okumuki   10 #1 Posted September 30, 2013 Hello,  I'm an italian student and I just rent a flat with my boyfriend here in Sheffield from a private landlord. I was in hurry finding an accomodation so we signed the agreement two days ago, seeing the house very quickly. I know that is our fault having not see the house properly, but we noticed later that the house is really a mess. The bedroom hasn't a window and it's separate from the leaving room by only a tent... I found five spiders in just one day and one was bigger than my hand, I'm arachnophobic and I cannot live with spiders inside... we gave to the landlord one month rent and the bond...do you think it's possible to leave the house by leaving to her the first month, avoiding to pay all sixth months? It's impossible to leave here, and I have to be quiet to study...:mad:I don't know how are the rules here in the UK, please help me! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
lectrolove   10 #2 Posted September 30, 2013 Welcome to Sheffield, you've arrived at an unfortunate time for an arachnophobic as September is spider season here in the UK, they'll be gone soon, until next year. I don't think you can get out of a letting contract on the grounds of spiders, any building will harbour them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
dizzy_chick   10 #3 Posted October 2, 2013 Hello, I'm an italian student and I just rent a flat with my boyfriend here in Sheffield from a private landlord. I was in hurry finding an accomodation so we signed the agreement two days ago, seeing the house very quickly. I know that is our fault having not see the house properly, but we noticed later that the house is really a mess. The bedroom hasn't a window and it's separate from the leaving room by only a tent... I found five spiders in just one day and one was bigger than my hand, I'm arachnophobic and I cannot live with spiders inside... we gave to the landlord one month rent and the bond...do you think it's possible to leave the house by leaving to her the first month, avoiding to pay all sixth months? It's impossible to leave here, and I have to be quiet to study...:mad:I don't know how are the rules here in the UK, please help me!  Speak to the University Accommodation Service. Take your tenancy agreement in with you. They will explain it to you. Also, deposits should be protected in a tenancy deposit scheme, and the landlord should have provided you with the details of this. Was the property advertised by the University or did you find it on Gumtree or some other website? It may be worth making the University aware of it, and the landlord's details.  As the previous poster has said, in the UK, spiders come in from outside at this time of year so you will see a few more then normal.  In terms of quietness & study, I thought one of the libraries was open 24 hours a day? You may find it easier to study in there....  The private rented market in the UK is really 'buyer beware'.. There are a lot of good landlords out there, and some really awful ones. whenever you find a property you need to really look very closely at it before you sign anything. The tenancy agreements are contracts between you and the landlord, and it can have serious consequences if you break them..  good luck! but many landlords don't allow a tenant to leave so early in the contract... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Jeffrey Shaw   90 #4 Posted October 2, 2013 ALSO: ask for advice re the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Michie   10 #5 Posted October 4, 2013 Speak to the Landlady and see if she would be happy for you to find someone to take over the rest of the tenancy. I did this when I was living in a property in the Oakbrook area and a friend invited to live with them after just a couple of weeks of living there. The landlady was fine with this ... I kinda didn't tell her I was leaving until I had found someone to take over my room (naughty I know!) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
shirker   10 #6 Posted October 8, 2013 In short, it sounds as if you have a private contract (if at all) with the landlord. You can leave now, the Landlord will keep (or at least attempt to) the bond, but at least you don't end up living there for six months. An expensive lesson for you, and I'm sure the Landlord will rent it again within 4 weeks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
muzzey   10 #7 Posted October 9, 2013 short term tenancy win win both ways land lord always wins you have no choice live there or pay up the six months she will go to small claim court and automatically win and win costs too. because it is a binding contract she can also go to uni and tell them that you defaulted on your payment and stop issuing you certificates the law also protects you as you can not be kicked out. YOU MUST VIEW AND ACCEPT the property as seen the land lord can now make claims against you on line and when you leave UK with out payment the boarder agency can stop you leaving UK UN paid bills rule international student.:loopy::loopy: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Cyclone   10 #8 Posted October 9, 2013 ALSO: ask for advice re the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999.  How is that likely to apply to an assured shorthold tenancy agreement?  ---------- Post added 09-10-2013 at 10:27 ----------  In short, it sounds as if you have a private contract (if at all) with the landlord. You can leave now, the Landlord will keep (or at least attempt to) the bond, but at least you don't end up living there for six months. An expensive lesson for you, and I'm sure the Landlord will rent it again within 4 weeks.  The landlord can also take the defaulting tenant to court for lost rent until the property is re-let. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Jeffrey Shaw   90 #9 Posted October 9, 2013 How is that likely to apply to an assured shorthold tenancy agreement? Someone (e.g. T) who enters into a contract with non-negotiated terms may have a right to challenge any felt to be 'unfair'. Most views are that the Regulations apply even to Letting Agreements. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Cyclone   10 #10 Posted October 9, 2013 And what clause might be unfair in this instance? I doubt there's a clause about spiders for instance. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
RWM1967 Â Â 10 #11 Posted October 9, 2013 Someone (e.g. T) who enters into a contract with non-negotiated terms may have a right to challenge any felt to be 'unfair'. Most views are that the Regulations apply even to Letting Agreements. Â Â Tenants usually have the opportunity to request a variation of the tenancy terms, seek legal advice before signing, or not agree to the terms at all and look for other accommodation, so if they view the property, and are mentally capable and sign an agreement (tenancy) they have had the chance to read, negotiate, decline, seek legal advice about, etc, then surely the Unfair Terms is Consumer Contracts legislation cannot apply in such circumstances? So although the regulations could in theory apply to tenancy agreements, surely this would be extremely unlikely in normal circumstances such as this? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Jeffrey Shaw   90 #12 Posted October 10, 2013 I agree (and you perhaps know my personal views about EU-induced legislation!) but I'm just telling you what the Regulations' effect is. If you really want to read them, or if you can't sleep, look at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1999/2083/contents/made Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...