r/UKLandlordAdvice

1. Under UK law, specifically the law applicable in England, is there a maximum period for which a holiday let can be rented to the same guests?

2. If guests initially book a holiday let for three months, can the owner lawfully agree to a further three months at their request?

3. Does extending the booking affect its legal status as holiday accommodation, and in what circumstances could it become a residential tenancy?

4. How do any planning conditions restricting the property to holiday use affect the permitted length of stay and the ability to extend a booking?

A letting agent has been fined £8,600 for issuing a six-month fixed-term tenancy agreement in breach of the Renters’ Rights Act.

The Chesterfield agent was handed two fines by the district council for offences committed under the Act, which came to light after its private housing team received a complaint from tenants about housing standards at a rented property shortly after they moved in.

During its investigation, the council discovered that the agent had issued a six-month fixed-term tenancy agreement, despite fixed-term assured tenancies being prevented under the Act.

This is a reminder to all landlords that getting your paperwork right is no longer optional. There will be fines for using the wrong agreements and contravention of the Renters Rights Act. There is no business as usual - being a landlord has changed significantly and agents and landlords that don't adapt will pay a heavy price.

My situation: I am a Landlord with a letting agent who is a bit useless.

The event: My tenant has been without hot water for a few weeks, they tried to report the issue with the boiler (it was leaking about 5 litres of water a day) they tried to report via fixflo, but according to my tenant, the letting agent's information on fixflo was wrong and thus they did not receive the initial report.

They tried to email the letting agent but due a merger earlier in the year, my tenant did not have a correct email for them, they have proof of an attempt to email the letting agent, but emailed a "no reply" email.

The tenant tried to call the letting agent, but again, due to the merger, they did not have the details of the letting agent, it took the tenant about a week to find the correct details to try and call the letting agent.

I have proof the tenant rang multiple different numbers each day, including ones for the letting agent (who is regional, so I think they rang a multiple branches) until one week after they talked to my letting agent on the phone.

At this point I get a call, and I sign off on sending an engineer to fix the boiler.

I then get  another call 24 hours later saying along with the boiler, there is a problem with the toilet and sink, I sign off on these to be fixed. (I am later told by the tenant that the toilet had been leaking since they moved in, unbeknown to me)

I get a call a week later saying the engineer has been round a second time (at this point unknown to me, while fixing the leak, the fan broke on the boiler, and it meant the control panel stopped talking to the boiler. 

At this point the engineer says that the boiler needs to be totally replaced. I find this out around 14:00 on a Friday.

I start looking for a replacement myself at around 16:00 and then get some quotes at around 16:40 while I am in sessions with my clients.

The quotes they provide are around £4000, the quote i found subject to a visit was £1850

On saturday i try to call the estate agent to see if i can book in an engineer to go round and assess for my quote, they are closed and there is no out of hours number, I try to report it via their online portal, but i get stone walled with an email saying they will respond on Monday. 

I eventually find out my tenants number and message them, to be told that they have been living with a broken boiler since the 8th.

My question:

I want to leave my letting agent for this, but there is a clause in their terms of service that say if i leave i need to give them 3 months notice and 1 months rent, I will also have to pay them an unspecified amount of money each month if the tenant stays as a “finders fee”

Who can I talk to about this? What advice can you give me? My poor tenant also wants me to leave them as they have caused her so much stress over the years which i’ve had no idea about. 

What should I do?

TLDR: Letting agent are useless (possibly negligent)  but have a terrible break clause, What are my options in leaving?