How much notice should we give?

zig

Hi,

Im hoping someone can advise on this!

We have been living in a house for nearly 7 years. However the landlords only went legitimate the last 2.5 years approx.

The landloards sent us a letter giving us 3 months notice of a huge rent increase. The 3 months is the legal requirement. This was a 50% increase, albeit coming from relatively cheap rent, but we were also down a tenant to share it so the amount we'd have to pay ourselves is too much, just not worth it.

We have decided we have to leave. Having looked up the RTB site, I see there is 84 days notice for 4-8 years and 56 days for 2-4 years.

The issue is, as we received 90 days notice of the rent increase and perhaps have to give 84 days notice to leave, that really only left us with 6 days to decide what we want to do before we hit the higher rent.

I am wondering should we do the 84 days or the 56 days?

I called the RTB but the guy wasnt too helpful. He basically told me what I already knew. First he said if you're living there 7 years you've to give 84 days. Having told him about not being registered etc he then said perhaps you could file a complaint for not being registered.

We want to avoid a big conflict mainly because we dont want them to find any reason to screw us out of the deposit (we kept that house immaculate and even at times paid for small things ourselves).

The problem with 84 days is this means we are committed to staying there for that long, and it also means we will have to put up with viewers etc for the next few months.

What notice would you give in this situation?

Michael D Not Higgins

Give your notice now and you can agree what notice to give mutually with the landlord. You may agree a shorter notice period between you.

dennyk

Yep, give your notice ASAP and try to agree on a shorter notice period with the landlord. Any sane landlord would gladly forego a few weeks of occupancy in exchange for having a tenant leave on good terms, especially since that will mean he can bring in a new higher-paying tenant sooner anyway.

For viewings, you aren't obligated to grant the landlord access for that purpose unless it's specified in your lease, but it would be a good idea to try to work with the landlord as best you can to accommodate viewings in order to keep your relationship amicable (especially if he is willing to accommodate your shorter notice period in return).

Even if in the worst case the landlord won't budge on the notice period, that will only mean paying the higher rent for a short time in any case, and since the new rent is market price for the area (the landlord did provide the required three example properties in his notice, right?), you're probably going to be paying a somewhat higher rent in whatever place you're moving to in any case, even if you get a place with one fewer bedroom, so it probably won't cost you that much more in the end no matter what.

4ensic15

Are you in an RPZ? Is there alternative accommodation available in your area?

zig

Thanks for the advice folks. We're just gonna give them the notice now alright and accept the idea of staying there the full notice period, we had a few days more than we thought to decide the way the long months fell etc. We're annoyed at the coldness of how it came about but we're not gonna cause any problems and just want our deposit back.

Alternatives accommodation wise it would cost the same as it is market price really,and they did provide the 3 examples. But I had been looking at getting a house myself anyway and I have the deposit etc so this is the push I need to get mortgage approval etc. Im lucky enough to have back up options in the mean time.

It is not a rental pressure zone but I believe its about to be (or at least should be) so Id say they are getting in the increase while they can, Limerick city. Its as hard now to find a place here for rent as it is in any of other pressure zones outside of Dublin.