plus Land registry name & address (£3) with VALID notice to quit. No reply is required - you just need to serve valid notice.



Then simply go, taking LOADS of photos.


Having left you may then need to take action to get deposit back (see excellent guidance on Shelter website)

Xiomn_2

Okay, so when I signed the original contract over two years ago now, I do not know, as in I cannot remember at all whether I received a copy of the contract that I signed. I may have lost it, I do not know. I do not recall being given a copy but I could be wrong. Given this, my assumption would be that I did in fact not receive a copy. Assumptions do not help however, in any case I do not know of knowledge or have in my possession an address by which to serve my notice to, and i have requested said address from my landlord by which of only means of communication that I have and know how to reach him with, with no reply on his part.

Currently there is only one other person living with me, and they have not been here for a week now, I do expect them to return at some point and I will ask if they have an address for me. I hope they have it, because I have plans to move out by a certain period and it's starting to stress me a bit if all of this disrupts my plans.

Failing that I will look into the land registry route, although it has already been said the information could be inaccurate.

Smodlet

Suggest you listen to artful; post above yours. He is a LL so knows whereof he speaks, as is and does G_M... or so they tell us. :cool:

Seriously, check out some of their other posts. You don't become as knowledgeable as they are because you are just bored and trawling the net, now do you? Just serve valid notice, hell, take out an ad in the local paper if you want but I would have thought, in this day and age, Whatsapp (what?) would be at least as valid. What a world we live in.

Pixie5740

Rather than sending a WhatsApp message have your tried phoning the landlord to have a discussion with him?

It's risky to assume that just because you can't find a copy of your tenancy agreement that you never had a copy. Also, without a copy of your tenancy agreement you won't know if you currently have a Contractual or Statutory Periodic Tenancy. It may make a difference with the amount of notice you are required to give. It's something you could ask your landlord when you phone him.

Xiomn_2

Pixie5740 wrote: »

Rather than sending a WhatsApp message have your tried phoning the landlord to have a discussion with him?

It's risky to assume that just because you can't find a copy of your tenancy agreement that you never had a copy. Also, without a copy of your tenancy agreement you won't know if you currently have a Contractual or Statutory Periodic Tenancy. It may make a difference with the amount of notice you are required to give. It's something you could ask your landlord when you phone him.

Quick update on this, I have tried calling my landlord multiple times now, no answer. Still no replies to my whatsapp messages which are showing as having been read. I have asked my one and only other flatmate to see if she has an address and she said she also does not have an address and said she has had trouble trying to get in contact with him and to get him to do repairs in the past.

I asked her how the other flatmates managed to move out (as one was a close friend of hers) and she said that he(the previous tenant) just messaged him via text to tell the landlord he was moving out with 30 days notice. He had issues with not getting his full deposit back however.

To be completely honest I am stunned as to why he is being so difficult, Over the past two years that I have been living here I have only ever seen him around the flat maybe 2-3 times. I have never had trouble with him before at all and I've paid all my rent in full and on time during my entire stay here. Strangely the flat has had 2 rooms vacant (not accurate figure) but I'd wager over 6 months now which seems suspicious seeing as 1. It's fairly cheap in relative comparison to others in the area and 2. This is a student city with abundance of students looking for private accommodation. There has in fact been NO viewing for the 2 vacant rooms for the over 6 months that they have been vacant.