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Original poster

Landlord being an arse

34 replies

ElChapo · 13/08/2024 19:29

We've been renting for the past 18 months. Have now offered on a house to buy and want to get out of our rental agreement but landlord has said no, we have to stay right till the end. I know this is well within his rights but we were led to believe by the agents that he's 'quite reasonable'. Obviously not. We will be leaving on 9th Jan. is this normal? We were expecting to have some sort of penalty but honestly thought he'd let us go early especially as he'll have to get someone to agree over Xmas period to move in just after new year. I'm now wanting to punish him secretly. Any ideas?

OP posts:
Mrsttcno1 · 13/08/2024 19:33

Why would you want to punish him for doing what he’s legally and contractually allowed to do, I’m confused?

Papricat · 13/08/2024 19:35

Tell the owner that you will adopt a hound dog.

DeliciousApples · 13/08/2024 19:36

When is your agreement up?

PashaMinaMio · 13/08/2024 19:36

You have signed a contract,
LL/Agent is entitled to sustain the terms of that contract.
If you are tempted to withhold rent which I strongly advise you not to do, LL could take you to court. Court might give you a CCJ, which you really don’t want. It will mess up your credit record so wave goodbye to phone contracts and such like.
I suppose you could physically move out, but you will need to pay yr contract right up to contact end.
Tread carefully or face the consequences.

Smithhy · 13/08/2024 19:38

Yes… you sign a contract, you don’t want to adhere to the terms on the contract and want to punish him, and yet he’s the arse.

Repetative · 13/08/2024 19:38

Did you post the same thread this morning OP?

Twiglets1 · 13/08/2024 19:53

ElChapo · 13/08/2024 19:29

We've been renting for the past 18 months. Have now offered on a house to buy and want to get out of our rental agreement but landlord has said no, we have to stay right till the end. I know this is well within his rights but we were led to believe by the agents that he's 'quite reasonable'. Obviously not. We will be leaving on 9th Jan. is this normal? We were expecting to have some sort of penalty but honestly thought he'd let us go early especially as he'll have to get someone to agree over Xmas period to move in just after new year. I'm now wanting to punish him secretly. Any ideas?

Just be a decent human being and stick to the terms of your rental agreement.

If you've only just offered on a house you probably won't move in until December anyway or at least November if things move very fast. You could always say you can't Complete on the purchase until December.

Andthereitis · 13/08/2024 20:03

Whilst he's within his rights... a good landlord would realise they can relet quickly in the current market and you leaving early isn't the end of the world.

An empty property waiting for an end of term of tenancy isn't a good look.. I spose no one breaks in to steal the copper anymore though.

PeriIsKickingMyButt · 13/08/2024 20:07

How quickly do you think your house purchase will go through?? You've got 5 months til January, you'll need a crossover period to move, your sale is unlikely to complete in under 4 months.

Original poster
ElChapo · 13/08/2024 23:01

Mrsttcno1 · 13/08/2024 19:33

Why would you want to punish him for doing what he’s legally and contractually allowed to do, I’m confused?

Is it not normal to come to an arrangement? We've rented before and LL let us go early with financial penalties

OP posts:
Original poster
ElChapo · 13/08/2024 23:03

PashaMinaMio · 13/08/2024 19:36

You have signed a contract,
LL/Agent is entitled to sustain the terms of that contract.
If you are tempted to withhold rent which I strongly advise you not to do, LL could take you to court. Court might give you a CCJ, which you really don’t want. It will mess up your credit record so wave goodbye to phone contracts and such like.
I suppose you could physically move out, but you will need to pay yr contract right up to contact end.
Tread carefully or face the consequences.

Ok I meant it semi lightheartedly. Of course we won't withhold rent just thought it wasn't unusual to come to an arrangement and leave early

OP posts:
Original poster
ElChapo · 13/08/2024 23:06

Andthereitis · 13/08/2024 20:03

Whilst he's within his rights... a good landlord would realise they can relet quickly in the current market and you leaving early isn't the end of the world.

An empty property waiting for an end of term of tenancy isn't a good look.. I spose no one breaks in to steal the copper anymore though.

