Landlord selling property with me living here less than year! Please help

[Stressed92]

Hi! I'm new here and I found myself in a very challenging position because of the landlord I currently rent a property privately from. Therefore, I would appreciate your advice.

I'm a single mother of a 9-year-old daughter, living in a 3-bed property for less than a year.
Before, I had lived on a single property for more than six years and decided to move here because of the garden size and because my landlord was one of my best friends. She bought the other house with her boyfriend and wanted to rent this one for me as she could be safe that I would take care of the house well. So before I moved in and many times after, I was assured by word that I could stay and rent the house as much as I wanted, and she'll keep it until I tried to buy it or move out.
We signed a shorthold tenancy but somehow modified it to become a rolling one with a three-month notice from either side. She - my landlord, was perfectly aware of my situation and knew I needed to change the school for my daughter due to this move.
No more than two weeks ago, she informed me by a message that she'll need to sell a house soon. Honestly, I just finished all the housework and now need to move again to serve another stress to my little one. I haven't received any estimated date or phone call from her without mentioning any conversation outside a few texts. I would also like to highlight that as her friend, she never felt obliged to give me any documentation from landlords required by law about what I found out recently (such as EPC and other utility certificates).

At first, she tried to pursue me into believing that she needed to sell a property and that there was nothing she could do. Next, when she acknowledged that I got my advice in this case, she suddenly came up with the other story. Lies, lies and more lies.
She also kept pushing me first into buying this house of her with over market price of around 20k. Once I refused and claimed that I could not wait until the last minute when she sold a property, and I cannot look for something else to rent at the last minute due to parental responsibilities. Finally, she acted badly towards me and tricked me into giving her three months' notice on paper, which I handed her. Basically, she wanted fluidity with her mortgage, so it was to her advantage to keep me here as long as she could.

Due to the situation I found myself in, I have no idea if there's any step I can take. Looking at the things stated in our tenancy agreement, for example, I need to let in all the estate agents in case of a sale, etc. She was aware of the future property sale and tricked me as I was the most straightforward tenant she could get.
It is a highly stressful situation for my daughter and me.
She keeps sending here agents -two valuations a week. There was a person here today who I needed to let in (according to the agreement, I guess) and had taken pictures for the website (ex.Rightmove) with all my and my daughter's belongings in without my previous consent to online publication. I decorated the house very nicely with my own money and hands, which will also make her property higher in price.
Can they do accually do that? She also informed me about viewings next Saturday during the weekend when my daughter is at home, which will cause extreme stress for her.
Is there anything you can advice me with please? I am afraid there's nothing I can do to stay in this house. I can't see her considering selling a home as a buy-to-let either. Now she basically blocked me everywhere and send an information that since now I'll be contacted just by the agents. Also, it is clear that she's not following the rules as a landlord but expects me to follow what's written in the agreement.

Im working part tine and plan to rent something with my brother this time so rent itself is not an issue I believe. Just my biggest worry now is finding a decent house to provide suitable conditions for my daughter in just three months without changing her school again. Also I believe she would not provide me with references to future letting agency.. Can she refuse it by law If I always paid rent on time and took a good care of the house?

Is there anything I can do if she as my landlord treating me this way?

She can't demand 3 months notice from you. The contract/tenancy agreement cannot override tenancy law, so you only need to give one months notice.

She must serve 2 months.

Is your deposit properly protected?

I’m order for her to give you notice she must have done the following correctly:

1. protected the deposit and given you the prescribed documents with 30 days of the payment.


2. given you the EICR and gas certificate.


3. Given you your Right To Rent document.

if she has failed in the above she will need to rectify before she can serve notice.

Ultimately though if the landlord wants you to leave it makes sense to start looking.
Youll need to give one months notice.

Your best bet is to contact Shelter. They'll advise you of your rights, you'll need to show them a copy of your lease. I think the friendship is over, and so you need to be prepared to treat her as any rogue landlord. She's broken the law (no EPC, all the other required documents at the start of a tenancy, no gas and electric safety certs), If you do have a deposit, has she lodged it? If not you'll be in line for a substantial sum in compensation. You'll get some good advice on here but the best will be from Shelter, or Citizens Advice. Good luck.

Have you checked your tenancy agreement. My landlord was never selling the house, moved in 3 months ago and now all of a sudden he is selling the house. He’s controlling and also it’s because I won’t keep his mail for him and I’ve returned it to sender, the last tenant left because he accused him of stealing his mail. My landlord is nuts around his mail, seems fraudulent whatever he is up to. I checked my tenancy agreement and my landlord can’t actually have inspections of the property or viewings until august so if he pushes any further I’m pulling him on it. Already had to install a camera for the stalking of the house.

When you say "Finally, she acted badly towards me and tricked me into giving her three months' notice on paper, which I handed her." do you mean that you have in fact already handed in notice and have a date that you need to leave by?

Just want to clarify because you seem to be getting a lot of responses about issues with hr giving notice, but it sounds like that's moot?

Agree with previous poster that shelter is probably your best bet for a housing advocate who is most likely to know the best way to handle this. You may not need to let in the agents to show people round. You may be able to insist on some some changes to meet your needs and you may have some recourse over the lack of appropriate certificates/deposit scheme/etc.

If you can, try and rewrite the issue in a way that leaves out the friendship aspects, other than a line at the start explaining that you went into this because she was a friend you trusted. While I know they are what lead you to make the decisions you did and what make this hurt so much, they aren't relevant to what you can legally do now and they make it difficult to follow and focus on going forward.

I'm really sorry you're in such a stressful situation and hope you find a new home quickly that works for you and your DD for years.