Renewal fee not in contract but being told to pay it

jon2mil

Hi,

I currently have 3 months left on my lease of my flat that I rent. Half way through my tenancy, the letting agency changed from Northwood to Butters John Bee (I assume something to do with the landlord). I have received emails now telling me that when my tenancy is up that I will have to pay a renewal fee of £60 for the next 6 or 12 months after my tenancy is up. This however wasn't in any contract that I signed, and I'm being told that I must pay it if I want to stay on the same contract because it is part of Butters John Bee's "standard fees".

This doesn't seem legal that I am being told to keep the same contract I must pay something I never agreed to just because it is in their standard fees. Otherwise they could have any standard fees they want and tell us me I have to pay it even if we never agreed. I could however be completely wrong, so any information would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Jon

Comms69

Just go onto a rolling tenancy, there is no fee for that

Sibz

I don't think they could legally enforce it.

But at the end of the fixed agreement they can serve notice as they like. Either way you have a decision to make - if you think they're bluffing call them on it.

If they're not bluffing then you either pay it and move onto another fixed term or find another place through another agent.

From reading other posts of similar circumstances this appears to be the options laid out by others here.
Either way - is the deposit you paid held securely in one of the schemes? - you might want to ask what happens with that if your LL has changed. - If only the agent has changed then your deposit status should be as it was.

Or as Comms says as above may well be the case

stator

Well, it doesn't have to be in the contract, because it's a fee for a new contract. You have the choice of taking the new contract or leaving it.


You don't have to pay it. You can just wait and if you do nothing, the moment your existing tenancy expiries it automatically becomes a periodic tenancy. If your contract says nothing about a periodic tenancy then it because a statutory periodic tenancy.
After that happens the agents will stop harassing you.


There is a tiny chance the landlord will start evicting you if they want another AST. But this is very unlikely. If you are worried you should contact the landlord and ask them if they require a new AST or if they are happy to just carry on a periodic basic.

theartfullodger

jon2mil wrote: »

............I have received emails now telling me that when my tenancy is up that I will have to pay a renewal fee of £60 for the next 6 or 12 months after my tenancy is up. ................

No you don't have to. Simply ignore the request, don't respond (or reply thanking them kindly for their email, nothing more.). They just want their agency fees, probably charging landlord as well as you.



You will automatically, by law, go onto rolling monthly tenancy. Landlord, agent can't stop that, only a court can.



Artful: (Landlord..)