Problem Tanets, please help!

Red_panda_4

Hi, I helped my landload to let out our spare rooms to two student during the summer. They just moved in at the bigining of the month, they share a room. Now, one of them said will move out immediately for his own problems, and another said will stay until the end of next month. The problem is, my house is near the university, and the student is my target tanents, but if the other guy move out next month i will get problems to find tanent to cover the room. I told them could either choose to stay here until the end of the month or have to stay until the end of the Aug. (Because I asked them to pay quaterly, but they said they dont have that much money so only paid me one month, silly me). And the landload said if they move out and I couldnt find anyone to cover then I have to pay the rent, because he give the house to me to charge (I actauly helped him pick up the rent fees and deposit, and he alowed me to charge the price for each room, which I only get about £30 cheaper for my rent, but the total payment still remaine the same). But they refused both my suggestion and said another one will have to stay until the end of next month. In this case can I do anything to ask them to leave or stay until the end of Aug.? Plus, because they only moved in few days they hasnt sign any contract yet.

PasturesNew

This is very confusing and covers many areas.

I'm saying nothing...

moneysavinmonkey

Your first post is summwhat confusing and I hope I'm not insulting you to say that it seems like English is not your first language.

This is what I am assuming you mean....

You agreed to let a house off a landlord.

You have a signed AST to agree to pay rent for the whole house to the landlord for a fixed period of time.

Your landlord has agreed that you can sublet the spare rooms.

You cannot afford to pay for the whole house unless you sublet the rooms.

The sub-tenants have no contract and pay rent directly to you. ie they are lodgers.

They have lived there one month and so far paid one month rent.

One sub-tenant wants to move immediately, one wants to move next month.

Is this correct?

From what i'm guessing it seems like you are AST tenant with the landlord, but are also a live-iin landlord youself to the lodgers that as you sub-let the spare rooms too. The rules and rights of tenants differ depeding on whether you are on an AST or live with your landlord - including the amount of notice needed to be given by the tenant. You could start with the reading the following pages on the Shelter website.

Subtenants

Assured Shorthold Tenants

Lodgers

Perhaps when you have a clearer idea of the situation you could come back with a more specific questions for the nice people on this board. Your situation is a bit confusing at the moment.

Short answer is you can't dictate when lodgers can move out and you certainly can't force them to stay until the end of August.

mlz1413

Have you signed any contract with Landlord?
If so what and for how much?
you say you pay £30 less than other rooms due to collecting rents, but you are responsible for whole house - which is very confusing.

Moneysavingmonkey has given a good post which is you can answer as fully as possible will help us give you better information.

PasturesNew

I was also confused as to the relationship between the 2 renters, who seemed to be sharing a room, yet moving out separately.

The OP talks of collecting deposits too, for the Landlord.

And why students would let now, when it is the end of their year.

And if it's an HMO as they're not related.

moneysavinmonkey

PasturesNew wrote: »

I was also confused as to the relationship between the 2 renters, who seemed to be sharing a room, yet moving out separately.

The OP talks of collecting deposits too, for the Landlord.

And why students would let now, when it is the end of their year.

And if it's an HMO as they're not related.

yup.. the op's situation is a total minefield!
Masters Degree standard MSE housing question!!

Red_panda_4

Thanks for all of your quick replies. My situation is confusing myself as well. At the begining of this year, I took the house from the landlord and signed the contract with him for the whole year. And at that moment, Im the only tenant of the house, so only I signed the contract for the wholehouse (but I only pay my own rent at that moment). After that, the landlord asked me to help him to find more tenants to cover other spare rooms, which I did. And as he is not living locally, so he asked my favour to collect the rent for him and send to him in whole (so I usually send him my cheque for the whole rent). In return i can decide how much I charge for the other rooms. But last month one of my housemate moved out with noticed him about two months ago, and the landlord asked me to look for another tenant to cover the room. I told him I can do it for favour but cannot promise him will definitely get someone. Then the landlord told me in that case I will have to pay the rent as he give the wholehouse to me. I was totally shocked. luckly I did find this two guys.
But now, this two new tenants one had moved out an hour ago which only give me 10 minues notice, after he only moved in the room less than 2 weeks. And another one said will move out at the end of next month (31/07). (But as they asked to share the room, I actaully let the room out for both of them). So I really confused with what shall I do now.

