Landlord ending tenancy earlier than agreed

[adviceplease2014]

Not sure what you mean by a party to the agreement, they had to go and sign the tenancy witnesses by the council staff. The tenancy agreement was supplied by them and yes he agreed. I think I must be the mad one as he has come out of this just fine.

[thesaint]

Are the council a party to the tenancy agreement, and the landlord let them supply a tenancy agreement which he agreed to? If so, he's mad.

[adviceplease2014]

It was not actually like that, he was/or indicated he was willing to sign a longer tenancy but as it was set up by the council they arranged all the tenancy agreements and everything else. Their agreements are only ever for six months. So it was sort of out of my hands.

[thesaint]

I see. Agreed for 3 years, but actually agreed for 6 months. I couldn't see that coming.

[Mrs Mug]

No. There was only a 6 month AST.

[thesaint]

I offered the landlord a deal whereby I would do it cheaply if he would guarantee that she could have it for at least three years and he agreed. I had no reason to doubt him on this as he said it is just a rental property and that he plans on renting forever anywayfirst months rent as he could not even pay me the £700.

I have only skim read, but you are saying you have a 3 year tenancy agreement from July of last year, but they have served a Sec 21 to expire this month?

[adviceplease2014]

Best of luck - don't waste your life trying to get one over on this Landlord.

Thanks. Just to clarify I do not want to get one over on him I would just like to stop him getting one over on me. There is actually a way that I could get him back and no one could ever say it was me. After all if I know how to get rid of severe damp/mould I could also reverse the process but I cannot bring myself down to his level.

[adviceplease2014]

But what happens in a years time. If the tenant stops paying, it can take up to 7 months to evict.

Ask me in 6/9 months for another years/6 months etc. If not issue section 21. Thats what I would do but then again I am not a LL.

[Hippogriff]

I have also been actively seeking somewhere else but I am finding it amazing how all landlords/agents are against housing benefit.

There's a good chance of more hassle with Housing Benefit Tenants. An example I am quite close to - a small house in Sheffield rented out to a working couple in receipt of Housing Benefit - the Sheffield City Council rate for this property means they pay an amount that is £46 per month lower than the rent (rent is not an outrageous amount).

Lovely Tenants, very personable, clean, communicative - but cannot pay the £46 each month to save their lives. So, each month, it needs chasing. Each month they take a trek to the bank, after being reminded more than once, and arrange an over-the-counter payment. They have been advised how to set up a Standing Order, but seem incapable or unwilling to do this (if money is so tight, then I guess they'd not want it to leave their account and then end up with bank charges).

This is extra hassle on the part of the Landlord... hassle because you're getting paid from two sources (the Council pay direct to Landlord) and one of them you have to chase all the time... it's got to the point whereby you're thinking about forgetting it and dropping the rent by £46 per month (don't tell anyone that!).

And that's with a good Tenant in receipt of Housing Benefit.

I think it's just life... and I think Landlords mostly like an easy life. These 'type' of Tenants might be more of a last resort. Best of luck - don't waste your life trying to get one over on this Landlord.

[Mrs Mug]

But what happens in a years time. If the tenant stops paying, it can take up to 7 months to evict.

[adviceplease2014]

Thats fair enough I suppose, that surely offering to pay one years in advance has to show actual intent to pay?

Thanks

[Mrs Mug]

I said I will be guarantor(perfect credit, six year history with my LL and never been a day late), that was a no.

Just for your information, on this site we recommend that landlords only accept guarantors who own their own home. This is so that a charging order can be placed against the house if the guarantor refuses to pay what is owed.

[adviceplease2014]

Hippogriff,

Thanks.

I have been reading up on the section 21 and ways to prolong it.
I have also been actively seeking somewhere else but I am finding it amazing how all landlords/agents are against housing benefit. This is 100% the truth- There is a two bedroom maisonette in Eltham that would suit my GF perfectly. Rang the agent and they said the landlord has categorically stated no housing benefit. I said I will be guarantor(perfect credit, six year history with my LL and never been a day late), that was a no. Anyway I after much toing and froing I asked the minimum lease and he said they wanted a year minimum. I offered to pay A YEAR up front and the LL still said no. I could not believe it to be honest.

I will not stop working for LL's as the ones I work for are always on time paying me and are generally nice normal people. The ironic thing is if my GF was ten miles down the road I could have her in a new flat by the weekend with the landlords I know.

Thanks again.

[adviceplease2014]

Berlingogirl,

I am really not sure how you work out it is her fault that the rent has not been paid. He contacted council saying he has not received rent. The council suspended payments to give my gf a chance to show he has been paid, which she duly provided by way of bank statements. Council started paying again and she immediately transferred the money to him.

The council never agreed to that, the landlord signed an agreement/tenancy that the rent was only £780 per month, when in fact it in £960. I give him the extra £180 per month.

The fake certificate is actually for a fusebox, I can prove 110% that the certificate is a fake.

I am thinking of contacting the environmental health today but as the section 21 is up next week I do not think there is much that they will do.

Thanks

[Hippogriff]

To be honest I really want to get this man back somehow, that may sound petty but if you had seen his flat and saw it now you would not believe it. He knows that my Gf is not well and the stress of this and having to find somewhere for her and her daughter is making her worse.

Taking everything at face value, I don't think it's overly petty, but I think it is definitely a way of prolonging the stress and ending up feeling hard-done-by because any redress you are likely to achieve probably isn't going to be that significant. I mean, it's either a slap on the wrist from some regulatory body, maybe the Council, or a modest compensation payment... it's not going to change anything materially, it's not going to get this Landlord to change his ways. If you're interested in a less stressful life, then focus your efforts on moving on as quickly as cleanly as you can - get this scumbag Landlord (and wife) out of your life and forget about it. Don't let your girlfriend be forced out before she's ready, though - know her rights and what the S21 means. Try to be objective - look at it from the outside - and figure out what's best for your girlfriend and daughter... surely it is getting another place sorted out where the Landlord is not like this. It sounds like you've learned a lot from this and, while it doesn't preclude you from doing handyman / decorating work for Landlords, you'll certainly not do it on a handshake next time.