UK Landlord Forum / Life

Really pleased to have found this forum and like so many others am a bit annoyed by the renewal fees. Any advice anyone can offer would be greatly appreciated!

Been living happily in our home for just over 12 months and realised our AST had gone by without a peep from the agents. Finally, we get an email today from the agent playing catch up and stating our agreement comes to an end in early December (It doesn't, I double checked) and our landlord is happy to renew for another 12 months for a 5% rent increase and their renewal fee of £117.

We don't want to leave and whilst I don't particularly want to pay more rent, it's not the end of the world. What annoys me is the admin fee and the lack of correct timekeeping on the agents part. As far as I can tell, we are now in a periodic agreement and would be happy to continue like that. Obviously (if this is true on the LL's part) the LL would want the rent increase so would that mean a new agreement is needed and therefore making it difficult telling the agent where to go on the admin fee?

Landlord can increase the rent via a Section 13 without need for a new tenancy agreement. Or, even, just with your agreement.

As you say, if the initial fixed term has gone by, even 1 second over, then you are currently on a SPT. If you don't want the security of a new fixed term then you can probably leave things as they are. Of course the Agent will want a fee from you for printing a document, hence then being in touch... maybe your £117 can go behind the bar at their Christmas do? Maybe write back saying you're happy on the SPT that automatically arose at the end of your fixed term, but you'd be happy to receive notice from the Landlord regarding any rent increase.

Always good practice for Landlords to increase the rent in small amounts on a regular basis.

Thank you Hippogriff, I really appreciate your views