Edelweis
02-05-2007, 12:03 PM
Hi, I'm hoping someone on here can give me some advice.
I currently rent a house with 3 other girls from a lettings agent and all our names are on the tenancy agreement. We have a joint bank account in two of the girl's names in to which we each pay a sum each month to cover the rent and bills. Before I moved in I was told that my share of the rent and bills would be £350 per month. I later asked if we were all paying the same and was told that we were. As the rent we pay the lettings agent is £850, this would leave £550 for bills. I thought this was awfully high and was told that any extra left in the account when we moved out would be split between the 4 of us.
I have recently discovered that the other three are only paying £325 a month. From my point of view, this means that I have been paying £25 per month too much for 7 months, and if any mony left was to be split between the 4 of us, this would effectively mean they'd be sharing out my money. Their argument is that I verbally agreed to pay them £350 a month when I moved in.
Having spoken to the lettings agent and told them the situation, they suggested that I deduct the overpayment from what I pay into the joint account the next month. Having done this, the other 3 are threatening not to pay their share next month which would leave one or all of us liable for the whole £850 (as we're jointly and severally liable).
One of the girls has also moved her boyfriend in, he is being charged £50 per week and I have been told that we can all pay £50 a month less as a result. I said at the time that I wasn't happy with this as it constitutes subletting and breaches our tenancy agreement, but it has happened anyway.
I've just bought a new flat which will be ready in August/September so can't sign in to another 6 month tenancy if I was to move out now.
Can anyone suggest a way forward?
I currently rent a house with 3 other girls from a lettings agent and all our names are on the tenancy agreement. We have a joint bank account in two of the girl's names in to which we each pay a sum each month to cover the rent and bills. Before I moved in I was told that my share of the rent and bills would be £350 per month. I later asked if we were all paying the same and was told that we were. As the rent we pay the lettings agent is £850, this would leave £550 for bills. I thought this was awfully high and was told that any extra left in the account when we moved out would be split between the 4 of us.
I have recently discovered that the other three are only paying £325 a month. From my point of view, this means that I have been paying £25 per month too much for 7 months, and if any mony left was to be split between the 4 of us, this would effectively mean they'd be sharing out my money. Their argument is that I verbally agreed to pay them £350 a month when I moved in.
Having spoken to the lettings agent and told them the situation, they suggested that I deduct the overpayment from what I pay into the joint account the next month. Having done this, the other 3 are threatening not to pay their share next month which would leave one or all of us liable for the whole £850 (as we're jointly and severally liable).
One of the girls has also moved her boyfriend in, he is being charged £50 per week and I have been told that we can all pay £50 a month less as a result. I said at the time that I wasn't happy with this as it constitutes subletting and breaches our tenancy agreement, but it has happened anyway.
I've just bought a new flat which will be ready in August/September so can't sign in to another 6 month tenancy if I was to move out now.
Can anyone suggest a way forward?