Help with rental

[redwing]

Hi guys,

We are currently living in rental accomodation and the lease is up at the end of the year, which initially was for 6 months, the land lord wanted 12 months but we requested and got the 6 months. Now the estate agent has contacted us saying the land lord wants us to sign for 12 months and wants put the rent up by an extra 5 dollars a week does'nt sound much but better in my pocket than his.

My questions: is it normal for the land lord to request more rent or is he trying it on? Can he demand 12 months rental or is it still negotiable?

If push comes to shove we will look for another rental.

I'm still in the UK its my wife who is deeling with the problem, I only came back to the UK to sell up but will be back in Adelaide new years eve.

Thanks in advance:)

Steve

[wizzywozza]

Yes it's absolutely normal for an increse in rent when the lease is up for renewal. The landlord can stipulate any length of lease that he/she wants. If you have any queries about your tenancy you should contact OCBA http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/consumeradvice/ they will be able to help you. The website is very good and should answer all of your questions.

[Guest Guest75]

It's all normal there Steve.

a $5 per week increase is not bad actually.

[redwing]

Why the increase? There has been no improvement to the property, is it for inflation?

[Guest Guest75]

Why the increase? There has been no improvement to the property, is it for inflation?

 

It is inflation/market demand.

 

Better to put the rent up at time of renewal as well.

[Guest steph&neil]

Hi they are entitled to increase by no mre than $5 unless they have spent money on reno & that has to be more than $5k, our landlord tried for $20 more a mouth when re-signed this year & we pushed it back down to the $5!!! doesnt sound much but it all adds up! & like you said better in your pocket than his! steph x

[wizzywozza]

The last property we rented before the one we are in at the mo our rent up by $30 a week at lease renewal, which was a 12.5% increase.

 

A landlord can increse by any amount he wishes regardless of whether or not improvements have been made to a rental property. It is market driven and is perfectly normal. http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/tenancies/res/bondrent/increases.html

[HEAPS GOOD !!!]

I am sure that i landlord can only increase rent by 15% and that is at the end of a lease..

 

This may help somewhat..

 

http://www.rentalagreementsdiy.com.au/tenancy_laws_in_australia.php

 

 

HG

[Guest kangomik]

you asked for a shorter lease, the landlord accomadated. Now he calls the shots. It's not a lot really, rental prices here are on the rise

[wizzywozza]

This is the requirement under the tenancies laws of South Australia - taken from the OCBA site. As you can see there is NO % or $ amount stipulated as a cap on rent increases. There is no necessity for a landlord to have made any improvement to the property. There is however provision for the amount of notice given to a tenant before an increase is made. To be able to haggle down an increase is quite unusual. Increases are generally made at the commencement of the next agreement period so you should be notified before the current term is up, and then you have the option of accepting it or looking for another place to rent.

RENT INCREASES...

The landlord may increase the rent under the following circumstances:

• where the terms of the tenancy agreement allow it (i.e., for fixed term agreements,

provision for rent increases must be written into the lease);

• where allowed, rent can only be increased after six months into the tenancy or six months

from the last rent increase;

• the tenant must be given 60 days' written notice of the landlord’s intention to increase the

rent.

http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/assets/files/inform_brochure.pdf

 

[redwing]

Thanks for all your replies. As long as we can negotiate another 6 months rental I am happy for the $5 increase. Just to cheer up you good folks, because of the heavy snow fall during the night I was stuck in the traffic jam (3hr wait 6am to 9am) on the A14 in Suffolk this morning trying to get to work for my last day, we where diverted of the road and I had to go back home and go down to the train station, finally got into work at mid day. Boy looking forward to the warm weather when I get there.

Many thanks

Steve

[HEAPS GOOD !!!]

I would have jacked it off mate and gone to the boozer...lol

 

Catch you down here on the bright side soon...

 

 

HG

[Guest blewin]

Hi. My understanding is you are already renting the property. The lease was for 6 months. It is common practise to increase the rent each year and $5 would be below the average I would think. Courtesy would dictate that you should have some notice of intent to increase the rent so that you have the option of finding alternative rental. If the landlord wants a 12 month lease and does not want to negotiate you either sign or move. You can always break the lease but this would involve costs of finding a new tenant. Unfortunately interest rates and land tax also increase, hence increases in rentals.

Margaret