Help! Private Landlord tenancy renewal problem!

[ninjanurse]

Was wondering if there was anyone who could help me with this problem?

Have been living in my private rented house for almost 2 years. My lease is up on the 24th April. As luck would have it, we are now in a position to buy a house and so have been looking at houses to purchase. I have spoken to the letting agent regarding going on to a rolling month by month contract, once the current lease is up instead of signing another 12 month contract.

The landlord has replied that she wishes me to sign another 12 month contract, she would consider a 6 month break clause written into the contract. She says her tenancy insurance does not cover periodic rental agreements?

I am anxious now at finding a house but being stuck here with x amounts of rent to still pay.

So, can this be legally enforced? Or can I just not sign another contract? Would she then take steps to evict me? As if house buying wasnt stressful enough!!

Thanks all in advance.

[aufaniae]

I don't know anything about the legal side, but I suspect if she can't do it there's not much you can do about it other than sign or move. I know it's not ideal for you, but you may have to find somewhere else to rent.

It could take a while to find a house, I reckon if you start now you'd be lucky to be actually in your new place in 6 months (although I could be wrong!). The problem in your current place is when the 6 months is up, you'll be in the same position again.

How about you look for somewhere new to rent and offer to sign a 6 month contract and go to rolling 6 months afterwards? (Just to make yourself more attractive to a LL).

What you need really is a lovely flexible private LL (we have one of these, luckily! And are moving into the house we bought in 2 weeks, eek!). Try looking on Gumtree and other places where private LLs advertise.

I'm not saying don't speak to the agents - if you need to move quickly you'll need to cast your net wide! However I've found agents to be pretty inflexible in the past.

When will the agent want you to sign another contract? In your shoes I'd give it till then to try to find another place, if you can't then it'll have to be the 6 months.

We've had to pay 2 months more rent that we would have liked, because of the timing of various things. It sucks!

[ninjanurse]

Thanks aufanie. Im just reluctant to move to another rented and then move to a purchased house. Im sick of moving! You are right though, we have pretty much looked at all available houses to buy in our area and none of them are leaping out at us at the moment. If it took 2-3 months to find a house, by the time everything goes through, it would take us to the 6 month break point anyway.

Its just more stress. This is why I want to get out of rented so badly!!!

[Curioustiger]

I would make the point to your ll that as a tenant she knows, with a good track record of rent payment / looking after the property, you are worth more than the security offered by rental insurance. I am a ll and that is certainly how I would feel - I would just not renew my insurance until you'd moved on.. I would put this in an email in the hope the agent forwards it directly to her.

Bear in mind the agent has a vested interest here as they normally charge renewal fees contingent on a signed contract for extension. One of many reasons I don't use agents! You probably can't get around it but if you have any means of contacting the ll directly I would.