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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU Rent Rage!

22 replies

LouBlue1507 · 29/09/2016 17:10

I live in a pub that's been converted into a few flats (2 flats on the ground floor and 2 flats on the 1st).

The people above us are moving out today and I've found out that we're paying the same amount of rent. We pay £550pcm for a 2bed flat and the people above pay the same for a larger, 3bed flat!

AIBU to be a bit miffed about this? I can't see the justification in it! (I know the LL can charge what he likes! It's just slightly irritating! 😡

OP posts:

PNGirl · 29/09/2016 17:12

If they moved in a few years ago that may have been the going rate when they moved in. Or yours maybe in better nick?

LoudBatPerson · 29/09/2016 17:14

Maybe rent not changes since they first moved in, your flat is better spec, premium for being on the ground floor, do you have access to a garden and they didn't?

Maybe they just negotiated a better rate.

Could be anything really. If it bugs you that much you could ask LL to decrease your rent but I doubt you would get very far.

Have you seen what it is being advertised for to new tenants?

PersianCatLady · 29/09/2016 17:17

Why don't you ask if you can swap flats?

Original poster

LouBlue1507 · 29/09/2016 17:42

LL has new tenants lined up and I don't think I could manage with DD (9weeks) and her car seat/pushchair up and down the stairs!

Same spec in all the flats and tenants moved in the month before we did so not a huge time difference! Ah well just one of those things I guess grrrrrrr

OP posts:

Ninasimoneinthemorning · 29/09/2016 17:44

Yeah that would piss me off too. The number of rooms should reflect in the price. Contact your LL and ask him about if.

HereIAm20 · 29/09/2016 17:49

Are you sure you have the same landlord? I own a flat in a similar set up which I rent out but the other 3 are owned by other landlords and 2 have tenants.

It may just be that Landlord has fewer overheads such as a smaller mortgage so keeps his rent lower so it is more competitive and less likely to be empty at any time. It may be that they are friends of the upstairs landlord and got mates rates.

Your landlord may have to charge the rent he does ( which must be at a sensible market rate or you would not have taken the flat) to cover his outgoings (mortgage, ground rent, service charge, insurance etc).

Babyroobs · 29/09/2016 17:51

I would guess he can charge more for a ground floor flat for the very reasons you would like to stay there- it's easy for parents of young children with buggies etc or for a person with limited mobility. I imagine they are more desirable or people for a variety of reasons.

PersianCatLady · 29/09/2016 17:59

I don't think I could manage with DD (9weeks) and her car seat/pushchair up and down the stairs!
So the GFF actually has some advantages over the FFF, perhaps that is why it is cheaper?

Alisvolatpropiis · 29/09/2016 18:01

Aren't ground floor properties generally a bit more expensive?

TheNaze73 · 29/09/2016 18:06

YABU. As you said it's the LL's shout

Littleballerina · 29/09/2016 18:13

You are ground floor.

PersianCatLady · 29/09/2016 19:50

OP - You don't want to leave in the FFF for £550 because it is not as convenient for you but yet you are angry that the LL charges the same amount of rent for both flats.

I don't understand it?????

Have you been in the FFF, how big are the bedrooms?

Original poster

LouBlue1507 · 29/09/2016 20:29

I don't want to move anyway, I like my flat and have decorated the baby's nursery already...
... The flat above is 3 double bedrooms so a decent size. I don't want to move just couldn't understand the pricing! Also a bit miffed that were charged a flat rate for utilities the same as the flat above.. There's 2 of us here and five people in the flat above! Surely they use more electric/gas/water so why are we paying the same a month?

OP posts:

Cheby · 29/09/2016 21:36

You're paying a premium for being on the ground floor. As you say, you wouldn't want to move upstairs. A lot of people are the same. Therefore ground floor flats are more expensive.

PersianCatLady · 29/09/2016 21:38

Also a bit miffed that were charged a flat rate for utilities the same as the flat above
Usually each flat has its own gas, electric and water supply and the tenant is responsible for paying their bill.

I would probably query this arrangement.

Amethyst81 · 29/09/2016 23:47

Yes this would annoy me too. You are ground floor with higher premium, but then upstairs has an extra bedroom so that surely cancels that out. A flat rate for utilities is not fair either.

OrangeFluff · 30/09/2016 02:00

Abit off topic, but I must be the only person here who would prefer the first floor! In my experience noise above you is 10x worse than noise below you. I would want to pay less for a smaller ground floor flat unless it has a garden.

PageStillNotFound404 · 30/09/2016 06:56

Not just you OrangeFluff. Both my previous flats were first floor - as well as the noise issue, I've found them generally more secure too (no one peering in your windows etc!)

Original poster

LouBlue1507 · 30/09/2016 11:01

That's true ladies! The noise above our bedroom is ridiculous at times! The added security too! My flat is so hot as I can't leave windows open during the day or night!

OP posts:

YelloDraw · 30/09/2016 11:36

I hate ground floor flats! Much better to be up high - less noise, more privacy, more secure. Generally nicer.

PersianCatLady · 30/09/2016 11:40

I must be the only person here who would prefer the first floor!
No, I would also prefer the FFF every time.

I lived in a bungalow once and obviously had to sleep on the ground floor and I hated it.

tootsietoo · 30/09/2016 11:44

I have two identical flats in the same building. I get £20 a month more for one of the flats. Only because when I was letting one of them the market was really dead (middle of summer I think) and I had to negotiate the asking rent down to get a tenant in. I will try to put it back up soon, but haven't got round to it. It's just down to what they can get at the time.

The flat rate for utilities will be because the developer didn't want to split the utilities when they refurbished the pub. You will not believe how expensive, painful and time consuming it is to get new supplies into each flat. It's much easier to keep one supply and split the cost between each flat. It is possible to put sub-meters in to each flat to measure each tenant's usage, but it is such a faff to then calculate what proportion of each bill is to be paid by each tenant that a flat rate is more straightforward to manage. Not quite as fair, but if you have got good demand for the flats then the tenants will usually just suck it up, some win, some lose.

As a tenant, you need to know nothing is set in stone - you can negotiate for anything you want. It's always worth asking.

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