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Original poster

Rent increase

24 replies

KeeVee · 23/09/2018 11:55

I had an email from the Letting Agent to sign a new AST. They clearly stated in the email that the rent has increased "as per the new LHA rates". Their rent has always been charged at the LHA rate as they accept vulnerable tenants etc.

However, I have just now checked the LHA rates for 18-19 for my area, and it is about £70ish (of top of head) LESS than what the Letting Agent is asking for. This leaves a big chunk of money that I cannot afford...

Do you think they have done this to try and trip me up? E.g. they tell me they upped the rent in-lign with new LHA rates, I sign it without checking, and then realise that the LHA isn't that high? Then I have signed the contract and have committed to pay the extra rent myself.

I can't think of any other reason they would specify it was as per LHA rates, when it clearly isn't...

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Original poster

KeeVee · 23/09/2018 11:57

I have been on here before under a different name discussing this Letting Agent before... They tried to tell me a payment of Housing Benefit was missing for their rent book, but it turned out it wasn't as Council showed me their statements and it has been paid... And they, in the past, forgotten to put my rent in arrears on their statements and sent me threatening letters, and I had to remind them to put the payments of HB back to the previous month rather than the current, which all got sorted....

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Original poster

KeeVee · 23/09/2018 12:00

I have wondered if they just got the wrong LHA, so tried the bedroom allowance up from mine and below mine, and also the rates in the area next to mine etc... None of them total what they are asking for so I am very confused by "as per new LHA rates"

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Original poster

KeeVee · 23/09/2018 12:01

And to is coming up to Xmas. Why does it have to all go wrong again now

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Bombardier25966 · 23/09/2018 12:03

Presumably the LHA rate is for the number of bedrooms in the property, not the number you are eligible for?

What outcome are you looking for?

Original poster

KeeVee · 23/09/2018 12:05

I am entitled to the one-bed rate, even though we are eligible for two (but we don't live in a two). Their 4 weekly rent amount doesn't match the LHA rate for a one-bedroom, even though they said it has increased in line with those rates.

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Seniorschoolmum · 23/09/2018 12:07

Print out all the LHA rates so you have them in front of you, and then ring the agent and query their email.
Or reply to their email with the appropriate lha rate and the url as a reference, and ask them why the difference.
They need to justify their rate raise.

Original poster

KeeVee · 23/09/2018 12:08

The same outcome as before. They have charged LHA rate since we moved in, always been the same. Then we had them "accidently" not putting my money into arrears which is how HB is paid (when they had previously been doing so), which I corrected them on... Then we had the "missing" payment which the council corrected them on... Now we have "increased with LHA rent" but it actually isn't....

It just feels like their are trying to catch me out. To get my HB ammended, I need to show council a signed tenancy agreement. So I think they thought I would sign it and then take it to the council and find out there was a shortfall I would have to pay, but by that point I would have already signed the contract so I wouldn't be able to dispute it?

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Original poster

KeeVee · 23/09/2018 12:10

Just to be clear... The LHA has increased this year, but not by as much as they have asked for "as per"

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Bombardier25966 · 23/09/2018 12:15

They don't have to justify the rate rise.

You can refer them to the correct rates, but they can equally say "pay the new rate or move".

I hope you get some joy. Insecure private tenancies are a nightmare, especially for those on a fixed income.

Original poster

KeeVee · 23/09/2018 12:17

We cannot move and will get the "do not leave until you are thrown out on the street with a suitcase" advice from the council if this isn't sorted. Happy times.

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Bombardier25966 · 23/09/2018 12:17

On the payment in arrears point, they don't have to allow you to do that. I'm glad that they do, but unless the contract explicitly accepts payment in that way, be aware that they could start to insist on payment in advance, which is when the rent is due.

Sugarhunnyicedtea · 23/09/2018 12:19

The wording they have used is probably wrong, but they are entitled to increase rent with appropriate notice. You could try to argue that they are charging over the odds, however, in my experience, LHA rates don't necessarily equate to rent charges.

