Rent Increase

[btrobin]

My son lives in the UK and works for a lift company, last week he was turned away from 4 service jobs due to covid, Friday everyone was called in to the office and all the mates were let go. Today he was told it would be his last day at work and then a text from his landlord to inform him his rent is being increased, we all know that landlords don't operate charity housing, but he is already paying £900 a month for a poxy little 1 bed flat, if he manages to get this 80% wage thing then he still will have to pay council tax and all the other associated living expenses let alone eat. I think it is a very callous move to put the rent up at this particular time.

[bednobs]

Hi whats your question? Is it callous? Yes but one can hardly run a business on always being nice to people

[THECORBYLOON]

There is a three month ban on evictions so in theory, your son could refuse to pay the increase and be safe from eviction. Landlords are also receiving help with mortgage payments.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/complete-ban-on-evictions-and-additional-protection-for-renters

[btrobin]

I don't think it is a question about niceties, landlords and nice rarely go together, ok so lets put it a bit easier is there any recourse available to him either in the current situation, or under normal circumstances regarding assistance with his rent as he has lost his job due to the current pandemic.

[fiction-factory]

Yes. Don't pay it all if he can't afford it at the moment as he can't be evicted for 3 months and this may be extended

[btrobin]

Thank you Corbyloon, very informative and helpful

[ladybirder]

I would have thought a reduction would have been in order if his landlord has a mortgage as interest rates are going down, not up.

[fiction-factory]

Yes- if landlord has a variable rate mortgage but it could be fixed rate - or maybe no mortgage at all. Your son could try to negotiate and say surely £600 a month, say, is better than the nothing he could choose to pay

[NickorWan]

//landlords and nice rarely go together//

That’s rather unfair; I could easily say the same about tenants. I am spending my self-isolation fixing damage left by our last tenants, though it will still cost me thousands to fix the things I can’t. That after I waved the rent for several months when one of them lost his job.

[btrobin]

Yes probably, I have also been a landlord and been *** on budding actors studying at the Rose Bruford college in Sidcup, Dirty *** two girls and a bloke, wrecked the place, had to dump all the white goods when they finally moved out. 11 PM we had a call from a neighbour to say they were moving out, midnight flit, In the car me, the wife and 2 Dobermans, found they were nicking half of our gear as well as their own personal effects. They were soon persuaded to repatriate my stuff. So yes agree bit unfair but what a time with the present situation to implement a hike.