Landlord trying to force us into another fixed term contract

macman

ashleyj722 said:

Update: I spoke to the new  landlord which is APO and they said they didn’t offer rolling contracts despite them having the clause in our contract.  They went down to a 3 month fixed term but still not going to sign it.  If they do issue a section 21 then we will continue paying rent and force them to get a procession order. 

They don't have to 'offer' them. Once the fixed term ends, the tenancy automatically becomes a periodic one. That's the statutory position, which trumps anything that may or may not be in the contract. What sort of amateurs are running this 'agency'?

gingercordial

macman said:

ashleyj722 said:

Update: I spoke to the new  landlord which is APO and they said they didn’t offer rolling contracts despite them having the clause in our contract.  They went down to a 3 month fixed term but still not going to sign it.  If they do issue a section 21 then we will continue paying rent and force them to get a procession order. 

They don't have to 'offer' them. Once the fixed term ends, the tenancy automatically becomes a periodic one. That's the statutory position, which trumps anything that may or may not be in the contract. What sort of amateurs are running this 'agency'?

I suspect ones who want their money and don't much care if they tell the truth to the landlord or the tenant to get it.

At the last place we rented, the fixed term was up and we were in the process of buying so wanted to go onto rolling.  The letting agent was adamant this was "not offered" and the landlord didn't want to grant one.  Ridiculous - the email they sent me had at least 5 legal errors in it, which they continued to try to argue.  This is a major UK chain.

Looking at their schedule of fees to landlords (available on their website) their fee for full management services is 17%+ VAT, so actually 20.4%, of the rent for the whole term of the contract or renewal, payable upfront.  So the longer they can get you to sign for, the more money they get straight away.  I am sure therefore they are delighted to tell the landlord that it is necessary for security to get the tenant signed up for another fixed term, and to tell the tenant that the landlord insists on it, knowing full well they are lying to both sides.

_Penny_Dreadful

ashleyj722 said:

_Penny_Dreadful said:

ashleyj722 said:

Update: I spoke to the new  landlord which is APO and they said they didn’t offer rolling contracts despite them having the clause in our contract.  They went down to a 3 month fixed term but still not going to sign it.  If they do issue a section 21 then we will continue paying rent and force them to get a procession order. 

Thanks for the update. Are you positive APO is the landlord and not a letting agent acting on the landlord’s behalf? 

Let us know how it goes with calling their bluff. In the meantime you could use the link below to see if it’s even possible for them to issue a valid a Section 21. 

https://nearlylegal.co.uk/section-21-flowchart/

I am not sure,  but based on your question I think then that APO and greystar were property management companies and the freeholder landlord is based in the Middle East, possibly Qatar.

I see. This is the future of the PRS in England. I’ll stop there before I get on another soapbox.

propertyrental

ashleyj722 said:

.... They went down to a 3 month fixed term but still not going to sign it.  If they do issue a section 21 then we will continue paying rent and force them to get a procession order. 

if diystarter7 has his way there really will be a procession of s21s......

sorry - couldn't resist!

EssexHebridean

propertyrental said:

ashleyj722 said:

.... They went down to a 3 month fixed term but still not going to sign it.  If they do issue a section 21 then we will continue paying rent and force them to get a procession order. 

if diystarter7 has his way there really will be a procession of s21s......

sorry - couldn't resist!

It would I suspect be a right eye opener if one of their tenants turned up on here at some stage! 

ashleyj722

_Penny_Dreadful said:

ashleyj722 said:

_Penny_Dreadful said:

ashleyj722 said:

Update: I spoke to the new  landlord which is APO and they said they didn’t offer rolling contracts despite them having the clause in our contract.  They went down to a 3 month fixed term but still not going to sign it.  If they do issue a section 21 then we will continue paying rent and force them to get a procession order. 

Thanks for the update. Are you positive APO is the landlord and not a letting agent acting on the landlord’s behalf? 

Let us know how it goes with calling their bluff. In the meantime you could use the link below to see if it’s even possible for them to issue a valid a Section 21. 

https://nearlylegal.co.uk/section-21-flowchart/

I am not sure,  but based on your question I think then that APO and greystar were property management companies and the freeholder landlord is based in the Middle East, possibly Qatar.

I see. This is the future of the PRS in England. I’ll stop there before I get on another soapbox.

I checked and the landlord is not from Qatar.  It’s Invesco.