Tenancy law in the UK

[baboon2004]

Does anyone on here know anything about UK tenancy law through personal experience (or by being a lawyer, of course) - esp tenancy rights regarding eviction...how much notice required, what reasons are legit for landlords/estate agents evicting, etc

Thanks in advance.

 

[STN]

this may have something of interest. Good luck with whatever it is.

http://rentergirl.blogspot.com/

 

[baboon2004]

thank you. I'll take a look at that now.

Oh, just getting evicted by bastard estate agents. tenancy law seems incredibly vague int his country from my initial searches - will phone CAB this afternoon to see if I can get anything clearer.

 

[STN]

I've always found the CAB very helpful, actually.

I think the thing with estate agents is they very frequently have no idea of the law themselves, there's just sort of an assumption that owning a home means you can do what you like with it, which isn't entirely true.

for what reason, ostensibly, are they evicting you, if I may ask? I'm not a lawyer or expert or anything like that, incidentally.

 

[baboon2004]

I've always found the CAB very helpful, actually.

I think the thing with estate agents is they very frequently have no idea of the law themselves, there's just sort of an assumption that owning a home means you can do what you like with it, which isn't entirely true.

for what reason, ostensibly, are they evicting you, if I may ask? I'm not a lawyer or expert or anything like that, incidentally.

That's good to know - never really used them before.

I have that suspicion myself - they just seek to bully tenants who also have no idea of the law.

I work with lawyers, which is useful, but none specialising in tenancy, so...

They're evicting because they say that the whole house needs doing up, and that we've let it go to rack and ruin (whereas they've never done anything at all to the upkeep - it's all wear and tear that they're complaining about). I know that major works can legally involve eviction, but surely they have some legal obligation to provide basic upkeep.

 

[Papercut]

legally, i believe its a months notice for every year you've been a tenant.

and yes, they are obliged to keep the place at a liveable standard and to expect some wear and tear on the house over the years, but i guess they aren't fixed terms so they are open to interpretation from agency to agency.

the contracts that agencies make you sign here are shit as well, full of pretty unorthodox stipulations, like being fined for breaking the contract. in most other countries, and traditionally here, a fixed yearly contract was about a fixed price for the year and could be broken with a months notice.

i think its best to avoid agencies if possible, but they're everywhere.

 

[baboon2004]

Ah, there's the thing - four of us didn't sign a contract, so effectively we are subletting from one guy in the flat.

That seems bad, but at the same time, means financially there aren't any legal ties, and I think the guy we're subletting from's contract was only verbal.

Well, probably looking for a new place now, and will take care to avoid agencies. On the other hand, have been evicted by landlords before, so dunno that dealing directly is much better.

 

[HMGovt’s Glorious Return!]

there was a story in the local paper this week about a landlord who changed the locks on the property while the tenants - a young family - were on holiday. They had to be given emergency accommodation by the council on their return. The landlord would not relent and was sent to prison for three months.

 

[mrfaucet]

I've been messed around by past landlords and agents so it's not a problem specific to either. As someone said, I think it's a month notice that they have to give. Although the fact you haven't signed a contract might complicate things.

 

[Papercut]

you can point blank refuse to leave without a satisfactory notice period. what are they gonna do? get their goons around? criminal justice act of 1978 section 6 means that carries a 5,000 and/or 6month imprisionment. its the one that squatters use to stay in a house, but actually applies to any forced entry of a place that you consider your home. you can push for more than a month if you've been there for longer than a year.

 

[baboon2004]

thanks for all the answers, much appreicated.

Papercut - it's a good point, and thanks for the section 6 heads up. I've been there a year and a half, but one fo my housemates has been there for 7 (!)

 

[baboon2004]

Has anyone had any experience of challenging extortionate estate agency fees for altering a tenancy agreement? Thanks in advance.