tenants rights

[ameads]

I'm hoping someone can help me. My wife and I rent a three bed house in Norfolk which we pay �450pm for. Now our landlady (my mother) wants to put the house up with an estate agent. We have never missed or been late on any rent payments since we have been there. The current contract that we have runs out in December, I have phoned the estate agent who will be taking the house on and he has no idea on what we are paying rent wise and told us as far as he is aware it's going to be classed as a new let! Can they do this being as we already live there? What if we have any are our rights as tenants? Also can they put the rent up to however much they want to? Or do they have to stick to a certain amount?
Please can someone give us some answer as we want to start a family but want to know our rights.

[CheekyChops]

Can't you just ask your mother what is going on?

[bednobs]

when your contract runs out neither you or she are under an obligation to renew it, so yes, you already live their but you only have a right to while the contract says you can.
She will need to give you notice that she dosent intend to renew - what does it say in the contract about notice?
Do you get on with your mum? It sounds a bit strange that she would trade the security of a regular tennant, considering she could ask you to move out and then not get it re-let.
I think if she is starting afresh with a new contract etc then she can charge what she likes, although it is of course up to you whether you want to pay it or look for somewhere else

[Ronny44]

Strange you should be asking this on here, when the landlady is your Mother, are you not talking to each other?

[puddingqueen]

Hi Ameads
In this current climate your best interests for your mother would be to keep on renting the property to you because if she puts the house on the market now it won't sell. We have had our house up for sale 2 years next month, noboby is buying at the moment, its quite strange really because all the properties we were looking at to buy six months ago are now up for rent. Its better having a rental payment coming in than no money at all from a house that has not sold.
Might be best just sitting down with you mum and explain to her that you are both ideal tenants or would she prefer other tenants she does not know
Good luck to you both.

[terambulan]

Tell ur mother she can't kick you out until she has offered you an alternative place to stay; (that should frighten her). It's very difficult to remove unresponsive tenants.

Tenants can be given a court-order to move if they haven't paid the rent for 6months and the order is often 3months effective. That gives you another 9months. As for rent increase, depends on a contract, if none then can be instant increase but if too high you can appeal (CAB will advise).

[droopdrawers]

Sounds like your Mother is having a mental block or something.

She'll be lucky to sell a property in todays markets.

Tell her she'll have to take you to court first.....which I believe is correct. Time thats all sorted she will realise no one is selling at the moment anyway!!

Silly woman,

DD