Some problems with a possible flat rental

allacrossthesand

Having finally found the right flat at the right price in the right area to rent, we put a offer and holding deposit in with the agent.

The next day, the agent rang back to say that the landlord wanted slightly more PCM, no big problem there, we were willing to pay what they wanted. However they also let us know that the house although appearing like your average north London house converted into two flats was still registered as one dwelling. Although the landlord had put all the paper work into change the addresses, council tax etc to be two flats, it had yet gone though fully. Also at present there is one electric meter for the whole house and no meter on what would be our flat for the gas.

To me this sounds worrying.

I've asked the agent to go back to the landlord to get better clarification of the situation. They've told us the council tax at the moment is shared between the two flats. Is this legal? Also I don't like the idea of either having to collect council tax from another flat or giving them money they might not actually pay the bill with. The same with the untility. Even TV a license where do we stand? So we've asked for this to be included, in an increased rent till such everything is sorted.

Also will getting a phone line and internet and other things in the property be problematic if the other flat already have them.

Then there is the issue of the effect of someone in the other flat messing up the addresses credit rating. Also what is the legal position re contracts as the house in its currant state will have two rental contracts on it.


Any help/advice, on where we stand and what we should do ?

A_Nice_Englishman

Personally, I would wait until all the legal work had been completed and the utility meters sorted out, or look elsewhere.