Rent increase - fuck fuckity fuck!!!

[BlondeWaves]

Moved into my house 2.5 months ago and now having to move as had a letter from the landlord to say rent is going up by 150 a month. I KNOW I am being unreasonable but I am sat here sobbing because I've just settled here with my young child and the thought of having to go through all that upheaval again is so stressful. I can't afford the extra 150, I'm already stretched with the way everything has increased. This could happen again and again and I just hate our government and the way things are at the moment. I have no resentment towards my landlord as I know his mortgage has realistically gone up by more than 150 a month, but fuck, I'm so stressed. Don't even know what I want from this thread, maybe a handhold, maybe to be told I need to suck it up (weirdly I respond well to tough love) but I need something. Anyone there? 😭

Landlords can only put rent up by a %, you can absolutely argue this. They also cannot put up your rent during your contract period. You need to go to citizens advice urgently. Please don't let them get away with such an underhanded tactic.

That’s not really fair. If his costs have gone up and it’s a monthly tenancy then it’s pretty normal for him to increase his rent in line with that.

As I wrote above, I’m going to start losing £30,000 per year if I don’t increase my tenants’ rent soon. Are you suggesting that I should just accept this?

What are you basing this on? OP is on a monthly contract, so I don’t think has any legal recourse.

I can't believe renters in the UK put up with this. Where I live a LL can only increase once every 2 years, and only by 4% or less!

@ToInfinityAgain

I was put a similar situation, I didn't have a contract at all and the landlord wanted to increase my rent by a massive sum. He was told he could only do it by a certain % (I can't remember how much) and it went up £30 a month.

Have they requested the increase properly and issued you a section 13 or a new tenancy agreement? If not then have a look at joining tenancy UK on Facebook, they are very helpful and can help you word an email to your landlord to negotiate.

I don't have any legal recourse. I'm just upset and feel awful for my son whose bedroom has just been decorated the way he wanted it. It's just really sad.

Unless specified in the tenancy agreement their is no limit to how much they can increase the rent.

I don't get why you've put you know you are being unreasonable because you aren't. You've only been there a short time and I'd feel the same.

I'd speak to your LL and say you can't afford it, they might not want to re-let and just say ok don't worry. Could you afford a £50 increase?

Told by whom though? I don’t think that you’re right.

Equally we could argue that the OP knew prices were going to rise. Landlords dont have crystal balls, none of us could predict quite how different things would be now than 2 months ago. i certainly didn't expect as much as a hike on my mortgage, it equates to 50%. I do really feel for the OP but she has already admitted the rent was on the low side to start with.

I get what you are saying, but why are you renting out a property if you can't afford mortgage increases? Surely you should have stress tested for this and expected rates to rise at some point and it might have occurred that not everyone would just be able to afford 20% increases?

I do think it's shit you might have to sell as this will create more issues, as renters don't just have deposits to snap up properties when prices start falling. It's a bit of a mess.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/housing/renting-privately/during-your-tenancy/challenging-a-rent-increase/

The op needs to read this and challenge this increase. It gets sent to an independent tribunal and assessed fairly.

Things have changed since my rent increase, the % doesn't seem to apply any more so I do apologise for that. It still needs to be challenged though.

I also believe this is correct. I thought you were protected for the first 6 months then it reverts to a rolling tenancy and the landlord can raise the rent.

Could you offer what you could afford (eg £50 extra) but offer to sign into a 12 month contract to show your commitment to the property? Maybe invite him round to discuss, so he can see that you’ve decorated / are looking after the property?

The last thing he will want is the hassle of re-letting and then of course the risk of getting a bad tenant

Good luck OP, let us know how you get on

That’s not applicable on a monthly contract though.

The last 15 years have been an utter shitshow for the housing market. Our governments need to do better. This is globally, not just UK

Its NOT a global issue (why do people say such things when its blatantly not true?) UK rents are among some of the most expensive in the world, in Europe, if you inc London and why wouldn't you? UK is the most expensive country here.

What has happened (and i agree on successive Govts) since the sell off of council housing, is social housing has become privatised, with little or no regulation of rents for the less well off.

We need a massive increase in SH, to allow people to actually live a life, instead of the constant struggle to keep a roof over their heads.

@BlondeWaves www.gov.uk/private-renting/rent-increases

I'd look at taking some advice on this first, you ve only been there 2 or 3 months.

I also think finding this out from Shelter is your best bet. Otherwise a counter offer to LL in the hope he won't want the hassle of re-letting. Really sorry you're going through this.

Don’t panic. Contact the housing charity Shelter - they’ll inform you of your rights and options.

Also go to your local Citizens Advice Bureau for an advice appointment.

And make sure you’re on your local council housing waiting list.

Eh? Why should the landlord have to subsidise the tennants rent?

Yes I agree UK is one of the worst, but it is happening in a lot of developed countries and China's housing market is in a right state too. Maybe global wasn't the right word, but I'm just saying that this issue isn't confined to the UK. I'm not minimalising the shitness of it all if you read the rest of my post, so I'm confused what you are getting at. I'm saying that in a lot of countries housing has been overvalued and I think it has been a ticking time bomb.

If you're a single parent and you rent you should be available for a UC top up. Have you checked your eligibility?

@walkinginsunshinekat it is globally - Here in Ireland i saw a 3 bed semi d in Dublin for 4,000e a month. Someone needs to earn about 70k gross to afford that - That is not the average wage- Throw in electric heating bills plus about 1500 on childcare. We were payng 1,200e a months for a tiny 2 bed damp cottage. Ireland is an expensive country to live in. So is the US, In LA its about 5k to rent a one bed apartment - No one unless you are a millionaire can afford to buy in the main cities of the world. There is a housing shortage more importantly an affordable housing shortage plus a huge rental shortage across most countries

I am really sorry and I have no solution. Seems totally unreasonable to raise rent by 18%. A landlord still has a house! Cannot guess what has raised as much as 18% and how are those people why there is so much sympathy for those who are making up for the rise on the cost of living without taking a bit of the pain.

I had to change accommodation recently (from a much better position) because I could not keep affording the property where we lived for 8 years. The landlady has raised it by 30%!!! Of course, they are still not renting 3 months later despite the good location and the fact that it is a nice property.

I do hope you find a way out. Moving also costs money apart from the massive emotional drain. I totally sympathise.