{"id":67149,"date":"2023-09-28T03:55:21","date_gmt":"2023-09-28T03:55:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/talkcelnews.com\/?p=67149"},"modified":"2023-09-28T03:55:21","modified_gmt":"2023-09-28T03:55:21","slug":"weve-been-evicted-after-landlord-illegally-hiked-up-the-rent-by-12-its-so-unfair-we-were-powerless-the-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/talkcelnews.com\/lifestyle\/weve-been-evicted-after-landlord-illegally-hiked-up-the-rent-by-12-its-so-unfair-we-were-powerless-the-sun\/","title":{"rendered":"We've been evicted after landlord 'illegally' hiked up the rent by 12% – it's so unfair & we were powerless | The Sun"},"content":{"rendered":"
A COUPLE have told of their horror of being evicted after their landlord hiked up the rent by 12 per cent and left them "powerless".<\/p>\n
Daisy and Ramona are being forced to leave their home in Brighton after four years against their will.<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
The pair, both in their 20s, signed a contract that capped their rent at a five per cent increase per year.<\/p>\n
However, their landlord recently decided to over double that.<\/p>\n
"Shortly after the mortgage crisis and interest rate situation happened, we were contacted and asked to raise the rent by 12 per cent," Daisy told the BBC.<\/p>\n
The young couple responded to their landlord by citing their contract.<\/p>\n
The contract capped any rent increases by 5% each year.<\/p>\n Immediately afterwards, they were served a Section 21 notice, which gives landlords the power to send tenants packing with only two months' notice without having to give a reason.<\/p>\n The eviction has devastated the pair.<\/p>\n "It's very upsetting, because it's a situation in which you are powerless and there is very little I can do to stay in this place I have lived in for the last four years and has become my home," said a tearful Daisy.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n "Everyday becomes a lot more stressful and insecure," added Ramona.<\/p>\n A third of Brighton's homes are privately let, which means that the city's local authority has the second-highest proportion of private renters outside of London.<\/p>\n The result has seen rising rents and a spiralling demand for homes.<\/p>\n In May 2022, the government announced they would abolish Section 21 – a move that some argue has led to a sudden increase in eviction of tenants before the law comes into place.<\/p>\n Citizens advice reported that they had received an increase in calls to its helpline on this exact issue.<\/p>\n Landlord Andrew told the BBC that he blames the changes to the legislation for his decision to want to sell his rental properties.<\/p>\n "On a personal level, I've got seven properties I am losing money on month by month." <\/p>\n He continued: "The upcoming abolition of Section 21 has caused some landlords to advance their plans and take the decision to issue these notices now."<\/p>\n If you want to talk to someone about how to deal with your landlord, you can contact\u00a0Shelter\u00a0or\u00a0Citizens Advice, or\u00a0Housing Advice NI\u00a0in\u00a0Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n These organisations will also be able to talk to you about what entitlements you might be able to claim to help pay your rent if you\u2019re on a low income.<\/p>\n Check if you can\u00a0get help elsewhere to pay your rent.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re on a low income or get\u00a0benefits\u00a0you might be able to get Housing Benefit (or housing costs payments through Universal Credit)\u00a0for example.<\/p>\n There are also rules a landlord has to follow when they want to increase rent for regulated tenancies – this is called fair rent.<\/p>\n They can only increase the rent up to the maximum set by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA).<\/p>\n A landlord can ask the agency to review rent every two years, but if something has affected the value they can ask earlier.<\/p>\n Tenant's must be given a notice of increase and a landlord can charge the new rent from the date it's registered.<\/p>\n Landlords also need to complete a 'notice of increase' form and send it to their tenant.<\/p>\n You can backdate your notice of rent increase for up to 4 weeks.<\/p>\n Your landlord can increase your\u00a0rent\u00a0– but there are rules they should follow.<\/p>\n Firstly, it's important to know what type of tenancy you're in – this determines when your landlord can increase your rent.<\/p>\n Your tenancy agreement should have a section on when the price you're paying will be reviewed.<\/p>\n For a periodic tenancy, which is a rolling on a week-by-week or month-by-month basis, your landlord cannot normally increase the rent more than once a year without your agreement.<\/p>\n Your landlord must give you a minimum of one month\u2019s notice (if you pay rent weekly or monthly).<\/p>\n If you have a yearly tenancy, they must give you 6 months\u2019 notice.<\/p>\n If a tenancy agreement doesn\u2019t include a rent review clause, or it\u2019s expired and the landlord still wishes to raise the rent, a landlord can use a a section 13 notice.<\/p>\n<\/picture>HAPPY CAMPERS <\/span><\/p>\n
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