Page 3 | Landlord has said he might put the rent up now I’ve got a roommate. Is he being unreasonable?

Tenantlandlord · 2021-05-27T21:04:52+00:00

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?

JustLyra · 28/05/2021 08:37

PS I don’t know what you’d do about a deposit for the tenant in this situation.

There’s no obligation to use deposit protection or anything for a lodger

MadinMarch · 28/05/2021 10:03

However it depends on how well you know the flat mate and his expectations in the situation, and if the landlord is willing to take cash in hand for say six months to see how it all goes.

Please don't suggest anything to do with cash in hand!
Most landlords wouldn't accept being complicit in an illegal tax dodge with their tenants. Morals aside, it also means tenants could have a massive threat to hold over the landlord if there was ever any disagreement.

user1497207191 · 28/05/2021 10:05

@JamesAnderson

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

That depends. The landlord could have let it on the basis on one resident in the first place. Lots of single people rent 2 bed homes either for storage, the occasional visitor or a home office etc.

DelilahTheParrot · 28/05/2021 12:45

@MadinMarch some of the views of what LL should / could do on here are just astounding, there’s such a disconnect.

I can’t imagine any LL accepting cash in hand, it’s just not worth the risk and there’s far too much of a paper trail when it comes to agents fees and self assessment.

Original poster

Tenantlandlord · 28/05/2021 20:09

@SmallPrawnEnergy I'm sorry if I've caused offence, obviously that wasn't my intention. It was suppose to be light hearted. Whilst I've not been diagnosed with OCD, I have suffered with OCD tendencies since I was a teenager and I understand it's a horrible thing to live with. As I mentioned in my op I've suffered with mental health problems too so I'd never take the piss.

Thanks for all the feedback - interesting to hear other people's views. I'm very lucky that my LL hasn't increased the rent in the time that I've lived here and can understand why he'd think it would be a perfect time to do so now. I'm not profiting from the lodger living here as he's basically making up what I've lost in wages. If I was still in full time work I'd have no issue with
LL increasing it as I would be saving money, but that's just not the case which he knows as I've already explained it to him.

The one thing I will say is that in the 6 years that I've lived here, I've never asked him to pay towards repairs. My upstairs neighbours shower leaked into my bathroom as did my shower 3 months later into my downstairs hallway. I paid a friend to plaster and paint over the damaged ceilings/walls. I had rats in my kitchen cupboard and paid pest control to come out and sort it. My garden fence collapsed a year after I moved in and I paid a friend to come and fit new panels as the old one had rotted. I'm not using this as a bargaining chip as I was happy to do all of these things (I want to make it a nice home) but I just thought there might of been a bit of give and take...

OP posts:

WellLarDeDar · 28/05/2021 20:19

If it was contracted per person/per room then I think it's fair but it sounds like LL is just making up what they feel like willy nilly and it's not based on a rental agreement so not really sure what to say tbh. It's not really fair if it's not already in a rental agreement that LL can do that if another person moves in.

DelilahTheParrot · 28/05/2021 21:32

@Tenantlandlord if he hasn’t increased rent on his side in 6 year then there has been a lot of give from him already.

The other question was when your renewal is due, is he suggesting he increase the rent in line with the timing of your tenancy agreements, or not?

Newkitchen123 · 28/05/2021 22:12

The leaks should have been covered by insurance.
Rats in your kitchen surely are your problem not his.
You've had no increase in six years I really don't think you can complain.
If the increase is in line with market value then stay, if it's not then move out

BreedingOinkers · 28/05/2021 22:16

The one thing I will say is that in the 6 years that I've lived here, I've never asked him to pay towards repairs. My upstairs neighbours shower leaked into my bathroom as did my shower 3 months later into my downstairs hallway. I paid a friend to plaster and paint over the damaged ceilings/walls. I had rats in my kitchen cupboard and paid pest control to come out and sort it. My garden fence collapsed a year after I moved in and I paid a friend to come and fit new panels as the old one had rotted. I'm not using this as a bargaining chip as I was happy to do all of these things (I want to make it a nice home) but I just thought there might of been a bit of give and take

well that was a bit silly if you! There’s rarely give & take with landlords, usually just take

Cherrysoup · 28/05/2021 22:17

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.

Tell him this formally, remind him you have lost wages.

DifficultBloodyWoman · 28/05/2021 23:37

The one thing I will say is that in the 6 years that I've lived here, I've never asked him to pay towards repairs. My upstairs neighbours shower leaked into my bathroom as did my shower 3 months later into my downstairs hallway. I paid a friend to plaster and paint over the damaged ceilings/walls. I had rats in my kitchen cupboard and paid pest control to come out and sort it. My garden fence collapsed a year after I moved in and I paid a friend to come and fit new panels as the old one had rotted. I'm not using this as a bargaining chip as I was happy to do all of these things (I want to make it a nice home) but I just thought there might of been a bit of give and take...

