Bullied by estate agent - could go to the papers to retaliate?

[Auntieaunt]

I moved into the most stunningly beautiful building a month ago. It's central location to the city I work in and currently for sale for over 2 million. It's a shared house and one housemate is mentally unstable to say the least. I.e. will freely make remarks about her believing that Muslims should be gassed with gays, disabled and 'other' types of people. Said house mate has also made threatening comments to myself and my other housemates. I've never met anyone who has these beliefs, will speak so freely about said matters and then an estate agent who doesn't care.

Essentially we've received a message stating with such a beautiful building we can be replaced within a week so we can either put up or get out. Because the building is up for sale we're only on a 28 day rolling contract.

We have no rights as we're not technically not tenants. We've spoke to the landlord who isn't happy and had a serious conversation with the agency. Now the agency has screamed down the phone stating that we're messing with thousands of pounds of business for them. Essentially the agency is going to throw us all out except the extremist (spoke to the police but as it happened on private property it isn't illegal).

We're in a no win situation. The only thing we feel like we can do is go to the papers (I've left out some info but its prime front page daily mail material). But we would prefer to stay in the house, could I casually drop in going to the papers to the agency to stand up to the bully of the agency?

Dirty protest or torch the place. That'll learn 'em.

I'm sorry but no matter how vile they are (and they do sound vile), there is nothing you can really do but move out. Do you want the estate agent to make this person move out? The landlord to evict them? How is the estate agent bullying you?

I suggest you call shelter to get a better idea of your rights.

There's so much about this which makes no sense.

The building is up for sale so you'll have to move out at some point anyway, presumably?

As previous poster said, you're going to have to get used to people not thinking the same as you. And if it truly is that big a deal then find somewhere else to live.

What did you want your agent to do? The threatening comments to you might be something a landlord or agent could get involved with, if you're all renting separately from them. But not the racist views.

I've never met anyone who has these beliefs, will speak so freely about said matters
welcome to the real world you are in for a shock.
Estate agents or landlords cannot kick someone out because they don't like their views, where exactly do you think that would stop? Would you like nanny cams and instant expulsion if you trigger the alarm?

If there was a terrorist threat, the police would be interested, but that's not the case here is it.

Are you in a 'protect by occupation' deal where you have a license to stay there rather than being tenants?

At any rate, if this housemate is making you uncomfortable and you can't be there for the long term I think leaving will be much less stressful that trying to get them out.

Rolling 28-day contract is an expression I've heard in australia.

Are you on a licence rather than a tenancy? That’s what you usually do for short term situations to avoid void properties

I agree with the others this really isn’t anything to do with the estate agents. And the landlord is having you on- they’re the people who could do something about him and they won’t do not much else you can do

Um. You're not actually come out of this brilliantly yourself. This person is sounding bigoted about certain groups, with some deeply unpleasant language. But by assuming that an unpleasant bigot "is mentally unstable to say the least" I'm afraid you're coming across as a wee bit bigoted against people with mental health problems. Quite a lot of deeply unpleasant people have no mental health problems. Rather a lot of people with mental health problems are not, in any way, bigots. Please do not conflate the two.

If the agents are threatening eviction -Are you are an occupier with basic protection (because the rent is more than £100,000 a year for example?) Or are you a licensee?
Even so you are still entitled to a notice to quit with 28 days notice. The landlord will still need to apply for a court order once this has expired if you are still in the property and then apply for a bailiffs warrant.
If you have an AST then you will have a few more rights and be entitled to more notice (unless advanced possession proceedings are used)
Your rights to stay or leave really will depend on your security of tenure.
If you're a property guardian then different rules can apply depending on other factors.
I' don't think this is the advice you're after though and I cant help with the housemate situation or the press. Do you want to stay? If so, you do need to find a way to deal with housemate issues.

There’s no such thing as a “28 day rolling contract - there is. If a landlord chooses to let a tenancy 'roll' once the 6 or 12 month AST is over then it is known as such.

I can't see why this is an issue for the landlord, the agency or the papers. It's unfortunate but stuff like this happens in shared houses where the tenants didn't know each other prior to sharing. Best thing you can do is just find somewhere else to live.

AgathaF the OP says she moved in a week ago. And even if an AST lease had expired, the LL is required to give 2 calendar months notice, not 28 days.

PS sorry, she moved in a month ago, not a week!

AgathaF

Actually, there is no such thing as a “rolling 28 day tenancy”. You are referring to a periodic statutory tenancy which kicks in following the end of a fixed term. This has nothing to do with 28 days and the LL would still need to give a full two months notice to end the tenancy. This is clearly not what the OP is talking about.

OP...does a LL live in the property too? No? Then the agency is breaking the law by misinforming you of the nature of your tenancy. You are a tenant. Doesn’t matter what you did or didn’t sign...the law automatically grants you a six month fixed term (and the others in the flat). If they try and make you leave before then they’d be committing a criminal offence.

Call Shelter or the tenancy relations team at your local council.

I didn't want to go into too much detail about the housemate but think burning the British flag, supporter of the KKK, coming out with phrases like 'if I meet a Jew or a British Soldier i'll spit on them'. Apparently even if it's a Jewish child as the child will grow into being a jewish adult.

Now while I understand everyone is entitled and has different opinions I don't want them sleeping in the room next to me. This person also paints pictures of people being beheaded etc. It's more the lack of empathy that scares me as I can just avoid their company etc.

While those who said I've only lived there a month this person only moved in last week and shared all of these views over a group get-to-know each other meal. The fact this person didn't know us and was willing to share these opinions just makes us worry what they're hiding etc.

As a group we told the agency of the events that have caused us concern in turn we've got 'if you're not happy find somewhere else to live'.

Are you a live in property guardian?

So, seriously, take the estate agent’s advice and find somewhere else to live

If you are in England there sounds a lot illegal about this.

Anyway, get out. There are alternatives, even in London. Be better informed about local laws for your next rental.

You’re one of those live in guardians aren’t you?