Forced into signing a Fixed term contract

My partner and myself entered a letting agreement were we signed a fixed term 6 month contract via a letting agency.

We were advised on signing the contract that at the end of the contract we would have 3 options;
1. to sign a further 6 months
2. to sign for 12 months
3. to sign a periodic month – by – month contract

We discussed and mentioned at the that initial point that we would like to have the flexibility of the 3rd option being a Periodic contract. To which the letting agency rep agreed that it was the best option for flexibility.

We signed and moved into the property and paid full rent on time every month for the full entirety of the contract. We passed 2 house inspections with no faults at all, although we have mentioned a couple of issues in the house that we felt needed addressing, on getting back to us the letting agent advised us that the landlord had said he hadn’t left the property in that way so it must of been something we had done which we thought was a bit of a irrational and unfair response to our concerns.

Leading on we approached the end of our 6 month contract with view of leaving the property in foreseeable future, but finances at the time were too restricted to think about moving at that point in time so we requested the periodic contract to use flexibility.

We were told by the letting agency that we can no longer take that option as the landlord wants us to sign for 6 or 12 months, although if we sign for 6 months we would have to pay a contract renewal fee, but if we sign for 12 months the landlord would pay the renewal fee to encourage us into the 12 months.

We were obviously very annoyed, but was pressured to decide by the letting agency by letters, emails and phone calls. We informed them that we were annoyed and thinking what to do.

We took the 12 months as we buckled under pressure. We have just had another house inspection after 3 months of the new 12 month contract. We passed it again with no issues, but again reiterated to the agent that there are still issues with the property that concern us ie front door not shutting and locking properly, a old electrical socket under the bath. The bath has a sealed up hole in it that is leaking or has at some point as the kitchen ceiling direct below the bath has a big bellow in it and cracks. Which is pretty concerning considering I have child in the house as well.

Anyway we asked the agency to enquire with the landlord if we would be able to leave the property before the full 12 months. The agency said the landlord’s response was that he was disappointed that we wanted to leave and that we would have to pay £400 re – advertising agent fees to exit.

This is the current situation and we are unsure if the agency or the landlord have breached any Tennant rights? We feel let down by the agency and very confused with the landlord’s attitude.

Please can anyone advise us on how to get out of this mess/contract.

Andrew

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