The give and take includes him not putting up the rent in 6 years. You are well overdue a rent review.

Also, a number of those issues are the landlord’s responsibility, not the tenants. He may have insurance in place to deal with them. Please read your tenancy agreement to see what is your responsibility and what is the landlord’’s.

sophiasnail · 29/05/2021 05:05

I would tell your landlord you are worried and ask if he really intends to put the rent up and by how much. Then you know exactly where you stand and whether you need to be worrying.

Geamhradh · 29/05/2021 06:07

A bigger issue than him putting the rent up (within the legal limits obviously) is the whole breaching of contract by you sub-letting, and how that affects everyone's insurance, council tax etc, surely?
Is it worth the hassle and stress?
To be completely above board, you need a new contract drawing up including the other person as a tenant. And that person should pay the landlord, not you.
Otherwise it will go wrong. Always does.

Geamhradh · 29/05/2021 06:10

I'd also be wary of using the "well I'll have to move out" argument- the rental market has suddenly gone mad in certain areas. My cousin works for an agency and yesterday had 20 people looking at the same property.

bigbaggyeyes · 29/05/2021 06:32

He's the landlord so he's nbu to raise the rent at any point, however you can then look to move. Might be worth speaking to him next time he mentions it, tell him what you've said in your op about being able to afford it and that if he puts up the rent you'll no longer be able to afford it so may have to move. If you've been a good tenant he may think it's better to leave it as it is

eatsleepread · 29/05/2021 06:49

I don't think you not profiting financially from the second lodger is really the landlord's problem. And to be fair, your mental health will improve from the change.
I think you're getting ahead of yourself a bit. Ask him what he has in mind for the increase. If it's an extra hundred quid a month, then presumably you could cover this? If it's an extra few hundred, then that's more of an issue.
You need to communicate with your landlord.
And it does sound like you were due a rent increase anyway.
Hope a mutually satisfactory outcome can be reached soon, OP

tentosix · 29/05/2021 09:20

Just look into whether the rent is reasonable for a similar property in the area, and whether other properties charge the same. Estate agents should help.

user1471538283 · 29/05/2021 09:28

I would tell him that if he puts the rent up you will have to leave. Decent tenants are like gold dust and there are alot of vacant flats and houses in our city.

That said I told our landlord that four people live in one of his two beds and our contracts are for two people. He wasnt interested. Some are just interested in the money

Chamomileteaplease · 29/05/2021 10:27

Whatever else happens, stop covering the landlord's costs regarding flooding, leaks, rats etc! Why would you do that?

vivainsomnia · 29/05/2021 11:26

Maybe he didn't increase rent in all these years because he acknowledged your taking care of some costs that should have been his responsibilities, but now he knows you wouldn't be able to take care of these, it makes sense to increase the rent in case repairs are required.

Also, if the income from the lodger makes up for your lost wages, surely, you'd be in the same position if he increased the rent now, which again would be perfectly reasonable after 5 years.

Stop paying for any repairs but don't moan about a rent increase after 6 years, it's ridiculous to expect the same level of rent for such a long period with no increase.

DelilahTheParrot · 29/05/2021 11:53

Decent tenants are like gold dust and there are alot of vacant flats and houses in our city

This isn’t the case everywhere. I let a house in March. It went within 12 hours after a bidding war between two single, professionals, with another 8 viewings lined up the following day. The new rent is 10% higher than the former tenants were paying. In part because I didn’t increase rent very much over past 4 years because they were good tenants, in part because the two tenants were competing with each other due to lack of supply.

Coronawireless · 29/05/2021 11:55

Maybe he didn’t raise the rent before because he was acknowledging that you might find it hard to pay more on your own so he was letting you off lightly?

Frankola · 29/05/2021 13:34

If you took on a lodger in your landlords home then you are actually subletting.

Many landlords don't allow this so you're lucky that yours has.

I'm not surprised he wants more rent. You could essentially turn a profit by renting HIS property yourself.

ConfusedAdultFemale · 29/05/2021 13:38

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JustLyra · 29/05/2021 19:07

@Geamhradh

A bigger issue than him putting the rent up (within the legal limits obviously) is the whole breaching of contract by you sub-letting, and how that affects everyone's insurance, council tax etc, surely? Is it worth the hassle and stress? To be completely above board, you need a new contract drawing up including the other person as a tenant. And that person should pay the landlord, not you. Otherwise it will go wrong. Always does.

The Op isn’t sub letting as she still lives there. And the other person isn’t a tenant.

They’re a lodger.