To be pissed off about landlord throwing us out then letting property out again

[orangeweight]

Landlord gave us notice right in the middle of coronavirus. Originally they said we could stay but they asked us to allow viewings in person them to sell the property and as it was still lockdown we refused.

He then offered us a discount to which we explained no that still won't be ok,
They then gave us 3 months notice. It was really bad timing, we'd been in for less than a year and rent prices were soaring due to us living on the outskirts of London and pretty much every property was being snapped up by people from London trying to move out of the city and into a greener area.
The landlord phoned us all the time saying when are you moving out, he said he would not make us pay the notice we just needed to move out. We tried very hard to move out early due to the pressure of the phone calls but again because of the rent prices and properties being snapped up so quickly we couldn't find anywhere any faster.

Eventually we did find somewhere and moved out early.
We then saw that property come back on the rental market straight away for more money. Literally 2 days after our last day.
I'm so annoyed. We never missed a payment. Always looked after the place etc. It cost a lot of money and stress to move our dc had to move. I know it's renting but still this seems so mean, they didn't even ask if we'd be willing to pay the extra and stay! AIBU to end so pissed off.

@orangeweight

I don't think the LL did anything illegal. Notice 21 wasn't served but we did leave. Just a shame they're able to do this. It must have been for money then. It was £800 more a month than what we were paying. We've ended up paying more than that anyway though so had they have offered that to us we'd have said yes to save all the hassle of moving.

I know it's not my owned home but seems quite mean to be able to push a family out and have new people in days later without even offering us the higher rent option first.

£800 MORE month

How much were you paying ? Way under the avenger for the size house and area

Not sure many people can find an extra £800 a month on top of usual rent

Well you did make things difficult by refusing to allow viewings so I don't blame them for not being considerate to you. You get what you give in life.

Good landlords should treat their property like a business transaction - but so should good tenants. When he gave you three month's notice that should be it. Agree to be out at the end of the three months, don't answer his calls, don't allow viewings. End of discussion.
I understand you're entitled to stay until the court says you can leave but you are technically breaking the law at that point - you're in breach of contract if you stay beyond your notice and you are in the wrong (that's why the courts will rule against you). People who say to wait until it's gone through the courts are dicks imo.
Your landlord sounds like a dick but a lot of landlords are. Nice landlords don't treat their properties like a business and will get screwed over. We just bought a house but renting was so tough. Our last landlord, for example, was a really nice guy but an awful, awful landlord. With tenants who wanted to screw him over, he'd be ruined. He left his stuff in the property which means he's technically liable for council tax. He didn't fix things for months on end and botched them, he was way too attached to the property, he didn't give sufficient notice, he had post coming to the house for him etc. Great guy but awful landlord and put himself in a vulnerable position.
Landlords and tenants need to know their rights, know the law and know when they're being screwed over.

I wouldn't be surprised if the landlord wanted more money AND different tenants. People on landlord forums were getting very twitchy during coronavirus as they realised how much money they stood to lose if their tenants fell on hard times and couldn't be evicted fairly quickly.

Councils won't rehome people who move out voluntarily when given notice to do so; they'd say you'd made yourself voluntarily homeless, so you are advised to stay put until the LL goes through the legal process to evict you. This can be longwinded and all the while the landlord has no money coming in. Universal Credit is also quite a mess - when UC screws over recipients, landlords don't get their rent - so landlords ideally would want tenants who are very financially secure, e.g. two good incomes and no kids.

My tenants are good and I wouldn't actually ask them to leave, but from a business POV I do regret having accepted a family on a modest income when I could have got tenants who are less likely to find themselves unable to pay the rent, which could end up costing me a vast amount of money. Where it's a landlord's market, they are probably going to want the "safest" tenants they can get.

As someone who owns rental properties, YANBU. I hate landlords like this, gives everyone a serious level of anxiety while renting that shouldn’t need to happen. The landlord acted illegally by harassing you - unacceptable behaviour, and really shit to try and force unnecessary and unorthodox in person viewings during a pandemic. Very clear they don’t prioritize the health and safety of their tenants, so despite the hassle, you’re definitely better off not living in their property.

Plus, they sound like an idiot - £800 increase per month means that property can’t have been at market value. It’s price gouging, and it’s gross. We gave deposits back, offered reduced rents or pauses where necessary, grim that some landlords figured it was a great time to make a fast buck when people were and are struggling.

I’m so sorry you were treated like this.

"I understand you're entitled to stay until the court says you can leave but you are technically breaking the law at that point - you're in breach of contract if you stay beyond your notice and you are in the wrong (that's why the courts will rule against you)."

This is completely wrong. Why on earth do people with zero knowledge of housing law make this shit up?!

The tenancy doesn't end until the tenant ends it or until the court grants a possession order.

It is not illegal to stay after a section 21 notice expires. And this landlord didn't even issue a section 21 notice FFS!

Well you did make things difficult by refusing to allow viewings so I don't blame them for not being considerate to you. You get what you give in life
You're a charmer.

@AnotherEmma

"I understand you're entitled to stay until the court says you can leave but you are technically breaking the law at that point - you're in breach of contract if you stay beyond your notice and you are in the wrong (that's why the courts will rule against you)."

This is completely wrong. Why on earth do people with zero knowledge of housing law make this shit up?!

The tenancy doesn't end until the tenant ends it or until the court grants a possession order.

It is not illegal to stay after a section 21 notice expires. And this landlord didn't even issue a section 21 notice FFS!

If you agree to leave on a certain date then that's a contract. To stay beyond that date is breach of contract. I didn't say anything about a s.21. Stop making things up to imply I'm incorrect or stupid. If you agree to leave a property on a certain date and then do not move out then that is a breach of contract. A s.21 notice is not a contract. I can't be any clearer. In a practical sense, it makes no difference whether you're in a breach of contract or not. But, in my opinion, it makes you a dick.