Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Landlord wants 3 year contract

Seen a nice flat -in London - but the landlord wants a 3 year contract with a 2 year break clause. My friends think that's OK but my guarantor says too long. Is a 3 year contract usual?

Reply 1

999tigger

Original post by suedonim

Seen a nice flat -in London - but the landlord wants a 3 year contract with a 2 year break clause. My friends think that's OK but my guarantor says too long. Is a 3 year contract usual?

why are you posting 1 year contract in the other thread and 3 year here?
the LL can ask for what he likes, he may or may not get it. There are other flats.
There will be plenty with shorter terms and earlier break clauses.

Reply 2

DorianGrayism

Not usually. I would have thought 12 months.

Reply 3

suedonim

my keyboard doesnt always register so missed out the 3 and I dont know how to edit a heading. Then I searched the forums to see if anyone else had this and discovered there was a specific forum for accommodation.

Reply 4

LiquidGold

Wow no. I would 100% not do that.

Bad idea.

It would be helpful if you gace a bit more detail.

Are you a student?
How long do you wish to rent for?
Are you renting on your own?

As ive said LLs can seek to rent on what terms they wish. If its London then there will be high demand and the LL may want a long term renter. Depending on the flat and deal, then some may be ok with that. You need to give a bit more input if you want more specific advice.

Reply 7

Inazuma

3 years?! Wow. Unless I knew the area was great, LL was great and flat was amazing I would not.
Most I've seen are 6m/1y - and that's 'long term'. That's far too long if something goes wrong.

Reply 8

Petro_99

Too long! Your circumstances are mostly likely to change within 3 years.

Maximum I`d sign is 1 year.

Reply 9

username1799249

Original post by suedonim

Seen a nice flat -in London - but the landlord wants a 3 year contract with a 2 year break clause. My friends think that's OK but my guarantor says too long. Is a 3 year contract usual?

It depends. It seems that you have doubts over where you will be in two years. If that is the case go for a shorter term. But if you intend to stay in London for 2 or more years, then go for it. I reckon the landlord is foreseeing the reduction of rent rates in London over the next few years post Brexit, but if it is affordable why worry about stuff like that? Your flat is your home and you are unlikely to move unless rents fall through the floor which they won't. The other thing to bear in mind is that quite often when you renew a tenancy, you get walloped for more agent fees who simply photocopy the old agreement and charge you £120+ for the pleasure.

Reply 10

Lucarious30

I'd be a bit suspcious of a 3 year contract.. You can never be certain what could happen in that amount of time and circumstances are likely to change, I'd assume the average would be 12 months.

Reply 11

999tigger

There is nothing wrong with a 3 year contract and the LL os allowed to offer one if he wants a long term tenant. You dont know the deal, it could be a great flat at a great price. It just might not be suitable for students, who for obviously cnat and shouldnt commit that long. the LL is doing nothing wrong and this is ofc London. Believe it or not LL's rent to more than just students.

Reply 12

username1294428

3 years? That sounds unusual even for London. It's normally 6-12 months first that you can then extend after a mutual agreement.
If you have a bad feeling about it and know you won't stick around the place for such a long amount of time, don't go for it

Reply 13

doodle_333

I wouldn't go for this. Things can change a lot in three years (or two years)... what if you become ill, lose your job for some reason, need to move away for family reasons, have issues with the landlord etc, far too risky.

Reply 14

suedonim

landlord decided that they didn't want to have 3 people in the flat anyway. It was a 2 bed flat with separate reception and eat in kitchen so we wanted to do 3 bedsits and share the rest. Rent was high for a 2 bed but OK split 3 ways. We expect to be around 3 years but my guarantor wan't happy about the risk of someone. wanting to move out.