Landlord advice regards to major work

[Atlas15]

Hi, I have been living in my flat for five years. Every year an inspection and tenancy renewal, as normal.
This year the landlord says they want to sell and will come round to have a discussion.
She comes round yesterday and started talking about renovating the flat and that major structural work will be needed on the bedroom walls and that I would have to camp out in the sitting room for a while.
I asked her what's going on with the tenancy are we signing a new contract? And she said no we will be on a rolling one. I said to her I need to know what's going on as I need security as to where I'm going to live. She kept saying don't worry even if I wanted you out today I couldn't it'll take months plus you can go down town hall ect.
She left and said that builders will be coming in two weeks to have a look.
It hit me that she wants to do all this work that will be a nuisance, not for me as the tenant but for who ever is going to buy it, whilst she recieves full rent. Then she will evict me and sell up.
Why should I put up with however long of building works and move all my bedroom stuff in the sitting room when she wants me out anyway?
Does that seem fair?
I'm thinking of telling her that she will have to evict me first then do the building works. What do you reckon?

[ParkingPatrol]

No it doesn't seem fair.
I can't give advice on the legal aspect but I would offer a lower rent whilst the work is being done, if it's a 1 bedroom flat and you no longer have use of bedroom you are effectively in a bedsit/studio.
If you refuse the work whilst you are living there (I don't think you can? But honestly don't know) she will give you a bad reference and it will make finding somewhere else a lot harder.

Sorry you are having to deal with this

[specialsubject]

Save the effort. Start looking for a new place and let her find a tenant who will put up with this. On a rolling you only need to give a months notice.

Forget the 'down town hall' idea. Effectively there is no council accommodation.

[RandomMess]

I would tell her that you are not prepared to have the work carried out whilst you are living there.

Find yourself somewhere else to live and then serve your notice.

[wowfudge]

Whilst sympathetic, Parking's reply doesn't really help you.

Your LL is either trying it on or clueless. You are entitled to the quiet enjoyment of the rented property for the duration of the tenancy, including should the fixed term become a rolling contract - a statutory periodic tenancy.

The LL wants to have her cake and eat it. The actual legal choice is to agree with you, not tell you, that the work is carried out while you continue to live there and drastically reducing the rent would be fair or she gives you notice, you move out and the work is done while the place is empty.

[Atlas15]

Thank you for your replies. I have put up with a lot for this landlord. I didn't have a boiler for two months at one point and for years I have been trying to get her to fix certain things but only now is she wanting to do this and it's because she wants to sell.
She said she was going to contact me in a few days I will tell her to reduce the rent or do the work after.
When she talks it sounds like she is doing you a favour it's only once you look at things that you realise she is being selfish.

[SauvignonPlonker]

She is definitely wanting to have her cake & eat it. She clearly wants to collect rent whilst doing renovations, at your inconvenience.
Any major work I have done in the flat has been arranged for in-between tenancies or during tenants holidays, to minimise interruptions.
I think the scenario you have described of her doing to place up & then serving you notice is probably what will happen.
As others have said, the best advice is to look around & find somewhere else, then give her notice.
I hope she has put your deposit in one of the recommended schemes?

[specialsubject]

Just leave. Don't support crap landlords.

Gas safe? Smoke alarms?

[scaryteacher]

I'm having quite a lot of work done to my house, and I certainly wouldn't expect a tenant to put up with it. It's one thing living with it when it's your own place and you have to live there whilst it's ongoing, but it's unfair on the tenant. External work not so much, as that doesn't affect the tenants to the same extent, but not internal work.

[YelloDraw]

Save the drama, just start looking for somewhere else to love and hand your notice in.

[PettsWoodParadise]

If the flat needs a lot of work I suspect (but don't know) that you may be paying below market rent and your landlord's attitude seems to bear this out. She knows that your choices are limited with a choice of moving out and paying a higher rent or the inconvenience. Personally being treated this way would not be acceptable. She will either up the rent after the renovations or serve notice on you. I can't see this ending well so if I were in your postion I would start looking for somewhere else ASAP. This is of course all conjecture so forgive me if I am way off course.

[Missgraeme]

Tell her u will have to take out extensive contents insurance if there will be builder's in and out of your home and the cost will be coming off the rent.

[ParkingPatrol]

wowfudge I did say I didn't know the legal aspect

Good luck with speaking to your landlord OP, there's not much worse than a shitty landlord - that's something I definitely do know!

[W8woman]

Guessing she wants you to leave of your own accord so that she doesn't have the delays associated with a section 21. No experienced landlord does major work with a tenant in situ as the hassle and potential liabilities are enormous.

Is your deposit protected?