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SolicitorRM
SolicitorRM, Solicitor
Category: Law
Satisfied Customers: 2963
Experience:  Director and Principal Solicitor. UK
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I am renting a room in a property without a legal contract.

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I am renting a room in a property without a legal contract. My landlord gave me 30-day notice on a day when I paid my rent and informed that he will let the police know about a date of my removal. Asked why is that? He answered "just in case. I did that when Callum was moving out too". He also said that if there`s no problems and no damage to the room, I will get my deposit back, ofcourse. Surprised and stressed I checked my payments as I havent payed any deposit agreed ever... and I found that on two occasions my rent was paid twice on the same day and after promising to send the money back to me he kept it once without my permission.
JA: Since laws vary from place to place, where is this? And when did this happen?
Customer: I live in Cardiff, Wales Thank you for your help :)
JA: What are the terms of the lease? Any issues related to maintenance or upkeep?
Customer: Well there were issues with keeping the place tidy as to all of us but it was pointed on me a few days earlier. Also we had only a verbal agreement where I was told to I am free to invite my partner whenever I wan`t as long he doest live there. On a day I`ve been told someone was staying with me 6 days in a raw wchich is not truth (not even 5) and that happened all recently. The third thing was switching on the heating when the place was cold. Landlord said he will have to raise our rent if that will keep happening and I agreed to that. I did switch on the heating then again as the whole house was very cold on one ocassion - as you would feeling freezing. We`ve been told to treat that property as our HOME. So that what I felt I did.
JA: Anything else you want the Lawyer to know before I connect you?
Customer: Now I am struggling with gathering deposit for any other property. Also I live in distress as I never caused the trouble to expect the police And the last - after all that, I live in fear that my money wont be fairly returned and it will cause lots of distress on the day .... :(
SolicitorRM

Hi thank you for your enquiry and your patience. Does the landlord live with you?

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Customer: replied 1 month ago.
He told me that he supposed to live there because of the term of the mortgage but he lives with his partner and renting his place as Air B&B. I was also kindly asked if there will be someone asking if I can confirm that he lives a few days there and here and having his daughter for the weekends, coz it will probably gonna be the case. And it`s not in fact.
Customer: replied 1 month ago.
For all those shady facts I am seriously concerned that the day I will move out I will lose any rights to get my money back ...
Customer: replied 1 month ago.
How I can seek any help and where, please? What are my rights?

He is obviously doing something his mortgage provider doesnt allow. If he on paper lives with you then you would be a lodger and unfortunately lodgers do not have security of tenure and there is no requirement to protect the deposit. If you are saying he lives with you then there is not much you can do in terms of staying on after the 30 days notice.

If however he does not live with you and the terms of your stay on a true intepretation amounts to an assured shorthold tenancy you could threaten him with legal action for not protecting the first payment you made to him as deposit and that you would claim 3 times the value of the deposit He is meant to be living in the property it seems and as such advising him you will tell the mortgage provider will getting him think of the risks and he will give you any of the duplicate payments back and want you to leave. I hope this is useful and I would be grateful for your rating at your earliest convenience

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Customer: replied 1 month ago.
I am a lodger from what he told us later on I am afraid. :(
Sure I will, can I tho have a little more of your time, please. It is very helpful, I was just wondering is there any chance I can make enquire for someone to assist me, or whiteness the dispute on a day of my removal, please?
Would it be worth to contact the city council or police - any legal professional body to back me up on that?
Customer: replied 1 month ago.
He will not be easily threatened and how I will find his mortgage provider at the same time ... ???

You will not need anybody to witness you leaving. If you are worried about him making any claims after you leave you can make sure after cleaning you take photos of your room and send him copies.

You can do a search on the LAnd Registry website, it should not cost more than £5 if you go on the official government site not third party companies. When you get the sesrch result scroll down to where it tells you names of anybody with interest in the property the mortgage provider will be there.

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Customer: replied 1 month ago.
Thank you :)))

You are welcome. all the best

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