Landlord increased rent 25%

[Deleted User]

I have rented a 2 bedroom terrace in wales for 2+ years.  My landlord recently emailed me a letter and RHW12 saying that the rents going up from 700.00 to 900.00 pcm on May 1. 

Currently im low income (UC/PIP) and get 525.00 LHA towards the rent, and I pay the difference.  Im also responsible for the energy & water.  This rise in rent will be a bit of a struggle to budget for and im wondering what options i have to try and sort something out.  I really dont want to move and housing in the area is limited.   £675-800 is about the going rate. 
 

Options? Make a deal with landlord? Citizens Advice? Suck it up? 

Emmia

You can try to negotiate, but if they stick to their guns and want £900 then your choices ultimately are to pay, or move. 

teaselMay

I'm not sure whether it's the same in Wales but in England local councils have a discretionary fund that you can apply for where the Local Housing Allowance is a long way below actual rent. I've never used it but I know my neighbour has and has had the shortfall paid for a couple of years

FlorayG

You can go to the rent tribunal if you are absolutely certain this isn't a local market rent; however, if they agree with the landlord then you will still have to pay it. You will need evidence that similar properties with similar local amenities ( e.g walking distance to shops or public transport can make a property more expensive than one where the tenant absolutely NEEDS to have a car) are at a lower rent cost than £900pm and it would also help to show that 'similar' properties at over £1,000pm differ in significant ways from yours. Best of luck

teaselMay

https://www.gov.wales/find-out-about-discretionary-housing-payments

here you go

FlorayG

You don't say how many people live with you. If you are a single occupant in a two bedroom house I think your chances of getting any discretionary help with payments is almost zero; they will tell you to move to a one bed place instead

_Penny_Dreadful

[Deleted User] said:

I have rented a 2 bedroom terrace in south wales for 2.5 years.  My landlord recently emailed me a letter and RHW12 saying that the rents going up from 650.00 to 900.00 pcm on May 1. 

Since the start of your tenancy we have never increased the rent and try to do so an

infrequently as possible. We have tried to hold o increasing rents for some time but as

ination and interest costs have risen, we are left with no choice but to do so.

Attached is the formal RHW12 form which gives details of rent from 1/5/25 being £900

per month. We still feel this represents good value with other similar properties within a

mile radius being rented at £1050.

We are now not able to increase rent further for a further year, but will try to avoid doing

so for the foreseeable future. Thank you for your support in this matter and being a good

tenant. We hope you continue to rent the property for many years to come.

Currently im low income (UC/PIP) and get 525.00 LHA towards the rent, and I pay the difference.  Im also responsible for the energy & water.  This rise in rent will be a bit of a struggle to budget for and im wondering what options i have to try and sort something out.  I really dont want to move and housing in the area is limited.     However similar properties in the area do not get the £1050 pcm the landlord is claiming.  £650-800 is about the going rate. 

The tenancy agreement is a standard run of the mill and i have not renewed it since signing it over 2 years ago, so im assuming its now rolling month to month tenancy.   

Options? Make a deal with landlord? Citizens Advice? Suck it up? 

Did you move in before or after 1st December 2022?  If before were you given an AST that converted to an occupation contract later?

[Deleted User]

_Penny_Dreadful said:

[Deleted User] said:

Did you move in before or after 1st December 2022?  If before were you given an AST that converted to an occupation contract later?

I moved in May 2022. I renewed the tenancy in Sept 2022 and rent was agreed at £700 pcm.  Not sure why the RHW12 says £650.  They also own the adjacent identical 2 bed, so im assuming that guy pays less than me. 

[Deleted User]

FlorayG said:

You don't say how many people live with you. If you are a single occupant in a two bedroom house I think your chances of getting any discretionary help with payments is almost zero; they will tell you to move to a one bed place instead

Yeah, alone. Problem is 1 beds are few and far between and rent out quick. Of course i could move into a bed & breakfast but i think the council tries to avoid having people move out because of potential homelessness. But who knows. 

FlorayG

[Deleted User] said:

FlorayG said:

You don't say how many people live with you. If you are a single occupant in a two bedroom house I think your chances of getting any discretionary help with payments is almost zero; they will tell you to move to a one bed place instead

Yeah, alone. Problem is 1 beds are few and far between and rent out quick. Of course i could move into a bed & breakfast but i think the council tries to avoid having people move out because of potential homelessness. But who knows. 

Yes one bed places go quickly because of that. Would you LL let you have a lodger in your second bedroom to help with the rent? That person would not be on the tenancy agreement  but you do need your LL permission in writing to let a room as obviously you will be sub-letting. Just an idea

teaselMay

If you're on PIP, depending what your assessment says, you may be entitled to the 2 bedroom LHA rather than 1.