UK Landlord Forum / Life

Can anybody give me some advice
I moved into my private rent property in January 2011 with my current partner at the time, the contract was for a year. We had a baby in may and split up at the end of January this year when the tenacy was due for a renewal the lanlord offered me and my partner at the time another 6 months tenacy but because we split up he moved out and I wanted to stay in the home with my son. When I rang up the agency to ask if I could do this they said they would ask the landlord if he would agree if the tenacy would just be renewed in my name after 2 weeks of not hearing anything from them I rang again and asked if they had been in touch where they said he had not replied to them so they said we will just do it month by month, they did not ask me to sign anything but I agreed to this. As I'm a single parent I applied for housing benefit at the beginning of February but did not receive any help as they told me that the landlord did not supply them the information they needed from him to proceed with my application. Due to this I'v been paying all my rent for the past 6 months with no help which as left me skint and gave me no other choice but to move me and my son back in with my mum. I rang the agency on the 4th of this month to tell them I wish to vacate the property by the 20th this month. Which the told me to put it in writing and send it to them. Which i did and took it to the office personally. Didnt hear anything back from them until today where I have received a email from them saying if the landlord does not accept this notice I will be liable untill the 24th August. If he dont agree then this will mean I will have to pay 2 more months rent as I pay it on the 22nd of each month which I haven't got the money to pay! Can he do this as I hvnt signed any contract due to him not replying to the agency in the first place?! I'm really confused and scared as I don't know how I'm going to afford this specially when I'v got my little boy to think about :/

Hello Saz,

I'm not an expert in Housing Benefit, but I've never been involved with providing info for a claim from a tenant, so something does not sound right in your story.

I would get down to your local CAB.  The vilans of the peace might be the council and not your landlord.  The CAB will be able to get to the bottom of it.