Yes my thoughts exactly. Who is going to want to move in December? Thought it would benefit us both leaving sooner

OP posts:
JessJesss · 13/08/2024 23:16

This is the second of these threads today 🤔

brightonrock123456789 · 13/08/2024 23:28

He sounds like a first class bell end but you might be grateful in the end, I think your house purchase might take you up to January maybe beyond. Perhaps there’s a silver lining

DickEmery · 13/08/2024 23:35

As others said your move might take longer than you anticipate. How long is your fixed term contract?

Wait and see what happens. He sounds like a bit of a twat but you've got a while to go yet. Just keep communicating with him.

If push comes to shove and you leave early without agreement he could theoretically go after you for the full rent for the entire fixed term but afaik if it ended up in court he'd have to prove that he took steps to get another tenant in to make up for his financial loss. In the current rental market it would be really difficult for him to prove that once you'd gone he was absolutely unable to find another tenant. Don't tell him that right now though! Just worth being aware of.

ClarasZoo · 13/08/2024 23:49

DickEmery · 13/08/2024 23:35

As others said your move might take longer than you anticipate. How long is your fixed term contract?

Wait and see what happens. He sounds like a bit of a twat but you've got a while to go yet. Just keep communicating with him.

If push comes to shove and you leave early without agreement he could theoretically go after you for the full rent for the entire fixed term but afaik if it ended up in court he'd have to prove that he took steps to get another tenant in to make up for his financial loss. In the current rental market it would be really difficult for him to prove that once you'd gone he was absolutely unable to find another tenant. Don't tell him that right now though! Just worth being aware of.

Landlords don’t have to mitigate their loss. They can just leave the property empty - there is no duty to find a replacement tenant. But a sensible landlord would let you go…

TeenLifeMum · 14/08/2024 00:38

This is totally normal. He’s planned for inside until Jan and you’ve signed a contract you want to break… and you’re labelling him an arse? You sometimes get more flex after the first 6 months but a contract is a contract. There’s some really shit landlords out there but this one doesn’t deserve the label from what you’ve said.

mondaytosunday · 14/08/2024 00:47

You can leave whenever you want but you have to pay the rent/council tax etc til your contract is up. That's the deal. As I said in the other thread - if landlord wanted you out early bet you'd sing a different tune.

Notwhatuwanttohear · 14/08/2024 01:00

Title should be "I'm a CF who signed a legal rental agreement and now have the hump I have to honor it"

WinterMorn · 14/08/2024 01:04

Why on Earth is the LL being labelled “a bit of a twat” and a “first class bell end”? They are doing absolutely nothing wrong! Why should they have to dance to OP’s tune if a mutually agreed, legally binding contract has been signed?

LadyGabriella · 14/08/2024 01:26

Just give him advance warning of when you’re leaving. Then leave and pay no further rent. There will be nothing he can do. It takes an absolute age to evict a tenent via the courts when they stop paying rent. Can take up to a year. Doubt he’d be able to come after you. Obviously this isn’t official legal advice tho.

PeriIsKickingMyButt · 14/08/2024 01:46

LadyGabriella · 14/08/2024 01:26

Just give him advance warning of when you’re leaving. Then leave and pay no further rent. There will be nothing he can do. It takes an absolute age to evict a tenent via the courts when they stop paying rent. Can take up to a year. Doubt he’d be able to come after you. Obviously this isn’t official legal advice tho.

Of course there is something they can do. They can go to the small claims court and have an order made that the OP has to pay them the rent and if she doesn't he can apply for a county court judgement and really fuck things up for her. What stupid advice.

Itsjustmeheretoday · 14/08/2024 01:55

Honestly people like you give renters a bad name, and make it harder and harder to rent. Stop being a CF.

Gamergirl86 · 14/08/2024 08:29

You could easily be in the situation where you haven't completed on your new.house in January.

Sometimes purchases take 16 weeks, sometimes they take.30. At this early stage I wouldn't even be considering putting in notice at my rental.

Your LL is well within their rights and you're being unreasonable by thinking you can just duck out of a contract.

thefireplace · 14/08/2024 08:35

I'll wait for the next thread by the OP "House purchase fell through and now my arse of a Landlord won't let me stay in the property beyond the contract period..."