Renters' Rights Bill - Will it screw me over?

saajan_12

Eliza_2 said:

Can I just check this?  I've read that it will become illegal for landlords to demand a year/6 months/ whatever rent in advance but cant see anywhere that says tenants can't offer this.  I'm looking at renting a house and would like to pay a year ahead both to help the landlord out with the cost of some improvements she wants to do (and which will benefit me) and secure it for myself.  Would it be illegal for landlords to accept this deal as it feels like a win/win all round?  

Yes, illegal for the LL to accept a penny more than the first month upfront. 
Yes the new bill is often going to be lose/lose. 

Section62

Eliza_2 said:

Can I just check this?  I've read that it will become illegal for landlords to demand a year/6 months/ whatever rent in advance but cant see anywhere that says tenants can't offer this.  I'm looking at renting a house and would like to pay a year ahead both to help the landlord out with the cost of some improvements she wants to do (and which will benefit me) and secure it for myself.  Would it be illegal for landlords to accept this deal as it feels like a win/win all round?  

The bits in bold means the landlord wouldn't be allowed to accept any offer made (over and above 1 month/28 days) -

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-the-renters-rights-bill/82ffc7fb-64b0-4af5-a72e-c24701a5f12a#rent-in-advance

"Once enacted, the Renters’ Rights Bill will amend the Tenant Fees Act 2019 to prohibit landlords or letting agents from requiring or accepting any payment of rent in advance of the tenancy being entered into...[]...The Renters’ Rights Bill will also amend the Housing Act 1988 to provide that, once a tenancy starts, a landlord will be unable to enforce any terms in a tenancy agreement that require rent to be paid in advance of the agreed due date."

Eliza_2

Thank you - and thank you for the link.  Looks as though the original poster and I should get in quick!

RipeBanana

saajan_12 said:

Eliza_2 said:

Can I just check this?  I've read that it will become illegal for landlords to demand a year/6 months/ whatever rent in advance but cant see anywhere that says tenants can't offer this.  I'm looking at renting a house and would like to pay a year ahead both to help the landlord out with the cost of some improvements she wants to do (and which will benefit me) and secure it for myself.  Would it be illegal for landlords to accept this deal as it feels like a win/win all round?  

Yes, illegal for the LL to accept a penny more than the first month upfront. 
Yes the new bill is often going to be lose/lose. 

Not quite right.

Landlords cannot accept rent in advance (of more than a month) before the tenancy is entered into and the landlord cannot ask for such payment. However, a tenant can offer to pay in advance after the tenancy has started.

saajan_12

RipeBanana said:

saajan_12 said:

Eliza_2 said:

Can I just check this?  I've read that it will become illegal for landlords to demand a year/6 months/ whatever rent in advance but cant see anywhere that says tenants can't offer this.  I'm looking at renting a house and would like to pay a year ahead both to help the landlord out with the cost of some improvements she wants to do (and which will benefit me) and secure it for myself.  Would it be illegal for landlords to accept this deal as it feels like a win/win all round?  

Yes, illegal for the LL to accept a penny more than the first month upfront. 
Yes the new bill is often going to be lose/lose. 

Not quite right.

Landlords cannot accept rent in advance (of more than a month) before the tenancy is entered into and the landlord cannot ask for such payment. However, a tenant can offer to pay in advance after the tenancy has started.

Only a year old thread you're resurrecting, with much more info now available. 

mills112

i read on a website that tenants can't be asked for more than one month of rent in advance, but they can "voluntarily" offer it, is that right?

ReadySteadyPop

mills112 said:

i read on a website that tenants can't be asked for more than one month of rent in advance, but they can "voluntarily" offer it, is that right?

Very few will be offering IMO.

mills112

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81855666#Comment_81855666

if they couldn't demonstrate monthly income like the OP, then he still has the option to pay 6 months upfront like he had before the new renters bill came along.

monkey-fingers

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81855666#Comment_81855666

Whilst that may well be the case, I can see a conversation going along the lines of

"I'm sorry, I can't offer you this place as I don't believe you'll be able to pay. However, if you were to offer to pay a bit more up front….."

And yes, that's illegal and no-one is going to put it in writing.

ReadySteadyPop

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81856679#Comment_81856679

With landlord insolvencies up 28% I see the conversation more like - "You are working? You want it! Here`s the keys"