Signing a rental agreement

Muggle24

Hi guys,

Just looking for some input. Within the near future i will be moving into a rented house. The house probably has not had anyone living in it for 10 years or more so it is in serious needs or renovations throughout the whole house.

I just received the rental agreement and wanted to check a few things out. It states i am responsible for paying the solicitor for drawing up the contract. It also states I am required to modernise the inside of the house as well as wash and paint the outside all at my own expense. It states that the landlord can enter the property at any reasonable time to inspect it as well as we are liable for any charges or taxes involved with the property. We are paying a low rent as it is a good way from the local town and because of its dated interior as no one else has looked to rent it. However at no point did i agree to modernise the house. The contract is for one year and will be up for review again after this.

Can anyone clarify if all this is allowed or is this the norm ? Thanks in advance

davo10

Muggle24 wrote: »

Hi guys,

Just looking for some input. Within the near future i will be moving into a rented house. The house probably has not had anyone living in it for 10 years or more so it is in serious needs or renovations throughout the whole house.

I just received the rental agreement and wanted to check a few things out. It states i am responsible for paying the solicitor for drawing up the contract. It also states I am required to modernise the inside of the house as well as wash and paint the outside all at my own expense. It states that the landlord can enter the property at any reasonable time to inspect it as well as we are liable for any charges or taxes involved with the property. We are paying a low rent as it is a good way from the local town and because of its dated interior as no one else has looked to rent it. However at no point did i agree to modernise the house. The contract is for one year and will be up for review again after this.

Can anyone clarify if all this is allowed or is this the norm ? Thanks in advance

If the landlord modernised it, would you be prepared to pay a much higher rent for the year? It would seem there is a trade off here, low rent in return for you making it habitable for yourself, or higher rent if the LL makes it habitable for you, I suspect you would like low rent and the LL to fix it up. If you don't like the terms, best not to sign it and find a better/more expensive place to rent.

It is allowed, if you agree to it, normally a property must be habitable and its condition must meet a certain standard but you would be agreeing to improve the property to that standard in return for a reduced rent.

Muggle24

davo10 wrote:

If the landlord modernised it, would you be prepared to pay a much higher rent for the year? It would seem there is a trade off here, low rent in return for you making it habitable for yourself, or higher rent if the LL makes it habitable for you, I suspect you would like low rent and the LL to fix it up. If you don't like the terms, best not to sign it and find a better/more expensive place to rent.

davo10 wrote:

It is allowed, if you agree to it, normally a property must be habitable and its condition must meet a certain standard but you would be agreeing to improve the property to that standard in return for a reduced rent.

Thanks for the reply. This house needs a lot of work including knocking walls within as it is the result of extension after extension built on leaving it in a layout that doesnt make sense. I had intended on doing my own room up and maybe the floor in the sitting room but that is about it. Dont think im prepared to put that money into a house we dont own.

In regards to paying the solicitor for drawing up the contract am i liable for this ?

davo10

Muggle24 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. This house needs a lot of work including knocking walls within as it is the result of extension after extension built on leaving it in a layout that doesnt make sense. I had intended on doing my own room up and maybe the floor in the sitting room but that is about it. Dont think im prepared to put that money into a house we dont own.

In regards to paying the solicitor for drawing up the contract am i liable for this ?

You are only liable for the cost of drawing up the contract if you agree to be liable. If you don't want to pay for it, don't agree to it. Are you mad? Agreeing to do up a property that isn't yours is as mad as it gets, what if he is unhappy with the renovations and accuses you of damaging his property? Also doing up old houses, though for some a labour of love, is expensive.

eeguy

You'd have to be insane to do up an old house you don't even own.
Fair enough, painting is a small enough job, but if you're taking down walls then you're living in a building site.

dori_dormer

Are you getting a lower rent in return for giving him free labour? Or if he's expecting you to pay for supplies like paint, flooring etc, that's madness! Sure it'll end up costing you more than simply paying higher rent somewhere else. Also once you invest in a property you technically could contest partial ownership, if he sold down the line.

It seems odd and I'd be running a mile.

