Hi, for 5 years I paid the same rent and then 2 years ago my landlord wrote to me saying he forgot to increase the rent and we came to an agreement to increase by £50 instead of £100. Last year he increased it again by £500. This year he wants to increase it by £100 and wrote that it’s non negotiable. Let me mention that both years he sent me a letter and I told him he needs to do it properly, ie section 13 which he then did. Now, he sent me a normal letter which says he’s increasing the rent from 1/10 but didn’t write what year and the address it’s referring to (although he did send it in the post). I want to know what would happen if I completely ignored the letter, is it classed that I accepted the increase? What would you do? I’m not happy with an increase of £100 all in one go. Let me also mention that 2-bed houses in my area do range from £650 to £700, maybe £800. I found it hard to find anything online (I pay now £600 but a neighbour opposite told me she pays £650). He probably could get £700. Advice please…: also…can he not increase the rent by 7% only or something like this? I’ve read something about CPI
I’d like to mention that we’re talking about an 84 year old who owns 3 properties with no mortgages on any of these properties. He has been repairing and replacing when needed in the last 3 years (changed boiler, 2 double glazing windows changed).
what has being84 and having no mortgages got to do with anything? Is he bald as well?
In case someone tells me that he’s increasing the rent because his mortgage has also been increased due to inflation. Before making a comment, please try and think why I say what I say. There was a reason:)
I knew that was your reason. re Mortgages. But cannot figure what has his age has got to do with it ? Mortgage or not. matters not The going comparable rate is what counts ,supply and demand for similar properties in your area
There isn’t a limit on increases, if it goes well above market rates you can appeal to a tribunal but doesn’t sound like he is increasing above market rates. The 7% rise case cap only applies to social housing.
It doesn’t sound like the increase would be legally binding although if you just ignore it then there is the potential he would issue a section 21 notice to end tenancy or push through a larger rent increase.
So perhaps I should leave it last minute so towards end of September and tell him I’m not happy with the letter and also ask “oh btw, I still haven’t received section 13 for from you”. That way I’ll push it to the next month. Btw, if my original tenancy was 1st of every month, does he have to increase from the 1st of the month in his letter or can he write any date as long as he’s giving me 30 days notice?
What I mean is, if I tell him on 15/9 for example, will he have to write 1/11 in the form?
You’re trying to get an advice on how to be clever and fool the elderly man (save money on his account, even though your rent is still below market rate). Do you really think you’re going to receive any help with this?
Your ageist statement is equally distasteful. If he were disabled/person of colour/gay, would you have mentioned that as well?
LOL.
20 charrrrracterrrs.
There isn’t a limit on increases, if it goes well above market rates you can appeal to a tribunal but doesn’t sound like he is increasing above market rates. The 7% rise case cap only applies to social housing.
The 7% for Social Housing is an indication how how broken the market is. AFAIK the way the SH contracts are worded, the increase would have been somewhere about 13% so a 6% reduction in the rental rate came off the payments to the SH investors.
Also the way the SH housing works a lot of the rent increase would have been paid by government/councils through the two housing subsidies (HE/HB). So capping rents, capped the cost of support but it came out of investors pockets.
After burning SH investors, the government are now trying to strong arm major UK pension funds into investing in their pet ideas (your future pensions). What could possibly go wrong?
God forbid Tim, not how to fool the elderly; and trust me there is no fooling him. I mentioned his age because I don’t understand why a person as this age who’s been through and seen a lot in his life and has plenty of life experience, can’t increase the rent in £50 increments as he has done previous when he knows that although I’m not on minimum wage, I am a single parent who has no financial support. My pocket isn’t as deep as his.
I do, however, know that there is what that’s called law, and I want to know what my rights are as a tenant by law. In the previous 2 years he’s done the same thing, he wrote a letter telling me his increasing the rent and I had to tell him that he needs to do things properly and do it using section 13 form. To be fair, he should know by now. So, if I can push the raise by one month to buy myself time because he’s not doing things properly, I don’t see what’s the harm in that.
Thanks all for replying.
LL can’t inrease the rent in £50 increments because he can only do it unilaterally once a year, and the rental prices went up far more. We rented a property in December for £900. 7 month later, the going rate is £1200 or higher.
Also, LL doesn’t need to justify rent increase to you as long as it’s comparable to average for the area, mortgage or not. It’s a unilateral rent increase.
If the new rent is too high, you have two options - to challenge it with the tribunal or move out to a cheaper area (or downsize). Where I live, more and more renters do just that.
Hope you find the right solution for yourself.
I think you are risking eviction by taking this stand. If you disagree with the increase you should have an up-front conversation with him and remind him about the s13 notice. I always increase rents informally through an email to tenants and ask them to reply if the increase is a problem for them. If a tenant of mine stayed silent and then at the last minute didnt pay, I would be very unhappy and question whether trust had broken down between us.
you obviously think he is richer than L . Why should I pay the market rent
I agree it is better to negotiate now. It is better to give a reason for why you feel rent should be lower. Eg average rents have increased by 4.9% over last year for existing tenants according to office for national statistics, compared with 10% for new tenancies, most existing tenants dont pay market rates so assuming you have been a good tenant a landlord may be willing to go below current rates. Also inflation is currently 6.8% so a lot lower than the 16% increase he is putting through.
You could suggest either of those figures as a basis of negotiation.
Thank you so much guys. I will wait till Sep and then email him saying that I’ve not received S13 form yet and also say what that Richard wrote. Last year I could have earned myself one month of rent as per previous year because he signed the form at the start of September so I should have paid new rate last year in November really. I will remind him that I’ve been a good tenant for the last 7 years and that I’ve always paid on time and I look after his property. I hope I’ll remember to update you guys and let you know what happened in the end. Thanks again all x
In this day and age it pays not to wind a landlord up!
You say he should have life experience? He may well have housing law expertise as well , you don’t need a sect 13 to raise the rent a handshake can suffice.
Well, he didn’t write the year the new rent will start from not the address this relates to. (If he needed to write the latter I’m not sure). I didn’t get any of the documents I’m supposed to have. Last Gas safety, EPC certificate or the rent how to guide or whatever it’s called. I’d say, no expertise there. Besides, from my understanding, I need to sign the letter I think if I accept it; and he never asked me to.
You seem to still be looking for ways out of this based on landlord failings. I think weve all heard the point loud and clear that you have a landlord who doesnt know what theyre doing. I believe you should forget that and focus on you. What is it that you want? If its to remain in this property then just do the things you need to do to make that happen.