Agency asking about renewal 5 months ahead

Mimi123456

Mutton_Geoff said:

Is there a six month break clause in the AST? Maybe that's the reason?

Yes there is. Oh, you think they are trying to gauge if I intended to use it. 

Btw they just replied that they usually start these procedures 3-4 months in advance (not true - in the past three years it was 2 months). And said if anything they could advertise property early. The last statement annoyed me tbh. They only have the right to arrange viewings in the last two months. 

Do they really think I am going to tolerate a 5-month parade of viewings. 

Mutton_Geoff

Mimi123456 said:

Mutton_Geoff said:

Is there a six month break clause in the AST? Maybe that's the reason?

Yes there is. Oh, you think they are trying to gauge if I intended to use it. 

Btw they just replied that they usually start these procedures 3-4 months in advance (not true - in the past three years it was 2 months). And said if anything they could advertise property early. The last statement annoyed me tbh. They only have the right to arrange viewings in the last two months. 

Do they really think I am going to tolerate a 5-month parade of viewings. 

Why bother renewing, just go periodic if you're not sure. You have a legal right to "quiet enjoyment" and even if your contract states it, you don't have to agree to any viewings whilst it's still your home. Only amateur landlords fail to budget for voids that allow for viewings, cleaning, redecoration etc.

fistfulofsteel

That's normal. I rented for years. Agents would always set up contracts to expire in August (to stay on student schedule) and would start asking about renewal in January. By February they'd be calling multiple times a day for an answer.

If you told them the law allowed you to go into a periodic tenancy they'd back down.

buildersjoy

Grumpy_chap said:

Mimi123456 said:

Hello,

my 1yr rental contract only expiring end of March next year. But about a week ago the agency reached out about the renewal.
should I view it as suspicious? Something in the new Tenants Bill that I am missing that could be pushing them to make me sign early before the legislation comes into force?

Would appreciate the views. And whether I should sign or wait closer to the date of expiration.

Thank you!

I suspect the LL is trying to get a full year AST in place before AST all become rolling contracts.
Which is a largely moot change as, if the AST simply expires and no-one has served notice, it becomes a rolling contract anyway.

I am a LL and do offer a new AST annually.  I feel it gives the T the certainty of intent that they are secure for another year.  And me the same certainty of intent that the T probably sees themselves staying.  The T is free to decline and simply stay on the current contract which will become rolling.

Totally in agreement with you on this, I'm the same (have a number of properties) and 6 months prior to the contract being up my agent contacts each tenant to inform them of any upcoming increases (I've just done a flat £60pm - 4.7%) and to also ask based on this will they be extending. They also referred to (what was then the upcoming Renters Bill). Out of 10 property tenants only 1 said they would be leaving at the end of their lease (as they were getting a mortgage)  and asked if they could leave 2 months early and I let them without any extra charges (they'd given me sufficient notice to rent it out etc, and kept it clean), In the last month I didn't charge them for 2 weeks (I asked the agent to notify them as long as the property was in good and clean condition they'd be refunded 2 weeks rent on top of the deposit - they'd been in 5 years and I'd never had any issues) - You've never seen such a clean property on handover

ReadySteadyPop

Mimi123456 said:

Thank you everyone for your thoughts. 

I think there was something about rent increases in the upcoming Bill and perhaps something else I missed.

I responded to them that my intentions at the moment are to stay at the place but suggested we discuss the renewal closer to the date.
I hope they don’t press for renewal too early. Who knows. I want to stay but in 5 months no one knows what my circumstances are and what other options I have.

At the moment I am paying very much already /// so definitely don’t want to sign up to a rent hike when maybe I will have more options in March. They have built a lot recently in my area so maybe that will keep prices in check.

Yes, and demand for rental is dropping and due to drop more the way the political winds are blowing, that would be my bet for why they are chasing up existing tenants to stay on, a while back they wouldn"t have done this.

monkey-fingers

ReadySteadyPop said:

Mimi123456 said:

Thank you everyone for your thoughts. 

