Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Legal matters

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have any legal concerns we suggest you consult a solicitor.

Original poster

Tenants rights

8 replies

lolato · 12/07/2014 17:32

My friend has just signed a contract with an agent which we think is really dodgy... She is now renting a very nice flat but when signing the contract, the agent was very funny about writing any name on it , just put the agency name, which exists on line... We now found out that the other tenant seems like a very big business man who owns the "Internet agency" and a few others...he must be the landlord... No one is mentioning it ... The term is for 3 months... She wants to leave... What r her rights???

OP posts:
OldLadyKnowsSomething · 12/07/2014 17:40

Well, for starters, the minimum contract term should be six months, so yes, very dodgy agency. Why does she want to leave, has she paid a deposit, and is said deposit in a protection scheme?

Collaborate · 12/07/2014 20:07

There isn't a minimum term for an assured short hold tenancy anymore.

Original poster
lolato · 12/07/2014 23:48

Hi she wants to leave because we found out the other tenant owns the "agency" and we even saw a pic of him... When googling his name, he owns lots of online companies... The agency does not take a deposit and charges 300 pounds non refundable deposit...
It's very dodgy... The atmosphere was very strange, nobody talked to us as we got in the flat or introduced themselves...

OP posts:
OldLadyKnowsSomething · 12/07/2014 23:53

Thanks, Collaborate, I didn't know that, but happy to accept your word. :) Sounds like your friend should just pack up and go, then lolato, I can see why she'd feel a bit unsafe in such a setup. Can she afford to just leave?

Gfplux · 13/07/2014 13:32

Why would she want to leave. If she changes her mind so quickly when all these things are nothing to do with the flat SHE is living in. The other tenants in the block are her nothing but her neighbours.

specialsubject · 13/07/2014 21:46

there is no minimum for an AST but a tenant cannot be asked to leave before six months unless there is a breach. So landlords who give shorter than six months take a risk.

not sure from what you say if she is a lodger rather than a tenant. If the former, she can go whenever she wants.

is the issue that she is sharing a flat with someone she doesn't know, and therefore feels unsafe? Didn't she know it was a flat-share?

OldLadyKnowsSomething · 14/07/2014 02:17

It does sound much more like a lodging/shared flat at best situation than a tenancy one, Lolato can you elaborate?

Appletini · 20/07/2014 01:14

The agency does not take a deposit and charges 300 pounds non refundable deposit

This is illegal. She needs to speak to Shelter who can advise on all the legals and what to do.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page