Advice needed. I've not paid rent for over a year.

[JD21]

Hi,

My girlfriend and I moved into an apartment originaly with a 6 month lease.

When the lease expired we tried to continue paying rent for the apartment but it was returned by the bank.
At the time our building was been looked after by a management company. We contacted them countless times to explain the situation and to try to resolve it as we wished to continue living there.
Eventually they informed us that after speaking to our landlord he had refused to give us his contact details which left us with no way of paying our rent.
Since then we have continued to live in the apartment rent free for over a year and have had no contact from anybody at all regarding this matter.

During this time some repairs have been needed to the property e.g. central heating, leaking window and washing machine, which we have paid for.
Also the white goods electrical test certificates have expired.

I'd like to point out that we have no way defaced the property and have maintained it well and that if we had we been able to we would have continued paying rent for the property.
It was the landlords choice not to pass on his details making it impossible to pay any rent to him.

I'm just wondering what rights (if any) we have and if he is legaly able to claim any back rent on the property considering the situation.

Thanks JD

[tamborine]

what is the monthly rent & how many bedrooms? The L'lord can claim back rent.

[JD21]

2 bed £400/month.
How can he claim though? Surely he gave up this right when he refused to accept payment in the first place and wouldnt give us his details???

[tamborine]

Look up Land Registry @ £5 to find out who owns property. L'lords charge to you works out at £13.3 for 2 of you to live there 24/7 - you begrudge that and choose to live free - shameful.

You also de-value the property sale price by being a sitting tenant. Am glad I dont rent to you.

[JD21]

I didnt say i begrudged paying it.. exactly the opposite!!!
If you read the original question properly you would see that we actually want to pay the rent it was HE who refused the payment.
We tried to contact him and HE refused to give us his details.

If your bank returned your mortgage payment and when you tried to pay refused to have any contact with you what would you do???

[tamborine]

he could be sick/abroad not want payment into bank; and remain anon for his own reasons. I cancelled management company on my rental as they kept upping their collection price that it was hardly a feasible rental - your l'lord may have similar problem.

It would be wise to save the past rentals in a bank for when the inevitable happens.

[tamborine]

google:

http://www.landregist...TRjBJOElDODNVVjIwMDM!

[modeller]

This happened to a friend of mine for 5 years until the builders came to demolish it.
I think if your lease had run out there is no longer a contract that could be enforced. You would become squatters and if 10 years ( I think ) passed you could claim ownership. Even if there was a lease you could claim for any repairs unless the lease said otherwise . It sounds to me you landlord has sold the property, so he couldn't take your rent.

[Nosha123]

What an odd situation!!! However - proceed with grat caution.. and ensure that the rent you havent paid is somewhere safe incase someone commences any action for non-payment!