Landlord eviction notice after rent increase request

Hi all,
Hope someone can help me, I'm really desperate, I'm a mature student in 3rd year, with a cat, on rent allowance, the last thing I need is to be trying to find new accommodation.

I've been living in a house share for the last 6 years, The house has 5 bed rooms all rented individually, I've looked after all the bills and generally ran the house in this time.

It was a 3 bed house that the landlord converted (poorly) into a 5 bed house.

The house is not in great condition but the rent reflected that.

Recently the landlord came to us and said he wanted to increase the rent, we said that we had a list of thing we'd like him to fix in the house before we would consider a rental increase.

A few days later the landlord issued everybody in the house with an eviction notice, citing he was going to do renovations to the house.

I've had trouble with the landlord constantly during my tenancy with him letting himself into the house whenever he feels like it and I suspect he just wants rid of me and has no intentions of doing renovation that would warrant eviction.

He gave us 4 months because I'd been here for 4+ years.

I also suspect the house may not be registered with the PRTB.

What can I do? is leaving my only option?

Icepick

Request details on said renovations.

He told me what he planned to do when he came to talk to me, I was so shocked I didn't take most of it in.

Even if he gives me a list, what's to say he's not making it up?

the_syco

So you gotta be out sometime around February in the new year? Could work to your advantage, as colleges often have people dropping out after xmas, so you may snag a place cheaply.

Mick Murdock

Trying to get somewhere that accepts rent allowance is the challenge!

Eldarion

Will Glamorous Desktop wrote: »

He told me what he planned to do when he came to talk to me, I was so shocked I didn't take most of it in.

Even if he gives me a list, what's to say he's not making it up?

Well if he doesn't carry out the renovations you can sue him for illegal eviction. But tbh I think you'd just be wasting your time trying to chase him.

He's perfectly entitled to demand possession of his property for a number of valid reasons. Renovations being one of them.

This right here is a prime example of how fixed term leases also benefit the tenant. Tenants seem to view fixed term leases as something the LLs force upon them. They benefit both parties.

@Mick

@Mick Murdock Tell me about it, every property I've looked at stipulates no rent allowance.

And then throw in the cat to boot.

@Eldarion

Yeah I see that side of it, I just think it unfair for him to do this after i ran the house for him for so long.

What would the fact that he's not Registered with the PRTB mean, could this have any benefit to me if I logged a complaint with them.

I don't wanna stay here forever, I'm hoping to start working in May, with my college work and exams its just so inconvenient to move before then.

Eldarion

Will Glamorous Desktop wrote: »

What would the fact that he's not Registered with the PRTB mean, could this have any benefit to me if I logged a complaint with them.

No benefit to you at all, unfortunately. According to the law he can get hit with a criminal conviction for not registering the tenancy but more than likely the most he'll get is a fine and a slap on the wrist. You're still eligible to avail of the PRTB's services of course but it's of no benefit to you in your current situation.

i feel for you being in college and all but you have four months to try and find a room, but I wouldn't waste my time with prtb or requesting a list of renovations at the mo, maybe when u find a room, tbh by the sound of the condition of the house I would have left when the rent increased,in a similar situation at the mo.

garhjw

Eldarion wrote: »

No benefit to you at all, unfortunately. According to the law he can get hit with a criminal conviction for not registering the tenancy but more than likely the most he'll get is a fine and a slap on the wrist. You're still eligible to avail of the PRTB's services of course but it's of no benefit to you in your current situation.

I don't think the ll will get a fine or conviction if he is reported for not being registered with PRTB. As I understand it, an enforcement notice would be issued, giving the ll x Days to comply and register the tenancy. Failure to do so could then result in prosecution/fine.

OP, unfortunately it looks like you will have to find somewhere else to live. Only thing I could suggest is asking the ll to wait until your academic year is over. This could require some negotiation on the part of you and your housemates.

Best of luck

Stella Virgo

Will Glamorous Desktop wrote: »

Hi all,
Hope someone can help me, I'm really desperate, I'm a mature student in 3rd year, with a cat, on rent allowance, the last thing I need is to be trying to find new accommodation.

I've been living in a house share for the last 6 years, The house has 5 bed rooms all rented individually, I've looked after all the bills and generally ran the house in this time.

It was a 3 bed house that the landlord converted (poorly) into a 5 bed house.

The house is not in great condition but the rent reflected that.

Recently the landlord came to us and said he wanted to increase the rent, we said that we had a list of thing we'd like him to fix in the house before we would consider a rental increase.

A few days later the landlord issued everybody in the house with an eviction notice, citing he was going to do renovations to the house.

I've had trouble with the landlord constantly during my tenancy with him letting himself into the house whenever he feels like it and I suspect he just wants rid of me and has no intentions of doing renovation that would warrant eviction.