Original poster

KeeVee · 23/09/2018 12:19

I don't understand how any people on full benefits are supposed to live anywhere then, how are we supposed to have rent in advance when it cannot be paid to us that way? Where do we all go when nobody wants us or can afford to rent to us and there's no fucking social housing available anywhere. I've just got on the waiting list for therapy here and now that's fucked

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Sugarhunnyicedtea · 23/09/2018 12:22

I've just re-read your post and seem you've signed the agreement. I'm not sure there is much you can do now as it's a legal document

Original poster

KeeVee · 23/09/2018 12:33

I haven't signed it! I was going to sign it to take to the council on Monday so I am glad I haven't yet

Thanks everyone

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Original poster

KeeVee · 23/09/2018 12:38

I also don't understand how they can increase the rent by almost £100 when there are repairs that the landlord is aware of that need doing, for example a repairman who took apart the shower found it was black inside in parts (we had complained of smelling a burning smell from it before) and that it needs replacing and would get back to the letting agent etc. That hasn't been done yet, nor has the cupboard door ever been put on since we moved here even though the "caretaker" was aware, we've always only had one cupboard door. The whole property has bedbugs and the bedbug guy gets called here multiple times as they keep coming back, they are coming through the ceiling now, you can see them in the cracks, other flats in the building have had them too...Yet they deserve more rent

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specialsubject · 23/09/2018 13:00

get a complaint into environmental health about the electrical hazard in the shower ASAP. This will also stop any idea of a sec 21 if you don't have a fixed term.

it is 3.5 months to tatmas, not relevant. Property standards need to be maintained year round. There are also rules regarding rent increases, although I don't know them as because I'm not in London I never put the rent up for the same tenant. I'd get an empty property if I did.

Original poster

KeeVee · 23/09/2018 13:13

Will do that regards the shower. We had electricians round checking all our electrics and we mentioned the shower and he did take it apart and change something inside so it wouldn't continue to burn (I think?) but it is damaged and he said it needs replacing and he would out it in his report. This was about two weeks ago now, but we haven't heard anything. I am wondering if that is enough time or not?

If I understand correctly I can actually appeal a rent increase in court and have an officer inspect the property? england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/private_renting/how_to_challenge_a_rent_increase

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Original poster

KeeVee · 23/09/2018 13:18

On Rightmove private studios (and it is a studio but under one bed rate), which are NO DSS are charging less than what they are asking for from a DSS tenant

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Sugarhunnyicedtea · 23/09/2018 13:37

Yes you can appeal. You need to demonstrate that the proposed rent increase is significantly higher than other similar properties in the area, which can be difficult.

Original poster

KeeVee · 23/09/2018 14:17

Probably won't be able to do that then. Well, I have emailed the LA asking them to clarify the rent and explaining that I have checked the increased LHA rates and that they have increased their rent above these and not as per them, which is what was stated. All I can do now I wait for them to reply. I am going to remind them about the shower repair that needs doing and the bed bug infestation...they have been ongoing for almost 2 years now, in more than one flat, were there when I arrived as I spend just two nights in the bed in ky room when I first moved in and was bitten all over, we've had to have new beds etc...Full life-cycle infested with eggs and everything. I really don't think their increase is fair for what we are getting here. We have the bed-bug man on WhatsApp now and we contact him directly and then he charges the landlord at later date, landlord has not disputed this as he knows this isn't just us brining them in, it's a huge problem that existed before we arrived)... Bed bug man kept saying he needed permission from the landlord to treat the entire building, but as yet that hasn't happened.

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Original poster

KeeVee · 26/09/2018 19:04

I would just like to update the situation...

LA replied to say that the rent rates were set by landlord etc. So I contacted the landlord manager who we have a direct number for to tell him again about the shower (as today it has packed in and isn't heating water), he said he will come tomorrow with electrician and plumber... When I mentioned why the rent has increased to X amount he said "Who said that? No the rent isn't that high!" I explained about the exchange with the LA and he said "There was an issue with your original tenancy in that the rent wasn't set at the LHA, so we would like to bring it more in line with that but not by the amount they are saying", so I said what the LHA is for a 1 bed here and he said "yep that sounds about right", and I said they were asking for almost £80 extra a month that we couldn't find right now, and he said "well we can lower it, it's ok, just show me everything when I'm on site tomorrow"

Things looking up. I can hopefully continue my therapy here and then get into employment and move out eventually!

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Original poster

KeeVee · 27/09/2018 21:17

Just another update.

It seems the LA calculated it as LHA X 52 ÷ 12, which is a PCM calculation. However, on the tenancy they have ticked the 4 weekly box and the landlord manager has stressed to me he does not want more than what the council will give to us when he visited today (he did try to ring them for me but couldn't get through).

As HB is paid 4 weekly and they have ticked the 4 weekly box, they should have divided the by 13, as 52 ÷ 4 = 13. So LHA X 52 ÷ 13.

I did the two separate calculations and the second one gives the correct 4 weekly LHA rate as seen on the council website. And as I say they did tick the 4 weekly box not PCM yet used a PCM calculation for the rent.

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Original poster

KeeVee · 27/09/2018 21:19

So they wrote on the tenancy basically (LHAx52÷12) every 4 weeks.

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