RightSolicitor Legal Discussion & Legal Advice

[karroo22]

Last Summer my son went away to University. We had planned to buy a property where he was at University for him and other students to live in. Although this plan fell through, a lady at one of the estate agents we visited told us her brother had just bought a property and was looking for tenants. My son agreed to take occupancy in one of the rooms in the house at a rate of £65 per week. The landlord sent him a tenancy agreement which he had copied from the university accommodation site. The wording of the agreement was totally inappropriate so I advised my son not to sign it, but to send it back and ask for it to be amended. The landlord then sent an amended agreement which was still wrong. The agreement was sent back again. By the time my son had taken up occupancy and I had paid the £200 deposit and began to pay the £260 per four weekly rent. No agreement was ever signed. My son did confirm verbally to the landlord that he wanted to continue to rent the room after Christmas - but no dates were quoted.

Another 'tenant' in the house is the landlord's son. My son is finding it extremely difficult to continue living in the same house as the landlord's son. My son's lectures will be completed at the end of April and he is then returning home to work. He notified the landlord by email about 2 weeks ago that he intended vacating the room at the end of April. The landlord has contacted him saying he cannot do this as the agreement was for the 41 weeks of the university term. We do not agree with this as nothing was ever signed (despite my son asking for an amended agreement) and the room was never let through the university. I have just paid the last 4 weeks money up to the end of April.

Can you advise where he stands please? I have a feeling he will refuse to pay back the £200 deposit.