Landlord asked me to leave, what compensation to ask for?

[Whooo]

I’m in my 20s and moved to London 5 years ago for work - renting the same apartment since.

My landlord wants to sell the apartment and issued an invalid Section 21 notice. I don’t believe this notice is valid as my deposit isn’t protected, so I mentioned it to my landlord in confusion. I added that I am happy to negotiate as ultimately I don’t want housing stress over my head.

They basically came back with a response to say, they really want vacant possession asap and are really wanting to avoid court. they have asked me if I’m willing to move out this month and essentially help them out so they can sell the property immediately as they need the money from the sale. As a starting offer they have said they will immediately refund the deposit.

I’m willing to engage with this but I am also thinking this isn’t enough. What would you ask for to facilitate this?

• for example, Royal Mail redirection costs
• I work fully from home, and to get my internet switched over will lead to me not having service for 3 days which will impact on my ability to work.
• Costs of moving my furniture/belongings and having to potentially put into storage as most places come furnished

just wanted to get feedback on if there is anything else I have missed, as it’s a stressful situation

The query wasn't whether the certificates are legally needed. It was actually whether this particular landlord had arranged for the annual gas checks and the EICR to be done.

There is no current buy to let boom- in fact it's going the other way with many landlords selling up.
Landlords selling up certainly doesn't help renters- less rental properties drives up rents.
Not everyone wants to, or is able to buy.

It cannot go to court!
The contract is invalid. The courts won’t deal with it.
I’ve been in the situation myself!
Technically she can stay in the house forever.

That's a good point!

When my agents were sending out the S21 I was paranoid about there being even the slightest error on it, because I'd have been in desperate straits re paying my late mum's debts, had her tenants held all the cards.

Yes the Section 21 is currently invalid, but it does not mean the tenant can stay in the property indefinitely. The landlord can return the deposit and then start the Section 21 process again. Source: https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/tenancy_deposits/what_to_do_about_an_unprotected_tenancy_deposit

Separate to this, the tenant can claim 1-3 x the deposit from court as remedy for the unprotected deposit. This can be claimed even after the deposit has been returned.

The LL can put it in the deposit scheme now. Then serve section 21 again. The LL has until April 30th to serve a valid section 21. The deposit must be in scheme on day section 21 is served. Are you sure LL did not put deposit into deposit scheme or they could have possibly insured your deposit with the insurance deposit scheme, which is also legally valid too?

Were you issued How to Rent when you moved in? Do you have a valid gas and electric certificate? Were you given EPC certificate showing E or above? If no to any of these your LL has broken the law

They can't stay in the property forever! The landlord can use a section 8 as an alternative if selling the property, and the deposit not being protected isn't relevant.

That’s not true. If you carry on paying the rent the landlord can’t issue a section 8 if the contract isn’t legal (because the deposit wasn’t protected) in the first place.
I've experienced this whole scenario.

Are you saying that the tenant can live there Indefinitely so basically taking ownership without having to buy the property?

Landlords can get back in compliance by returning the deposit (as this landlord has offered to). However, OP has said she is still within her contracted period, so the landlord won’t be able evict her without either some break clause in the contract that we don’t know about, behaviour by OP that effectively breaches the contract sufficiently, or waiting.