At the beginning of October I have signed a lodger's agreement and
paid 8 weeks rent deposit.
I have respected all the lodging house rules, but the landlord has
made my life and the ones of my fellow housemates really difficult.
Fist we had builders in the house for almost a month, but after that
it was fine.
Now after an attempted visit from Health Environment Officers from the
council (there are 5 people in the house so it's under HMO):
http://www.communities.gov.uk/housin...ousesmultiple/
He has gone into panic since he hasn't got a licence and when they
tried to visit he did not let them in. So he wants one of the four
lodgers to move to the basement (dark room and underground trains
noise, so no one wants to go), because from the planning the basement
is on a separate unit.
He has been hassling each one of us and made our lives really
difficult. He has also locked the door to the basement so that we
can't use anymore the kitchen and shower facilities in the basement
and we are forced to share one small toilet/shower and one small
kitchen among the four of us. He lives on a self contained apartment
(except that he uses the common stairs) at the top of the house and
could not care less about our living conditions. I am trying to find a
way to get out of here.
The lodger agreement states:
"The lodger acknowledges that this Agreement is for a fixed term of
one year and that should he/she terminate this Agreement prior to the
end of the above period, he/she will pay the remainder of the rent for
the above rental period in full."

However if the lodger breaks any of the house rules:
"Should the lodger be in breach of any of the above terms of this
Agreement, the Owner shall be entitled to terminate this Agreement
upon 2 weeks advance notice. In such an event of termination for
breach, the Lodger shall forfeit the above 8 weeks deposit."

It's very easy for him to evict us, but extremely honerous for us
lodgers to leave.

Is such a one sided contract enforceable in Law?

I don't mind loosing 8 weeks deposit, but I surely don't want to pay
until october 2008.

Could I invite the council officers and open the door to them so that
I can use the lack of licence to get us all out evicted (we all want
out at the moment) and get back the 8 weeks deposit as well? I am
really frustrated with this guy at the moment.

I have the original of the lodger's agreement and he only has a
photocopy, can he enforce it using only a photocopy?

Thank you

"lodger73" wrote in message
...
At the beginning of October I have signed a lodger's agreement and
paid 8 weeks rent deposit.
I have respected all the lodging house rules, but the landlord has
made my life and the ones of my fellow housemates really difficult.
Fist we had builders in the house for almost a month, but after that
it was fine.
Now after an attempted visit from Health Environment Officers from the
council (there are 5 people in the house so it's under HMO):
http://www.communities.gov.uk/housin...ousesmultiple/
He has gone into panic since he hasn't got a licence and when they
tried to visit he did not let them in. So he wants one of the four
lodgers to move to the basement (dark room and underground trains
noise, so no one wants to go), because from the planning the basement
is on a separate unit.
He has been hassling each one of us and made our lives really
difficult. He has also locked the door to the basement so that we
can't use anymore the kitchen and shower facilities in the basement
and we are forced to share one small toilet/shower and one small
kitchen among the four of us. He lives on a self contained apartment
(except that he uses the common stairs) at the top of the house and
could not care less about our living conditions. I am trying to find a
way to get out of here.
The lodger agreement states:
"The lodger acknowledges that this Agreement is for a fixed term of
one year and that should he/she terminate this Agreement prior to the
end of the above period, he/she will pay the remainder of the rent for
the above rental period in full."

However if the lodger breaks any of the house rules:
"Should the lodger be in breach of any of the above terms of this
Agreement, the Owner shall be entitled to terminate this Agreement
upon 2 weeks advance notice. In such an event of termination for
breach, the Lodger shall forfeit the above 8 weeks deposit."

It's very easy for him to evict us, but extremely honerous for us
lodgers to leave.

Is such a one sided contract enforceable in Law?

I don't mind loosing 8 weeks deposit, but I surely don't want to pay
until october 2008.

Could I invite the council officers and open the door to them so that
I can use the lack of licence to get us all out evicted (we all want

Very possibly, Why don't you ask them what they might do. They certainly
won't allow 4 people to share with only one toilet

out at the moment) and get back the 8 weeks deposit as well? I am
really frustrated with this guy at the moment.

I have the original of the lodger's agreement and he only has a
photocopy, can he enforce it using only a photocopy?

It being a photocopy will be irrelevent

HTH

tim