Landlord telling me I need to renew tenancy on a fixed term

abedegno

Hi,

I have an assured shorthold tenancy agreement for 12 months (with an optional 6-month break).

I'm currently going through conveyancing on a property purchase, but also coming up to the end of 12 months of the tenancy. Exchange and completion might happen before my fixed term ends, but if there are problems it could easily take 1-3 months more.

Every other tenancy I've had after the fixed period it has automatically rolled into a monthly contract and I assumed this again to be the case; my landlord has instead said I have to renew on a fixed term and said this was due to their 'insurance'.

From what I understand I am not required to renew on a new fixed term, as an AST automatically under the Housing Act and my landlord is trying to pull a fast one - is that a fair assessment?

Thanks

Abe

jimbog

You are correct. Ignore the landlord

cashmonger

My letting agents are also claiming the landlord 'requires' a fixed term. Currently ignoring but they are extremely persistent in their harassment (1-2 emails every 1 or 2 days).

You can see my other thread where the good people of this forum have advised on the same subject.

martinthebandit

cashmonger wrote: »

My letting agents are also claiming the landlord 'requires' a fixed term. Currently ignoring but they are extremely persistent in their harassment (1-2 emails every 1 or 2 days).

You can see my other thread where the good people of this forum have advised on the same subject.

Mark the emails as spam, unmarked them when you want to give notice, job done.

tom9980

cashmonger wrote: »

My letting agents are also claiming the landlord 'requires' a fixed term. Currently ignoring but they are extremely persistent in their harassment (1-2 emails every 1 or 2 days).

You can see my other thread where the good people of this forum have advised on the same subject.

For goodness sake

Dear Agent

I have told you on numerous occasions I will not be signing a new fixed term AST, the contract is currently rolling month to month which at this time suits my circumstances.

Any further communication regarding signing a new fixed term AST shall be regarded as harassment and dealt with appropriately.

Regards
Cashmonger

abedegno

Thanks!

I suppose if the landlord doesn't like that then they would have to serve me a S21 notice which is at least 2 months?

Cakeguts

abedegno wrote: »

Thanks!

I suppose if the landlord doesn't like that then they would have to serve me a S21 notice which is at least 2 months?

The notice is 2 months but you don't have to leave then. You can stay until the landlord gets possession from a court and that might take 6 months.


Just ignore the requests for a new fixed tenancy and go onto a rolling one.


For your information I am a landlord with more than one property and there are tenants that have been on rolling contracts for around 10 years and it makes no difference at all to our landlord insurance.

Marvel1

abedegno wrote: »

Thanks!

I suppose if the landlord doesn't like that then they would have to serve me a S21 notice which is at least 2 months?

Even then you don't have to leave, only through the courts you can be evicted.

tom9980

Marvel1 wrote: »

Even then you don't have to leave, only through the courts you can be evicted.

Although you will likely have to pay court costs.

Marvel1

tom9980 wrote: »

Although you will likely have to pay court costs.

Probably cheaper than a fixed term of rent, hopefully the process of the house buying will be all done by the time the 2 months are up.

AnotherJoe

abedegno wrote: »

From what I understand I am not required to renew on a new fixed term, as an AST automatically under the Housing Act and my landlord is trying to pull a fast one - is that a fair assessment?

Spot on I'd say.