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AIBU?

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Original poster

Landlord has said he might put the rent up now I’ve got a roommate. Is he being unreasonable?

78 replies

Tenantlandlord · 27/05/2021 22:04

I’ve rented a two bedroom flat for the last 6 years. I get on well with my landlord and like to think (hope) I’m a decent tenant. I’ve worked full time since living here but recently suffered a breakdown over the last few months and as a result I decided to leave my (very stressful) job. I thought I would have to give up the flat as I could only find part time work, which unfortunately meant I wasn’t able to cover all the rent and bills on my own. I went back and fourth on the idea of renting my spare bedroom out and asked my landlord a couple of months ago if I could do it. He had no issues with it and said that was fine, especially if it meant I could stay. I’ve now found someone who moved in a couple of weeks ago, so far so good. I’m still working part time but even if I find full time work I might just see how it goes with the roommate and if it works out he can stay long term if he chooses to.

My landlord has recently made a couple of comments in reference to putting the rent up. Can he do that? If so is he being unreasonable? Am I?

OP posts:
RedHelenB · 27/05/2021 22:06

I suppose another person in the house is more wear and tear? How much is he putting it up by?

pheasantsinlove · 27/05/2021 22:08

Landlords often raise the rent a bit annually, if it's not been raised for the past 6 years then he's not being unreasonable, landlord costs have gone up during that time (tax/insurance/agent fees etc)

Maybe try and have an open conversation with him, does he realise that your financial circumstances have significantly changed?

JamesAnderson · 27/05/2021 22:10

It's a two bedroom property. The rent should allow for the wear and tear of two people at least

Dollhousedoor · 27/05/2021 22:11

If your rent includes bills I think the landlord could be thinking about his increased costs though I'm not sure whether he can do so as it probably depends on what you have in writing? Whilst I think he should have been upfront about his intentions if you added an extra person, especially knowing that you were doing so as you were struggling to pay bills, the higher occupancy means that two people will have showers each morning, charging two lots of devices, bedroom lights and personal tvs in evening etc?

fallfallfall · 27/05/2021 22:15

maybe it increases his insurance costs?
are you even allowed to sublet a room as per your contract?

Slippy78 · 27/05/2021 22:16

Rent increases: when & how can rent be increased?

Original poster
Tenantlandlord · 27/05/2021 22:17

@Dollhousedoor no, rent does not include bills. I pay all council tax, water rates, gas, electric and Wifi separately. I'd have no issue with him increasing the rent if I was still in full time employment as in theory I'd be saving money, but the roommate is only making up what I've lost in wages every month.

I see what you all mean about wear and tear, but hand on heart I am an OCD psycho Blush so can't see there being much "wear and tear" personally, there certainly hasn't been any in the last 6 years anyway!

OP posts:
FortniteBoysMum · 27/05/2021 22:17

I believe it can go up yearly. When was the last increase? If it does go up it has to be within a reasonable amount I believe.

HalzTangz · 27/05/2021 22:18

He can do it as your tenancy has changed. When you took on the property you took it as a single person. It is now a property share with two tenants

Original poster
Tenantlandlord · 27/05/2021 22:19

Just to clarify - my landlord knows I only took in a roommate to cover the rest of the rent & bills, so I wouldn't have to move out.

OP posts:
ihatethefuckingmuffin · 27/05/2021 22:24

Moving in another person shouldn’t mean an increase in rent. The property would have been marketed as a 2 bed not per person. If it was then this is the ll own fault.

Yearly rents are increased by most owners. In England iirc there is a cap on how much the increase can be.

Ginuwine · 27/05/2021 22:25

What is this new fresh hell being presented here about "rent can go up to allow for the wear and tear of two people"

So we set sliding tariffs now for occupancy and immediately adjust them according to who's in residence?

I let a lot of property and the advertised fee is for the size of property.

If my two bed house is rented by one person (and this did happen once, for three years!) then they pay the advertised price. If a family of three rents it then they rented it at that price.

The price wasn't set according to likely wear and tear. It was set according to what the market would stand for that square footage and location.

Let's be real here.

