UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi,

I've been renting a flat for 2,5 years from an agency. My original agreement was for 1 year, after which it was renewed for another year. I was asked to pay a fee for this. After the second year, a lady from the agency came for an inspection and she asked me if I wanted to renew the tenancy, to which I said yes, but this time for 6 months only. She said ok and that they would send me a renewal form soon. But I never got that letter and for the past 6 months I just kept paying the rent and being quiet about this fact.
However, today I got a letter from them saying that my tenancy agreement is due to expire and that they attach a renewal form. If I fail to complete and resend it, they will treat it as a 1 months notice.
What should I do about it? I am not happy about having to renew the contract for another 6 months, as I was planing to rent something bigger with my boyfriend - he's just looking for a job in the town and as soon as he gets one, we will be able to start living together.
I will be extremely grateful for some advice.
Thank you!

Quote from: Nagareboshi on April 15, 2015, 03:54:58 PM
Hi,

I've been renting a flat for 2,5 years from an agency. My original agreement was for 1 year, after which it was renewed for another year. I was asked to pay a fee for this. After the second year, a lady from the agency came for an inspection and she asked me if I wanted to renew the tenancy, to which I said yes, but this time for 6 months only. She said ok and that they would send me a renewal form soon. But I never got that letter and for the past 6 months I just kept paying the rent and being quiet about this fact.
However, today I got a letter from them saying that my tenancy agreement is due to expire and that they attach a renewal form. If I fail to complete and resend it, they will treat it as a 1 months notice.
What should I do about it? I am not happy about having to renew the contract for another 6 months, as I was planing to rent something bigger with my boyfriend - he's just looking for a job in the town and as soon as he gets one, we will be able to start living together.
I will be extremely grateful for some advice.
Thank you!

Very sharp practice, sounds like blackmail.  Tell them to bog off.  You are on a periodic tenancy.  They cannot take your non compliance of something they have sent as your notice of anything.  You have to provide this. 

Do you know the LL's address or contact details?  If not I'd go to the land registry and get them for a couple of quid (the LA has to give you these but you would be tipping them off) and write the landlord a quick letter saying "XYZ agency is trying to force me to sign a contract so that they receive their renewal fees, if they don't get these fees they are going to evict me"  and see how that goes down.  I bet they are unaware this is happening.

They have to give you 2 months notice via a section 21 to request you leave.  A renewal form and 1 months notice is not legally valid.  I would completely ignore the letter, let them assume incorrectly that you have 'given notice' and let them crack on with whatever mental scheme they are trying to get away with.

The only way they can get you out is via a section 21, then if you are still there after the section 21 date they would have to apply to court which would take another month or so, so wait for the section 21, that gives you at least 2 months, stay after the expiry and then leave just before court if that suits you. 

I would ignore the letter. Seems the route of least effort. Let them chase their tails a bit.

Knew I'd get OPW'd with the long reply I gave.