Any legal bods about? Involving House letting

[Killer2005]

My mrs has been renting a house in Leeds for just over 2 years now. It seems that the house she is renting has recently changed hands (without her being informed) and has now been put up for rent, and someone turned up on her door this morning to view the property without her prior knowledge.

However she signed a contract last January to cover from September 08 to September 09 and therefore it wouldnt be ideal if she gets kicked out, or if she now has to pay higher rental at around £100 a month as she cant afford that.

Could anyone help?

Thanks in advance

[loafer123]

I think this is more serious than the PH massive can handle.

Get down to the Citizens Advice Bureau quick-sharp.

They are very good at this sort of thing.

[Mr Fenix]

There are all sorts of rules and regulations to stop this sort of thing in Scotland not so sure about Engerlund. Best bet is to find a non profit legal centre or meet with a conveyancing lawyer for 10 mins to examine the contract and explain her rights.

[Tom_C76]

Killer2005 said:

My mrs has been renting a house in Leeds for just over 2 years now. It seems that the house she is renting has recently changed hands (without her being informed) and has now been put up for rent, and someone turned up on her door this morning to view the property without her prior knowledge.

However she signed a contract last January to cover from September 08 to September 09 and therefore it wouldnt be ideal if she gets kicked out, or if she now has to pay higher rental at around £100 a month as she cant afford that.

Could anyone help?

Thanks in advance

AIUI the change of freeholder has no effect on her rights, she's a sitting tenant, and the tenancy carries over to the new landlord. They can only ask her to quit in accordance with the contract she signed last year. Similarly the contract should stipulate when the property should be available for viewing, but that shouldn't be until into the notice period.

As others said, tell her to get advice asap, the new landlord seems to be trying to pull a fast one.

[Killer2005]

Cheers chaps. We shall be looking further into it, and new landlord said they'd be in contact soon so we shall see. Already got someone who knows more than I do looking into it, and from what I've learned from an ex estate agent, they should honour the contract, but going to speak to few other sources too.

Thanks again

[Wings]

Killer2005 said:

My mrs has been renting a house in Leeds for just over 2 years now. It seems that the house she is renting has recently changed hands (without her being informed) and has now been put up for rent, and someone turned up on her door this morning to view the property without her prior knowledge.

However she signed a contract last January to cover from September 08 to September 09 and therefore it wouldnt be ideal if she gets kicked out, or if she now has to pay higher rental at around £100 a month as she cant afford that.

Could anyone help?

Thanks in advance

It appears from your posting that your “mrs ”has a fixed term tenancy, therefore since the tenancy ends September 2009, the earliest date that the new owner/landlord can give your “mrs” Notice to end September 2009, will be July 2009.

As to any increase in rent, firstly the new owner/landlord needs to give your “mrs” one months of his/her intention of the same, with your “mrs” having the objection of objecting to the same, requesting , the local council’s housing officer to adjudicate upon the same.

[snx]

This article from CAB might help

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/family_parent/...

The new property owner/landlord is "trying it on"
She doesn't have to budge until the tenancy expires but watch out for dirty tricks from the new landlord

[snx]

More here

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/family_parent/...

Extract:
How to find out who the landlord is

If you do not know the identity of the landlord, you can write to the person who last collected your rent, asking for your landlord’s full name and address. You should send this letter by recorded delivery and keep a copy. If the person to whom you have written does not reply within 21 days, this is a criminal offence. You can inform the Tenancy Relations Officer of the local authority, who can prosecute the person who has failed to provide the information.


Before contacting the Tenancy Relations Officer, you should consider whether this might provoke your landlord into retaliating with threats or attempted eviction. You should consult an experienced adviser, for example, at a Citizens Advice Bureau. To search for details of your nearest CAB, including those that can give advice by email, click on nearest CAB.


If you need to find out your landlord’s identity because of an emergency, such as a burst pipe, it may be quicker to inform the local authority of the emergency. The local authority has special powers to enter and carry out any necessary work, and can take steps to find out who your landlord is in order to recover its costs.

[Killer2005]

Thanks everyone.

[Wings]

snx said:

More here

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/family_parent/...

Extract:
How to find out who the landlord is

If you do not know the identity of the landlord, you can write to the person who last collected your rent, asking for your landlord’s full name and address. You should send this letter by recorded delivery and keep a copy. If the person to whom you have written does not reply within 21 days, this is a criminal offence. You can inform the Tenancy Relations Officer of the local authority, who can prosecute the person who has failed to provide the information.


Before contacting the Tenancy Relations Officer, you should consider whether this might provoke your landlord into retaliating with threats or attempted eviction. You should consult an experienced adviser, for example, at a Citizens Advice Bureau. To search for details of your nearest CAB, including those that can give advice by email, click on nearest CAB.


If you need to find out your landlord’s identity because of an emergency, such as a burst pipe, it may be quicker to inform the local authority of the emergency. The local authority has special powers to enter and carry out any necessary work, and can take steps to find out who your landlord is in order to recover its costs.

The identity and address of the new owner/landlord can be found via an online check on the Land Registry web site, although failure by the landlord to inform the tenant of the same allows the tenant to stop paying the rent.

Access by the new owner/landlord to the property must follow the landlord giving the tenant a minimum of 24hours notice of the same, but that together with other issues needs to be checked with the clauses contained within the Tenancy Agreement.

Lastly I would also check the position of your “mrs’s” Deposit, ensuring that the same is still protected.