I'm being forced out of my home as my greedy landlord increased my rent by 35% – there's no way I can afford £235 extra | The Sun

A STUDENT has told how he is being forced out of his home because his greedy landlord increased his rent by 35 per cent.

Matthew Peacock, 25, has been told he would have to fork out an extra £235 a month if he wants to stay in his two-bed flat in Dennistoun, Glasgow.

He was forced to move out on Tuesday after his landlord raised his digs from £660 to £895 per month back in May.

It comes as bills have skyrocketed since a cost of living crisis took hold on the nation.

According to the Office for National Statistics, 87% of adults in the UK reported an increase in their cost of living in April 2022.

And Brits are struggling to keep up with the soaring the prices.

Matthew, originally from leeds told the Daily Record: "I'm in the process of moving out because I have no other choice.

"The flat is unaffordable for us now and there are no controls to stop it – there never have been any controls.

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"It's basically a soft eviction, there is no way I can find an extra £235 a month. I don't know anybody that can right now with food and bill costs.

"I have enjoyed living here and I didn't want to move. It isn't just happening to me, it is happening to so many other people. Our community is being dismantled."

He believes there is no justification for the huge jump in price – and was already “unaffordable for what it is” before the hike.

Matthew added: "There has been no real maintenance to it since we moved in. The kitchen and bathroom obviously haven't been done up in years and the painting on the walls isn't even finished – you can see the plaster underneath it.

"We still don't really understand why the rent is going up, it's pure greed.

"I feel like I've got no control over my direction. I'm angry and hopeless because I need to move now and I'm wondering if I will ever be able to settle without the threat of my rent rocketing again.

"I'm a bit lost. It has made me really think that rent controls are the only solution."

Renters are seeing a rise in rates as landlords cash in on high demand for housing.

What happens if my landlord wants to increase my rent?

When you first sign your tenancy agreement with your landlord your rent should be agreed either in writing or verbally.

Your landlord can only change your rent once every twelve months from when the tenancy agreement was first signed or the last time your rent was increased.

To increase your rent your landlord must send you a section 13 notice which gives you a months notice in writing telling you how much your rent will be increased by and the date when your rent will go up.

At this stage you should try to talk to your landlord and come to a fair agreement on how much rent you should pay.

Your landlord can only raise your rent if you agree to the increased price.

If your landlord tries to increase your rent twice in a 12 month period, fails to adequately notify you of the increase in rent, doesn't tell you how much it will go up by, doesn't tell you the date the rent will go up or tries to charge you excessive rent then you may apply to the Residential Property Tribunal to have your rent reviewed.

More people are putting their house buying plans on hold and looking to stick to renting instead.

The number of landlords who put up rents at the end of a tenancy rose to the highest ever recorded, according to estate agency Hamptons.

Nationally, 58% of new contracts signed so far this year were at a higher level than the previous one.

It comes as rent rates have soared under a cost of living crisis, with the average monthly bill soaring from £972 a year ago to £1,060 a month.

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It's yet another blow to millions of people who are already feeling the pinch as the ongoing cost of living crisis rolls on.

A Sun investigation found that families owed a whopping £87.2million worth of council tax over the 2020/21 financial year.

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