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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think a 10% rent rise is too much?

30 replies

kimi · 04/05/2007 12:53

So today the letting agent rings and says that as our lease is up for re-newing he has spoken to the landlords (they live in Canada) and they are happy to renew with a "small" rent raise.
The small raise is £100 a month making the rent £1,150 per month.
My response was a un-lady like fuck off!!!!!!

It is a Ex council house, ok it has a nice extension on it but it is nothing special.
The people before us move out on police advice as he was a drug dealer and had scum come and hold his girlfriend and kids at gun point, (although that was the people not the area, we do not live in THAT type of area).

I am so stressed and I don't need this at all. I do not really want to move as I do not want to unsettle the kids as DS1 moves schools in September and I am not going to be the sort of mother who drags my kids from house to house, they coped well with the move after DH1 and I split.

You would think they would be glad that they have decent people living in the house and we pay the rent on time every month.

I am so fed up, I hate living in "someone else's" house as it is, but I do not really want to have all the stress of a move.
I guess the f*wit has us over a barrel and we will have to pay up.

Sorry for the rant........

OP posts:
dmo · 04/05/2007 13:40

omg thats loads more than i pay on my morgage poor you

Mumpbump · 04/05/2007 13:41

Counter them. I think when the rent on my 2-bed flat went up, it was £25 at a time.

LIZS · 04/05/2007 13:42

Seems steep but can you check out market rents before you respond , when was it last increased ?

Original poster
kimi · 04/05/2007 13:46

We have only been there a year so this is the first increase.

OP posts:
LIZS · 04/05/2007 13:47

Can the letting agents say when it last increased ?

pollydoodle · 04/05/2007 13:54

Kimi, do some homework before talking to the lettings agent again. Check to see what the current rents are for your sort of house in your area; if they are asking for something unreasonable then it is always useful to have facts to hand to justify your arguments and to suggest a more reasonable rent.

It's also worth pointing out that the property only needs to be empty for about a month and they will have lost any benefit of an increased rent and will have to pay more agency fees to get it re-let.

You mentioned the owners are in Canada; it could be that they based the rise on what is happening in Canada, or because they had read that rents are gettting more expensive in the UK or because it was a nice number to pluck out of the air and they thought it was worth a try. So find out why they chose 10% and see if you can then twist their argument around to show that the rise should actually be what you want it to be. so if they say it's because that's what happening in Canada, you can say well here in this area they are only going up 4% (or down if you are really lucky!), just popping your own figures in...

good luck!

Idreamofdaleks · 04/05/2007 13:54

You need to do some research - if the new rent is over the going rate for this type of house in this area then tell the agents that you won't pay it and it will stand empty.

If the new rate IS the going rate then you may as well pay it unless you are prepared to move somewhere cheaper. Have a chat with the agent once you have done your research and try to make friends with them - they could help with the negotiations and if not they could find you somewhere else nice potentially.

Good luck, this must have been a nasty shock. Your rent is very high in the first place, I struggle to pay my mortgage which is a lot less than that.

Original poster
kimi · 04/05/2007 14:05

Thank you everyone, I am not having a good day and this has not helped,

1] DP big meeting today and I spill milk on him and his clean suit at breakfast
2] I go to the Dr and have to go for blood test's next week as my kidneys and now my heart will not behave
3] letting agent was not what i needed today

OP posts:
mrsmalumbas · 04/05/2007 14:11

Hi - poor you. We also rent, and our lease is up for renewal soon too. We are actually moving but we have done our research and don't think that rents have gone up in general at all since last year, if anything the market has softened a bit. I agree, have a look around and see what's out there. You do have some bargaining power IF you do your homework and the property being empty for a month or two while they find new tenants is a good bargaining chip. Prime location and rightmove UK are good websites to use or just speak to local agents. Go and view some if you can. If it's any help we rent a big detatched three bedroom chapel conversion (which is very nice) for about 1200 a month, and are moving to a newer semi-detached three bedroom plus study for 800 a month. Not quite as nice as our chapel but a big saving. But of course it all depends where you live.

granarybeck · 04/05/2007 14:26

Kimi, I may be wrong but I thought housing law stipulated a certain percentage increase that rent could be put up to existing tenants. Have a look at the Shelter website for advice.