There is no need for a solicitor to draw up a contract. The landlord can simply download one off the internet.
Also on the landlord turning up to look at a property : he can't let himself in unannounced, unless he feels you aer the property are in an emergency situation. He can only enter at a mutually agreed time, and give at least 24 hrs notice

Taxes on the property are the owners responsibility. You only need to concern yourself with utilities and bin charges etc.

dudara

1. I would not accept the cost of drawing up the rental agreement. There are plenty of free standard contracts out there. A solicitor was not required.
2. The landlord can only enter with prior agreement from you or in case of an emergency. He cannot simply provide notice and enter
3. Landlords cannot pass on taxes & charges from the property explicitly. If they are smart, they build them into the rent
4. There's no way I'd invest my capital in someone else's property. What will you get back when you leave?

A lot of red flags here from me! I'm amazed that a solicitor drafted such an agreement

Muggle24

davo10 wrote:

You are only liable for the cost of drawing up the contract if you agree to be liable. If you don't want to pay for it, don't agree to it. Are you mad? Agreeing to do up a property that isn't yours is as mad as it gets, what if he is unhappy with the renovations and accuses you of damaging his property? Also doing up old houses, though for some a labour of love, is expensive.

eeguy wrote:

You'd have to be insane to do up an old house you don't even own. Fair enough, painting is a small enough job, but if you're taking down walls then you're living in a building site.

dori_dormer wrote:

Are you getting a lower rent in return for giving him free labour? Or if he's expecting you to pay for supplies like paint, flooring etc, that's madness! Sure it'll end up costing you more than simply paying higher rent somewhere else. Also once you invest in a property you technically could contest partial ownership, if he sold down the line.

dori_dormer wrote:

There is no need for a solicitor to draw up a contract. The landlord can simply download one off the internet. Also on the landlord turning up to look at a property : he can't let himself in unannounced, unless he feels you aer the property are in an emergency situation. He can only enter at a mutually agreed time, and give at least 24 hrs notice

davo10 wrote:

You are only liable for the cost of drawing up the contract if you agree to be liable. If you don't want to pay for it, don't agree to it. Are you mad? Agreeing to do up a property that isn't yours is as mad as it gets, what if he is unhappy with the renovations and accuses you of damaging his property? Also doing up old houses, though for some a labour of love, is expensive.

eeguy wrote:

You'd have to be insane to do up an old house you don't even own. Fair enough, painting is a small enough job, but if you're taking down walls then you're living in a building site.

dori_dormer wrote:

Are you getting a lower rent in return for giving him free labour? Or if he's expecting you to pay for supplies like paint, flooring etc, that's madness! Sure it'll end up costing you more than simply paying higher rent somewhere else. Also once you invest in a property you technically could contest partial ownership, if he sold down the line.

dori_dormer wrote:

There is no need for a solicitor to draw up a contract. The landlord can simply download one off the internet. Also on the landlord turning up to look at a property : he can't let himself in unannounced, unless he feels you aer the property are in an emergency situation. He can only enter at a mutually agreed time, and give at least 24 hrs notice

dori_dormer wrote:

It seems odd and I'd be running a mile.

dori_dormer wrote:

Taxes on the property are the owners responsibility. You only need to concern yourself with utilities and bin charges etc.

dudara wrote:

1. I would not accept the cost of drawing up the rental agreement. There are plenty of free standard contracts out there. A solicitor was not required. 2. The landlord can only enter with prior agreement from you or in case of an emergency. He cannot simply provide notice and enter 3. Landlords cannot pass on taxes & charges from the property explicitly. If they are smart, they build them into the rent 4. There's no way I'd invest my capital in someone else's property. What will you get back when you leave?

dudara wrote:

A lot of red flags here from me! I'm amazed that a solicitor drafted such an agreement

Thanks for all the quick replies. We are already renting another property on the premises from the landlord for a while now. To be fair the rent is cheap but the landlord accepted the figure we offered at no point did we agree to modernise the house in return for the rent price. I am weary of it all. The contract also states no animals or pets on or around the property when the landlord is fully aware that there is already a pet for the last number of months on the property. Red flags for me. Thanks again