Private renting rent changes

[Butterly20]

Hello, I am just wondering if anyone has any info. My mum has been in a rented property for 20 months, rent is paid per calendar month by housing benefit and topped up by my mum. on 1st April this year the rent was increased by £30 per month, which is absolutely fine. Notified of this by written letter from the landlord. Now two months later It has been increased again by an extra 1280 per year (one months total rent) because she has changed her mind instead of wanting it per month, she is now demanding it paid 4 weekly, is this legal? It’s a massive increase for my mum who has health conditions and struggling already. Landlord simply says “you can either pay it, or I’ll give you notice” So very unhelpful. I have seen threads online saying that normally the landlord can only increase the rent once per year, so after the increase in April, I’m trying to work out of another one two months later, and such a dramatic jump is legal. Any help appreciated *

[efpom]

Seems to me to be some confusion -

I don't think the land lord has increased the rent at all. I think that what he has agreed is thirteen 4 weekly payments, rather than 12 monthly payments.If rent is paid every 4 weeks, there would be 13 rent payments per year, and not 12!


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[Butterly20]

Just to clarify the rent was £1250 pcm (£15,000 per year) which was increased by £30 per month in April (£1280 pcm/£15,360 per year) the tenancy has always been paid per calender month, so with her now demanding that same amount paid 4 weekly, that equals £16,640 per year. Asked the landlord to clarify that and she confirmed it is now £16640, so it is an increase in rent, with an extra months rent per year. We asked for clarification because you would expect with 13 payments the rent would vary by week depending on how many weeks were in that month, but no.... she has confirmed That is not the case and the yearly total is £16,640. So effectively a £360 increase per year in April, and on top of that now an added £1280 per year.... hope that makes sense x