Ginuwine · 27/05/2021 22:28

@ihatethefuckingmuffin

Moving in another person shouldn’t mean an increase in rent. The property would have been marketed as a 2 bed not per person. If it was then this is the ll own fault.

Yearly rents are increased by most owners. In England iirc there is a cap on how much the increase can be.

This is spot on. It would have been marketed according to what the agency (if involved) and landlord believed the market rate is based on size and location.

It's not a mini census where potential tenants are vetted and their footfall and house hold size is plotted against a graph for potential wear and tear. And each individual household is offered a sliding scale of price. Ha! That's not how it works.

In short this landlord now knows there's a bit more money coming in and he wants a cut of it. He's trying it.

Aalvarino · 27/05/2021 22:29

I think maybe just ask why he feels an extra person means more rent? Nicely and tactfully maybe.
It may be that they are hedging their bets to be honest, if you have told them that you are struggling to pay the rent. As in, they now see you as a default risk. I'm so sorry. It sucks. But I suspect it is this, or because their insurance costs have gone up.

sst1234 · 27/05/2021 22:34

You are subletting, it’s not a room mate. It doesn’t sound like a joint tenancy. He has allowed it, which is great because most landlords wouldn’t. But it’s like running a business at someone else’s expense, so it’s only fair that he gets part of the proceeds.

pheasantsinlove · 27/05/2021 22:38

Just what @sst1234 said.

On a tangent also remember that if you are subletting, their name is not on the contract. If they refuse/pay late, it's on you to pay the landlord full rent, if they cause damage it's your deposit at risk.

hibbledibble · 27/05/2021 22:55

Has the rent gone up in the past 6 years annually? If so, is your current rent at local market rates? I imagine you are paying well below market rates, and this is just a small increase.

DazzlingHaze · 28/05/2021 00:11

I would chance my arm and say I don't known if I'll be able to afford to stay in the property if the rent goes up. Your landlord let you sublet so you could afford to stay so he's obviously happy to have you there and understands the benefit of having a good tenant like you and also knows you were struggling with money. So if they think you will move out over it they might drop the issue or only add on a little bit extra. If they don't and you still want to stay you can always say you've managed to find a way to make it work and will stay and just pay the extra if you can afford it.

user1471457751 · 28/05/2021 00:33

You're essentially making money from his asset, it's mot surprising he wants a cut

littlepattilou · 28/05/2021 00:33

I think he does have the right to raise the rent sorry @Tenantlandlord

My niece and her boyfriend used to rent a 2 bed flat and were charged £450 a month. Then 8 months later, their mate moved in, and had the second bedroom.

The landlord raised the rent to £600. They were gutted as they thought the rent would be £450 still (£150 each for the three of them,) but the landlord raised it so it was £200 each. Not much of a saving!

Apparently the landlord had the right to raise the rent, as the terms of the tenancy changed, and I think they had to sign a new tenancy agreement.

Hankunamatata · 28/05/2021 00:36

Has he put up the rent in 6 years

goshthatsawful · 28/05/2021 02:42

I see what you all mean about wear and tear, but hand on heart I am an OCD psycho Blush

Sorry to hear you have OCD, it’s a terrible illness I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy

LaBellina · 28/05/2021 02:49

Is the rent including utilities? Does he have to pay more tax if he has two tenants? Perhaps higher insurance costs also?

I think he has been very kind to not raise the rent in 6 years and I think he’s not being unreasonable to do so by now.
He sounds nice overall.

Cameleongirl · 28/05/2021 02:52

I agree with PP's that if he hasn't raised the rent in six years, he wouldn't be unreasonable to do so now. Many landlords do raise the rent slightly annually.

DifficultBloodyWoman · 28/05/2021 02:54

When was the last time the landlord put the rent up?

That would inform my response.

If he hasn’t increased the rent in six years, then, yes, now is a reasonable time for him to do so. You have an unearned second income stream (subletting) and could potentially find other paid employment, so he doesn’t need to worry as much about you defaulting on the rent if it is increased.

If he increased the rent one month before he allowed you to sublet, then, yes, he is being a cheeky fucker trying to increase the rent just because you now have a second income source.