We got a letter yesterday, informing us that, as we were aware, our rent went up by £25 per month 6 months ago. Seeing as we hadn't paid the rental increase, could we now pay what is overdue (within 7 days), and amend our standing order immediately.

Problem is, we weren't aware! We didn't receive a notice for rent increase 6 moths ago.

I strongly suspect that the Letting agent has messed, up, and in my eyes that's their problem. From what I can make out if you're on a rolling tenancy, you can only have your rent increased once a year, at a certain time. It kind of looks like they're trying to put the rent up now, and back date it. I think that if the lettings staff spent less time doing house inspections on every property on their books every 4 months, and actually stayed in the office and did some work, things might be better organised!

We like the house, and what we've seen and heard of the Landlord, we like him too, so don't necessarily want to penalize him (and are opportunity at staying in the house...) but if it's not our problem, and really the Letting Agents are at fault, then I have no intention of paying!

Any advice on where we stand would be greatly appreciated.

How long does your contract run for? was the rent increase agreed in the terms of the contract? is it a normal AST? if not they have to give you I think one months notice, so that you can choose to accept or move on, if they havn't given you notice using the right paperword they can't retrospectively charge it (provided the increase was not as part of the agreement) also if you have a fixed term for a fixed price again no rent increase can be charged. I think it is covered by section 13 of the 1988 housing act... http://www.letlink.co.uk/letting-statutes/...t-1988.html#IRU


Hope that helps...

Ask them for a copy of their paperwork and proof of posting. Otherwise tell them that they will have to issue you a new notice.

You sound like you are willing to pay an increased rent from now on, but the increase can be challenged if you so wish.

Thanks for both replies - and Matt, thank you for the V useful link.

We're on an Assured Periodic Tenancy - we've been here for 3 yrs now (it was initially a 6 months contract, and is now a rolling one - sorry, I thought I had put it in the OP, but got my rant on and forgot!). From what I can make out from the link and both of your advice, they've messed up on a couple of counts - they would still need to give me a months notice from now (and can't receive back pay), and the forms they have supposedly "resent" have it dated so that the rent increase is less than a year after the last rent increase (the August, not the September), so they're trying for an extra months worth of rent increase...

Am probably happy to pay the increase - I don't have a bone with the LL, but I think that if the letting agents stuffed up (which it looks like they have) they should be penalized and not me!

Received phone call from the letting agents just before 5pm - to let me know that they hadn't sent a letter in the summer, and that there was still no rent increase!

Turns out they had spoken to the LL, who had said to hold off for a bit on the rent increase, and that he'd look at it again in 2008, they never sent a letter out last year, and shouldn't have sent out the overly blunt letter demanding money last week... the lady said "so there's no rent increase, and we've credited your account with the money owed".... How can you credit an account of money owed when I don't owe anything?!

Just goes to show how competent they are I guess...

take the "money reimbursed" and buy yourself a big fat chinese meal tonight courtesy of the stupid feckers

It's an accounting way of saying they've cancelled your debt.