Obscene rent increase

[user97213982742]

Landlord has served Form 4a increasing my rent by £205 a month from October. This is a 46% increase.

The accompanying letter states

“After careful consideration, we have made the decision to implement an increase in the rent. This reflects the continued rise in property maintenance and operating costs, aligns the rent more closely with current market values, and will help support planned maintenance and improvement works to ensure the property is kept up as best as possible with future regulatory changes to the private rent sector”.

I understand that maintenance costs and improvements are the landlords responsibility and shouldn’t be a reason for a rent increase. And it is the landlords responsibility to ensure property meets the forthcoming EPC standards coming into force for private rented accommodation.

My wages haven’t increased by 46% a month.

I’ve lived here for 20 years. And the property only has one door. No fire doors, only 1 double glazed window that has blown, and does not meet fire escape route standards If there was a fire downstairs I have no other means of exit?

What can I do please

What are you living in? A box??

This math is wrong. It's a 46% increase which means the increased amount = £205 so £205 = 46% (roughly half) of what she's already paying.

Maybe OP could use some of her savings to help with this, after paying cheap rent for years.

Happened to my neighbour in flats nearby. Rent increased from £1,100 to £1,500. She had to move out. I think it was the landlords plan all along as he now rents it to the council as emergency housing - at a much higher price.

Sorry OP, hope can find the money.

No, the rent will now be £650. Do the maths

It wasn't cheap for her area though, was it? If her new rent is the same rate as similar but much newer, better kept houses, then it sounds like shes been paying about the right amount until fairly recently when it should have been increased slightly.

I dont know why so many people are sound bitter about the rent OP has been paying, you are free to move somewhere cheap and pay low rent too, but highly doubt you would want to. Whatever the reason though, there's no need to be snippy and sarcastic with someone simply asking for help and support.

Your rent does seem pretty cheap, and if this is the first time it’s been raised in 20 years, I don’t really think the landlord sounds like he’s just trying to get as much money out of you as possible - he’s probably sat down and done some maths and realised that his costs are going up and that means the rent will need to go up as well.

I live in Scotland and the price you’re paying is more in line with the rent for social housing around here, with private rentals being a few hundred more depending on the area, so depending on where you are in the UK and what the typical rents are like there, I think maybe you’d be better off staying put and just having a word with the landlord about the repairs needing done.

I understand that private renting isn’t as secure as council or housing association, even with the new renters reform, but the fact that you’ve been there for 20 years is a good thing because the landlord knows you’re a reliable tenant and probably doesn’t want the hassle of finding someone else who might decide not to pay or trash the place, and you probably have that in your favour when it comes to asking for repairs to be done.

I would definitely have a conversation with him if he’s a reasonable person and see what can be agreed, but I definitely don’t think the increase itself is over the top considering how much the rent is and what you’d pay elsewhere.

I also don’t understand what you mean by you have nothing there. Do you mean there’s no windows or plumbing? Surely those are just standard rather than mod cons?

If the property isn’t in an acceptable state, surely you would have raised it with the landlord sometime in the last 20 years?

Also, most flats in the UK only have one door and fire escapes are not that common as far I’m aware, so I don’t really understand why that’s an issue or why it’s only an issue now and not for the last 20 years.

46percent is outrageous. However it sounds as if you did have a good cheap deal to start with, having said that the place doesn't sound very good. We rented for years, cheapest one bed around here would be at least 850, and that would be a bit of a dive. Decent flat would be at least 1000 a month. That's in Southampton. Either way landlord shouldn't be allowed to lump you with 46 percent!

It was cheap. OP chose to pay cheap rent for years and seemingly didn’t bother to complain to the landlord about the state of the property. Can’t have been in too bad of a state, in that case.

Your choices are limited but you do have options

If the proposed rent is way above market rent for similar properties in your area then you can appeal.

You can try to negotiate a staggered increase and maybe some improvements to be carried out .

Otherwise if you think you can find somewhere else cheaper , you can give notice and move elsewhere.

It does not sound like you can expect the rent to stay as it is.

Not only that, OP will be looking at paying a similar amount in a council house anyway.