I think there was something about rent increases in the upcoming Bill and perhaps something else I missed.

I responded to them that my intentions at the moment are to stay at the place but suggested we discuss the renewal closer to the date.
I hope they don’t press for renewal too early. Who knows. I want to stay but in 5 months no one knows what my circumstances are and what other options I have.

At the moment I am paying very much already /// so definitely don’t want to sign up to a rent hike when maybe I will have more options in March. They have built a lot recently in my area so maybe that will keep prices in check.

Yes, and demand for rental is dropping and due to drop more the way the political winds are blowing, that would be my bet for why they are chasing up existing tenants to stay on, a while back they wouldn"t have done this.

The rental market is about to get turned on its head with the act being formally announced this morning.

At least 20% of BTL owners are considering exiting the market. The Government have made it clear they fully intend to put the remaining 32,000 asylum seekers into hotels.

I can tell you that round my way (Southampton/New Forest), there are still dozens of people going for every rental. Particularly people with children or animals.

Murphybear

monkey-fingers said:

ReadySteadyPop said:

Mimi123456 said:

Thank you everyone for your thoughts. 

I think there was something about rent increases in the upcoming Bill and perhaps something else I missed.

I responded to them that my intentions at the moment are to stay at the place but suggested we discuss the renewal closer to the date.
I hope they don’t press for renewal too early. Who knows. I want to stay but in 5 months no one knows what my circumstances are and what other options I have.

At the moment I am paying very much already /// so definitely don’t want to sign up to a rent hike when maybe I will have more options in March. They have built a lot recently in my area so maybe that will keep prices in check.

Yes, and demand for rental is dropping and due to drop more the way the political winds are blowing, that would be my bet for why they are chasing up existing tenants to stay on, a while back they wouldn"t have done this.

The rental market is about to get turned on its head with the act being formally announced this morning.

At least 20% of BTL owners are considering exiting the market. The Government have made it clear they fully intend to put the remaining 32,000 asylum seekers into hotels.

I can tell you that round my way (Southampton/New Forest), there are still dozens of people going for every rental. Particularly people with children or animals.

Sadly it’s like that in most parts of the country.  Sadly it’s the same in most places.

I’m thinking about looking for a place in your part of world as my brother is in a care home in Lymington as he has dementia😿.  Unfortunately it’s just as expensive as where I live at the moment, in Dorset 

ReadySteadyPop

monkey-fingers said:

ReadySteadyPop said:

Mimi123456 said:

Thank you everyone for your thoughts. 

I think there was something about rent increases in the upcoming Bill and perhaps something else I missed.

I responded to them that my intentions at the moment are to stay at the place but suggested we discuss the renewal closer to the date.
I hope they don’t press for renewal too early. Who knows. I want to stay but in 5 months no one knows what my circumstances are and what other options I have.

At the moment I am paying very much already /// so definitely don’t want to sign up to a rent hike when maybe I will have more options in March. They have built a lot recently in my area so maybe that will keep prices in check.

Yes, and demand for rental is dropping and due to drop more the way the political winds are blowing, that would be my bet for why they are chasing up existing tenants to stay on, a while back they wouldn"t have done this.

The rental market is about to get turned on its head with the act being formally announced this morning.

At least 20% of BTL owners are considering exiting the market. The Government have made it clear they fully intend to put the remaining 32,000 asylum seekers into hotels.

I can tell you that round my way (Southampton/New Forest), there are still dozens of people going for every rental. Particularly people with children or animals.

They all already live somewhere though, wanting something is not always the same as needing something.

https://www.netrent.co.uk/2025/09/15/uk-rental-market-cools-as-supply-rises-and-tenant-demand-falls/

ReadySteadyPop

fistfulofsteel said:

That's normal. I rented for years. Agents would always set up contracts to expire in August (to stay on student schedule) and would start asking about renewal in January. By February they'd be calling multiple times a day for an answer.

If you told them the law allowed you to go into a periodic tenancy they'd back down.

I think now you can report them for trying it on?