Red_panda_4

PasturesNew wrote: »

I was also confused as to the relationship between the 2 renters, who seemed to be sharing a room, yet moving out separately.

The OP talks of collecting deposits too, for the Landlord.

And why students would let now, when it is the end of their year.

And if it's an HMO as they're not related.

I was confused either, just asked the guy who still stay in the room. He told me he met the other person at campus and decide to share a room togather for save rent.:eek: So he even didnt know the guy properly.

moneysavinmonkey

Red_panda wrote: »

Thanks for all of your quick replies. My situation is confusing myself as well. At the begining of this year, I took the house from the landlord and signed the contract with him for the whole year. And at that moment, Im the only tenant of the house, so only I signed the contract for the wholehouse (but I only pay my own rent at that moment). After that, the landlord asked me to help him to find more tenants to cover other spare rooms, which I did. And as he is not living locally, so he asked my favour to collect the rent for him and send to him in whole (so I usually send him my cheque for the whole rent). In return i can decide how much I charge for the other rooms. But last month one of my housemate moved out with noticed him about two months ago, and the landlord asked me to look for another tenant to cover the room. I told him I can do it for favour but cannot promise him will definitely get someone. Then the landlord told me in that case I will have to pay the rent as he give the wholehouse to me. I was totally shocked. luckly I did find this two guys.
But now, this two new tenants one had moved out an hour ago which only give me 10 minues notice, after he only moved in the room less than 2 weeks. And another one said will move out at the end of next month (31/07). (But as they asked to share the room, I actaully let the room out for both of them). So I really confused with what shall I do now.

OP, it sounds like your landlord has been rather underhand and taken advantage of you. By signing a sole contract to rent the house you are solely liable for paying the whole rent. You state that the other tenants pay rent to you and you send one cheque to the landlord. So the sub-tentants have nothing to do with the landlord and you are entirely responsible for them.


This is not an ideal situation at all as you are the one dealing with any voids (empty rooms) rather than the landlord. If the tenants caused any damage to the property you would also be responsible. There is also a great deal of legal requirements involved in renting out rooms.. you need to ensure that HMO regulations are met, protect deposits in a government approved scheme, and provide your tenants with rent books. etc. etc. Depending on how much rent we are talking about you may even have to pay tax on the rental income.

I really think you need to find a way to end this arrangement. How long is your rental contract for? I think we are limited as to how much we can help you as we don't have all the information and it seems like it is difficult for you to communicate this too us. Have you read + understood the links to the Shelter website?

I would advise you get help from your local CAB, uni advice centre (if you are a student) and also phone shelter on their freefone number.

If it was me I would be looking to end my contract with the landlord and move somewhere else as he is seems very dodgy. If that is not possible then you need to advertise for new tenants (e.g. on easyflatmate or spareroom, advert on uni notice board etc.) and learn how to sublet rooms properly - ie rent books, gas certificate, HMO regulations (vary depending on council) deposits, etc. etc. You are at the start of a steep learning curve!

I hope this helps, but I really think you need to take your rental contract and get some local advice.

If you have more specific questions keep posting, in fact keep posting anyway to let us know how you get on.

silvercar

The landlord's contract is with you solely. So, as msm says, it is for you to pay the rent. As you have consent to sub let, it is for you to find occupants for the other room(s).

I would have thought the obligation to comply with HMO legislation and supply gas certificates and protect red_panda's deposit lies with the landlord.

I would also have thought that any sub-tenants have les rights as they are living with the main tenant so are in effect lodgers of the main tenant. I would therefore have thought that the main tenant would have the right to say that the room either has to be paid for or both occupants leave.

redcar_2

What have you signed to say how much rent you will pay? When the switch was made to you paying for just your room to paying for the whole house was a new contract drawn up?