Blame the government. The landlord is only doing what they say must be done

This government, to “protect” the tenants have deemed it necessary for a private landlord to spend money on various things in their properties

There is talk of rent control so putting up the rent now in case later the legislation means he isn’t able to do so is future proofing for any issues with the property he won’t be able to claim back by rent rises

Landlords now are restricted in how they are able to get their property back

All these things have meant landlords have been selling up so less rental properties = increased rents

If you want to guard against these things then contact the government to tell them the negative effects their “help” has had on your life.

I am sure if the government hadn’t made all these rules and regulations that must be done then the rent wouldn’t be rising. I actually think the rent would be lower than it is now and you would be living in a bigger place because there would be choice.

“Love” 🤨 🙄 🤷‍♀️

You know EXACTLY what I mean unless you are being deliberately thick!

I literally live in Teesside myself, with family who live in trimdon (pit village).

I went onto right move, and only 6 2 bed flats (this is what OP confirmed she had) at 450 or less. They were mostly Teesside and Bishop Auckland.

You do not get any real volume of private rentals at the rate OP was paying, perhaps council houses, but OP isn’t talking about a council house and we can’t use council rents as a measure here.

Your rent can be raised to market value

You have the right to object to this and whilst this is happening the LL can't raise the rent, they can'[t back date the rent raise either.

So that would be the better option for now as it gives you time

The EPC rating hasn't been decided yet - its been pushed back and is now in progress of being decided. So no one knows what the EPC rating scheme will be but will have to be done by 2030.

If you've been renting since 2006 in the same home I doubt you have an epic rating? From the sounds of it, without double glazing and possibly other attributes to make the house warm - it will probably cost far too much to increase to beyond a C rating and no one knows what a C rating will be anyway.

Might be time to look very hard at getting somewhere else to rent, look privately and also get yourself on the council list. If you can rent privately for £650 elsewhere with a better EPC rating this might be far cheaper as you'll save on fuel during the winter

Plus eventually you'll most likely be evicted as if the house doesn't come up to the new EPC rating, then you'll not be able to rent the property. So getting out now might be the better option.

Council rents in my area are around £700/800 for a 2 bed, so your rent does seem incredibly low.

Do you claim any housing benefit through UC and or do you know what the local housing level for rent is in your area?

Everything is more expensive OP.

My mortgage deal comes to an end next week and the best rate I could secure going forward means I will be paying £700 a month more.

Life is expensive because of everything going on in the world and businesses need to pass that on.
That's life.

That's just not true. Most landlords will have an interest only mortgage if they have a mortgage on the property, thus 'your taxes' are merely servicing the loan. That's assuming your taxes are contributing at all towards the rent of an individual.

Oh it was cheap? You know where she she lives and how her house compares to others? No you dont, you have the same information as the rest of us.
As for the state of the property, a good landlord would have been doing annual checks and be fully aware of the state of it and implemented repairs. Why do you put all responsibility on the OP?

I think the answer is not a lot.

If you've been there for 20 years then I'm guessing they've kept the rent low because you're a good tenant.

And the increase won't give them much if they start replacing windows etc but it will make the place cheaper to heat for.you.

Normally I don't like landlords but this one seems to be playing it pretty fair. The regulations to improve rental stock were always going to increase costs for landlords. I don't know how Big Ange ever thought that wouldn't end up with increased rents !!

Same here. Our low fixed rate comes to an end in November and we'll be paying £500 a month more. As they say, tough, we just have to deal with it.

Sounds like you’ve been paying massively below market rates.

I’d ask for the improvements required or move.

So it sounds like the rise brings you in line generally with market rate. I take it you need two bedrooms… could you move to another similar sized but dated property that is cheaper? You might not get the same good deal you’ve been on but it might close the gap a bit at least.

To answer questions
the property is part of a large property portfolio that changed hands recently. The problems were raised with both the previous owners and have been raised with the new owners numerous times with no resolution.

I am not on any benefits (shock horror!) but the fact is my wages haven’t gone up 46% a month.

750 a month is a bargain where i live, even if its a hellhole!