PRIVATE TENANTS: Did your rent go up at your last renewal?

[romeogolf]

For those who rent privately, did you rent go up at your last renewal? By how much?

Ours is going up by £25 (2.75%) after 18 months of living here. It's not a huge amount but it feels very much "just for the sake of it". Our flat is at the top end of local prices, but it *is* better decorated than others we've seen, so we'll be happy to pay for it at this point.

That said, I have emailed the agent to ask if the landlord would consider keeping the rent at £900 for another year as we've been decent tenants, paid on time, not damaged anything etc.

[fido]

Well they are entitled to increase the rent if the tenancy is renewed, and in the same way you can choose to find somewhere else to live. Of course, negotiate if you feel it's too much or you can get a better deal. From LL's point of view - they may have faced increases in maintenance and other costs aside from mortgage interest which they wish to pass on.

[surveyor]

LL feel like they would like an uplift. However if you are a good tenant you can always point out how much a months void comes to.

[AndyLB]

When we had a rent increase after 12 months I felt the same - a tax on introverts who wont challenge it.

I just replied saying I would be happy to continue my tenancy but not at the increased rate. Rent stayed as it was.

[Zelda Pinwheel]

yes, by 10%.

Our landlord had the property management handled by the farm manager for the last umpteen years, but before Christmas has contracted a local agent to handle matters.
Our renewal is the first for a while, but the agent thinks it'd not been increased since 2003...

we'll take a 10% uplift over 12 years, thanks!

[Spudler]

We kept the rate the same for one tenant for the last 3 years.
They kept the house immaculate so more than happy not raise the figure.
When they moved out we increased the rent.
Works both ways.

[marksx]

6 years over 2 houses, our rents never changed.

[voicey]

As a landlord, I wouldn't dream of raising the rent by such a paltry amount for good tenants. Good tenants are worth their weight in gold and I bend over backwards to make sure they are happy. As has already been said, a month void and the increase has been wiped out.

[romeogolf]

Reply from our lettings agent...

Agent said:

I have spoken with the landlord and requested £900.00. Although I tried to negotiate a lesser amount and he agrees that you are good tenants he is quite adamant that he wants £925.00.

Although as a tenant you have to agree to the rental increase I got the feeling he would be happy to re-advertise the property as other flats in the block are renting out at a far higher rent should you not agree to the increase.

Please advise as to whether you wish to renew at £925.00 or will be vacating at the end of your tenancy.

£925 it is. Joys.

[Pickled Piper]

Spudler said:

We kept the rate the same for one tenant for the last 3 years.
They kept the house immaculate so more than happy not raise the figure.
When they moved out we increased the rent.
Works both ways.

As above. A good tenant is worth far more than increased rental income. We too have maintained rent for three year periods.

[E36GUY]

5% every year

Thankfully we're on the move

[gibbon]

I offered my tenants the same rate (renew after 18 months), they decided they wanted to move, i put up the rent by about £100 a month (just under 5%) when advertising and had the flat let out no problems with no gaps.

For ongoing good tenants I wouldnt try to increase the rent every time, if the market dictates it for new tenants, I see no reason not to.

[shakotan]

I renewed my tenancy in October, and the rent went up from £900/month to £920/month.

In response to this I negotiated a 2-year contract rather than a 1-year one to protect a further increase next year.

If the rent is significantly increased the year after then I'll consider moving.

[caiss4]

I fear that annual rent rises will become the norm over the next few years as the Chancellor's budget changes to tax relief on mortgage interest phase in.

I have a couple of mortgaged properties where, to maintain the same net return, I will be wanting to increase the monthly rent year-on-year by £25 per month. This will equate to 15% over 5 years. Obviously this may prove unpalatable to my tenants and as others have said if you have a good tenant then they are worth keeping so I'll have to see whether I will actually be able to implement.

[Phateuk]

We got a letter out of the blue stating it was going up from £625 to £675, been there 3 years, not called them once. House still in original condition.

I phoned and queried it, got it dropped to £650. As others say, I'm sure a good tenant is more value than a few extra quid a month.

[romeogolf]

Phateuk said:

I phoned and queried it, got it dropped to £650. As others say, I'm sure a good tenant is more value than a few extra quid a month.

As a landlord myself, I wouldn't want to increase rent on a tenant who pays on time and gives me no grief. Exception being if my own costs increased (such as interest rates). We know the LL has recently re-mortgaged the property as the agent requested access for the valuation a few months back so I imagine his costs went down if anything.

We're 99% likely to just suck it up for an easy life, although I may write back and request a 2-year tenancy. I requested that last year and it was denied so I don't hold much luck but it's worth a shot.

[mcflurry]

romeogolf said:

Reply from our lettings agent...

Agent said:

I have spoken with the landlord and requested £900.00. Although I tried to negotiate a lesser amount and he agrees that you are good tenants he is quite adamant that he wants £925.00.

Although as a tenant you have to agree to the rental increase I got the feeling he would be happy to re-advertise the property as other flats in the block are renting out at a far higher rent should you not agree to the increase.

Please advise as to whether you wish to renew at £925.00 or will be vacating at the end of your tenancy.

£925 it is. Joys.

Are the other flats more expensive on rightmove?

[SpudLink]

I rent through a letting agency, but my landlord lives across the road. At the last renewal he told me the agency informed him they were increasing the rent inline with market values. He told them to leave it unchanged as he would rather retain a good tenant. I don't know if this is normal practice by agents.

[PugwasHDJ80]

We rent direct from a the landlord (on a country shooting "estate").

The houses are vey much part of the estates income, as such the rent rises with inflation every year.

I think that's fair.

[sideways sid]

OP, what does your lease say?

Review at anniversary?
Upward-only review at anniversary?
2.75% increase at anniversary?
Review by RPI or other measure of inflation...?

Remember that the letting agent is the agent of the LL, not you, and is negotiating for the LL, not you.