Rents
Your rent is too high
Tenants looking for a new home are often under pressure to move, and there are more people looking for rented homes in Brent than the number advertised. This often means having to agree a rent which is higher than the property may be worth.
Some tenants find that conditions may not be as good as they thought, and they may find out that other tenants are paying less for similar homes. You have a right to refer the rent to the Property Tribunal within the first six months of your tenancy.
If the tribunal believes that you are paying more than an open market rent, they can reduce it. If they think the rent you are paying is the open market rent or below that figure, they will confirm the rent you are paying.
Your landlord wants to increase your rent
What to do next
If you think the proposed rent is too high or that you will struggle to pay it, you should contact the landlord (or their agent if they have one) to try to negotiate a lower rent.
If you fail to reach an agreement, and you can find evidence of similar properties at lower rents, you can refer the Landlord’s Notice to the Property Tribunal. You must do this before the increase date on the Landlord’s notice. If the tribunal believes that the proposed increase is more than an open market rent, they can reduce it. If they think the proposed rent is the open market rent or below that figure, they will confirm the increase.
In any event, the new rent will become due from the date of the Tribunal decision which will normally be later than the date in the Notice.
Why not talk this through with us
You can email us at info@fairerhousing.org.uk
