How to Respond to Rent Increases by Landlords

As a tenant, you pay rent to your landlord for occupying their property for residential or commercial purposes. You and your landlord reach an agreement of rental price increment before your sign the papers to move in. This is the agreement according to which the landlord can increase the rent of the property. If their change in demand isn’t in compliance with the agreement—you may hire a tenancy solicitor to raise your case.

The rent prices in the UK are already high, with the average rent moving to £1,059, up by 8.7% compared to the previous year. The rental prices are now 1.1% more than they were in January 2021. It’s said that the tenants of the UK spend an average of 30.93% of their income just on rent. So yes, the sudden increase in rent by the landlord would—and should—be addressed immediately.

Rent Increase—what can be done?

If your landlord is imposing an unwanted and unannounced increase in rent on you—the first thing you do is sit down over a cup of tea and sort it out with words. This is where you tell them about the agreement and how their demands are unjust. There’s nothing a good adult-to-adult talk can’t fix—but if they remain persistent with their demand, you can challenge the increase with the help of solicitors in Wembley.

Check Tenancy Agreement

Before you take on your landlord with legal advisors—it’s always wise to check your tenancy agreement for reassurance. This agreement restricts your landlord from increasing the rent at will. This agreement defines the timeframe and the amount that the landlord can increase the rent by.

Don’t Stop Paying the Rent

Legal issues can carry on for several days. During this time, you must not stop paying the rent at the original rate. If the landlord refuses to take it, document the transaction for proof in the future.

If it goes in the record that you held on to the rent—your landlord will get the upper hand in the case and may evict you for misconduct.

Challenging Your Rent Increase

There are a few ways you could challenge your landlord for the increase and file a lawsuit against him. But again, your case has to be strong and must not give the opposition an advantage. This is why solicitors agree on negotiating on the table for a suitable two-way solution.

But if you’re unable to get your landlord to bring the rental price down—you can appeal to the tribunal and get your complaint in the record.

Get Expert Help  

These legal issues can be dealt with by yourself—but it will require a lot of effort and stress to compile your case and present it to the tribunal. On the other hand, this procedure can be performed with the help of an expert tenancy solicitor, and you wouldn’t suffer from any mental or physical hassle.

Wembley Solicitors is a team of highly-trained and experienced lawyers in London. We offer certified services for all legal issues, including property related insolvency, landlord solicitor, UK residence card, British citizenship, and much more.

Call us at 020 3417 3700 for a free consultation or book an appointment with one of our professionals.