I would greatly appreciate some advice as it seems impossible to speak to anyone from Openrent. I have a tenancy which is a fixed two year term and the rent is quite low but that was agreed. The tenants are half way through their term and have asked to get a pet. I cant see anything in the Openrent contract about increasing the rent so does this mean I cannot increase it for the two year fixed term? I was going to introduce a small increase as a pet will cause inevitable wear to a carpet etc and their rent is significantly below current market rent.
You can increase rent if there is a clause in contract dictating this
There is usually a. Pet clause
I would advise on reading by £100 pcm
If you can’t refuse the pet as damages may increase costs incurred
I think if you have agreed a fixed term, then there is no rent review clause, so you cant increase the rent until that term has expired.
You can only increase it in the fixed term with the tenant’s agreement. They don’t have to verbally agree. They simply have to pay the increase and this becomes the new rent.
You are doing them a favour and so you should have some leverage to get them to agree an increase if you approach this the right way.
Who persuaded you to do a 2 year fixed term?
You can come to an amicable arrangement to increase the rent, but why would you?
Yiu are assuming that the pet would cause more wear & tear to the carpet but Yiu have no idea if it actually would .. or if the tenants themselves decide to start sliding down the stairs causing more wear & tear.
Even if you don’t agree to them having the pets, once the Renter’s Rights act comes into force, there’s nothing you can do about it… And you won’t be able to charge them extra either.
I’ve agreed with my tenants that they can have pets but on tenancy termination, their can’t be any evidence of pets i.e damage/hairs etc and they have to make good. Obviously, there’s nothing I can do about reasonable wear & tear but that’s why you should never start a tenancy below the market rate… That way you are covered.
Risk is increased without question, especially if a dog.
No so. The proposed legislation states “LL cannot reasonably refuse….”