Original poster
kimi · 04/05/2007 18:09

thank you GB i will look.

OP posts:
ScoobyDooooo · 04/05/2007 18:13

Do you have a contract? on your contract there should be a part which states how much max they can up the rent mine used to be 2.5% i think there is a law on this so i would look into it!

Judy1234 · 04/05/2007 19:09

There is no restriction on ordinary rent increases so if someone chose they could double the rent as it's not a free market. We used to have virtually no property to rent and rent controls, rights to stay forever. The freeing up of the market meant much more to rent but at a price. However your contract might say only increase each year by the retail prices index for example so read it carefully. Also they might be persuaded to keep the rent as it is if you say you will otherwise leave and if it would be hard for them to find someone else to take it on. Is it possible to get a mortgage and buy somewhere near by which would not cost any more in terms of monthly cost?

makkapakka · 04/05/2007 19:10

yes - about 2% is reasonable - you can refuse to pay it.

thequeenofcontradiction · 04/05/2007 19:35

Our contract stipulates a maximum of 7.5% a year. However we have been here over three years and have never had a rent rise. I think the landlord would rather have us here than get someone else in.

I think 10% is too much.

Original poster
kimi · 05/05/2007 08:22

DP spoke to the letting agent yesterday and said he will not pay more the a 4% rise in line with inflation, now we just have to wait for the agent to find out from the owner if he will except that.
There is a bit in out lease that says about rent rising in line with inflation. 10% is well above inflation.

OP posts:
Idreamofdaleks · 05/05/2007 09:33

10% is probably not above house price inflation though.

I think they will accept your 4% offer.

Genidef · 05/05/2007 11:37

Let us know how it goes.

Judy1234 · 05/05/2007 12:18

Can you type on here the exact words of the bit in the lease about inflation? I suppose even if there is a limit they don't have to renew the contract though.

yellowrose · 05/05/2007 12:57

hi kimi - i haven't read whole thread just your post, get you local council to do a rent assessmnet.

10% in one go seems very unreasonable, unless the house was let at a rate that was too low before ? (doubtful, most landlords and agencies know the going rate for their property before letting it, very unlikely they would underprice) even so, it is unreasonable to let out low and then hike it up substantially like this once people move in. not sure what the law says on this, again your local rent officer or CAB may be able to help.

i think you can pick up a form from your council and they have to come round and do a rent assessment. of course if they agree it is a fair rent, you might just be better off moving out eventually. i always think shit landlords don't deserve good tenants, so let them get someone else in if they can.

Original poster
kimi · 05/05/2007 17:47

Xenia I will get the lease and type it here, but going to be in and out all weekend.
Worrying a lot about this now.

OP posts:
suzycreamcheese · 05/05/2007 18:05

kimi it is alot to pay in rent and huge hike imo..would a mortgage not be cheaper?
salaries rarely rise like this, well for normal folks anyway, this is out of order...

SenoraPostrophe · 05/05/2007 18:14

xenia - there are no controls on rent rises between contracts, which is one of the reasons I have railed against the law so much on other threads.

kimi - why don't you make them an offer? It's in the landlords' interests to keep good tenants rather than have to find new ones, potentially losing a month's rent. I'd try offering 1090.

Original poster
kimi · 05/05/2007 18:28

Well DP told the agents he would only go up to 4%.

I really can't deal with the stress of moving tbh, but I will not be blackmailed in to paying them that much as I feel the house s not worth what we pay as it is.

OP posts:
SenoraPostrophe · 05/05/2007 19:08

I know, I hate moving too. we're moving from Spain to UK with 3 kids under 5 in 2 months.

I'm trying to think of it as a much needed big sort out.

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