I have rented my current property for 3.5 years and never skipped a beat with rent payments and treated the house like my own, keeping it to a very high standard… After a long time renting I have finally got myself into a position to get back on the property ladder. However due to an error I served my notice one day late on my periodic tenancy. Purplebricks are stating that the landlord is legally entitled to the extra months rent but I simply cannot afford to do this with all the initial costs of buying the house and mortgage payment.
Do I have any recourse other than pleading? It does not feel fair and reasonable to do this?
Well, first things first, it is in fact fair and reasonable as there have to be rules for both sides.
However, if you have been a good tenant and you really can’t afford it I would advice contacting the LL politely and explain the situation. Offer something in return.
Also, many tenants buying don’t understand it is good to have leeway when buying property. Exchange of contracts and completion often take longer than you expect. If you plan on completing on the 5th for example it is not advisable to have given notice to the 6th. What happens if there’s a delay? Are you illegally going to occupy the LL’s property? Only give notice once you have exchanged contracts and have a completion date, and make sure you have a flat for a couple of weeks after if something goes wrong.