He gave us 4 months because I'd been here for 4+ years.

I also suspect the house may not be registered with the PRTB.

What can I do? is leaving my only option?

the guy has given you 4 months notice to go, and you are still whingin/moanin.????....whats wrong with you?.get out .this guy owes you NOTHING. did you think you could stay there for ever? if you cant get another place in FOUR months then you need to have a serious chat with yourself.

Stella Virgo

Stella Virgo wrote: »

the guy has given you 4 months notice to go, and you are still whingin/moanin.????....whats wrong with you?.get out .this guy owes you NOTHING. did you think you could stay there for ever? if you cant get another place in FOUR months then you need to have a serious chat with yourself.

Haha, get down of that horse there buddy, did you even read my replies, I clearly said I did not want to live here forever and never said he owed me anything!

He had no intentions of renovating the house, I was just after decorating my room with the go ahead from him last month, still his house, he can do as he pleases.

I hope I find somewhere I can afford that accepts cats and rent allowance in the next four months, while I juggle my college work, but so far I have found nothing.
I don't know if you've noticed but there is a rental shortage at the moment.

There are rights in place to protect people like me for a reason, so forgive me for asking if my rights had been breached and if there was anything I could do about it.

As a side note maybe you should have a serious chat with yourself about your punctuation and grammar :cool:

beauf

Couldn't the LL have simply increased the rent inline with market rates. The LL hasn't breached your rights unless he doesn't do some work on the place. I'm not sure if there's any quantifiable amount that needs to be done to qualify. I'm not sure how that helps you because to prove you'd have to have moved out. Would you consider offering the LL some increase, to stay until you've finished college? You've lived their for 6yrs without these fixes being done. Unless they are critical and they need to doing, can you live with them? or fix them yourself? I seriously doubt this LL would eve fix things for you.

I'm not sure being proven right months after having to move really helps you.

beauf

beauf wrote: »

Couldn't the LL have simply increased the rent inline with market rates. The LL hasn't breached your rights unless he doesn't do some work on the place. I'm not sure if there's any quantifiable amount that needs to be done to qualify. I'm not sure how that helps you because to prove you'd have to have moved out. Would you consider offering the LL some increase, to stay until you've finished college? You've lived their for 6yrs without these fixes being done. Unless they are critical and they need to doing, can you live with them? or fix them yourself? I seriously doubt this LL would eve fix things for you.

I'm not sure being proven right months after having to move really helps you.

Yeah you're 100% right it's no good to me, after I've had to move out, to find out he did little or no changes, although he does have to give me first refusal after the renovation, so might just pop down and have a look when he does and if not much has changed I'll take it from there.

I'm just going to have to try and find somewhere else to live, a lot of friends are moving home from OZ and will be looking for places so I may land on my feet yet.

It's just near impossible to find a place that will accept rent allowance. this would be a no issue if I was in full time employment.

Mick Murdock

Will Glamorous Desktop wrote: »

Yeah you're 100% right it's no good to me, after I've had to move out, to find out he did little or no changes, although he does have to give me first refusal after the renovation, so might just pop down and have a look when he does and if not much has changed I'll take it from there.

I'm just going to have to try and find somewhere else to live, a lot of friends are moving home from OZ and will be looking for places so I may land on my feet yet.

It's just near impossible to find a place that will accept rent allowance. this would be a no issue if I was in full time employment.

Don't mind the holier than thou brigade here. I think some conditions placed on landlords are ridiculous but given the shîtholes some of them try to pass off as a home, I think you are well within your rights to refuse.

I'm currently trying to help my brother who is also a mature student and struggling to find accommodation. Admire anybody who is pro-active and you're doing great. Hope it all works out well for you.

Deenie123

Ask the landlord if you can stay until the end of May (3 extra months) for a certain increase in rent. Nothing ventured nothing gained and all that.

MrDerp

Will Glamorous Desktop wrote: »

There are rights in place to protect people like me for a reason, so forgive me for asking if my rights had been breached and if there was anything I could do about it.

Yes you have rights; no they have not been breached in any demonstrable way.

Your rights extend to an adequate notice period for a termination under allowable circumstances. The landlord has invoked his right to remove you for renovations, and honoured yours by providing an adequate notice period.

Your lease has been legally terminated. That's not to say it's not mean spirited, but you have no way of knowing the cirumstances. There is no provision for argument based on the state of the rental market, your need for RA to be accepted, your cat, the inconvenience on you in relation to the college term.

As others have said, you can appeal to the landlord's nature but in this market the landlord may have done his sums and realised that minimal renovations can have the place ready to market to "professionals" and provide a quick return on his investment. He/she is in a business after all.