Landlords, would you consider this if your tenants asked?

Things moved very quickly!
So did you have several viewings over the past months?

im wondering if the LL is realising that he could potentially need to fork out A LOT of money to take you court… he’s probably also had lots of feedback saying too much works needs doing for the money being asked for the house… plus he knows if you move out in 2 weeks and the house isn’t even sold yet he could potentially have a house sitting there for 6 months or more with no rent coming in! If it’s still mortgaged how will he pay that without a tenant!
Think I’d have put in an anonymous bid and just told the estate agent that you’re in the position to buy and move in straight away. 😂

you may still need to knock money off for the works that need doing… The windows and fire don’t sound safe and need doinf urgently! I’d ask that he knocks half the price of repair off of the house cost.

I can’t believe a gas engineer would sign off on that job!!…. If it’s not safe he could be held liable if something happened! I’d have been complaining and got those jobs done…. Even if it meant getting worked and telling the letting agent you’re getting the work done and knocking it off the rent each month!

Your landlord is silly, if he’d sold it to you privately and cut out the estate agent he would’ve saved the percentage he’ll now have to pay to them.
Glad he’s excepted …. No chain at all and no move costs or hassle…. Hope the sale goes through quickly.

Great update OP! I hope it all works out for you in your current house. Sometimes these things are meant to be. Someone said that to me when I missed out on my dream house. I was most uncharitable and sulky in my response. 4 months later my dream house came back on the market and here I am!

Oh wow that's great! Shame about the other house though.

Congrats! I really hope it all goes though with no more problems

That's a shame about the other house, @DesperateTenant . I wonder why people do that right at the last minute? 🤔
Pleased you're getting the opportunity to buy your current rental tho. Fingers crossed for the survey (and that He doesn't mess you around down the line, too!).
Good luck.

@DesperateTenant sorry you lost out on the great house, but congrats on being able to buy your current one! So pleased for you, hope everything comes back good with the surveys etc

You want to buy the house you rent, your landlord wants to sell it. You really need to speak to the landlord. If it were me and I wasn’t desperate for my money now (I am a multiple landlord) I would be happy to accommodate you.

LL here, l would definately wait for you if l could, BUT and here is the rub,

Maybe your LL's fixed term mortgage has come to an end and they cannot afford higher repayments, so have to sell fast.
Maybe they need money from the sale to pay their own mortgage.
Maybe family situation.
Or they may have no issue with waiting for you. Plus a sale can easily take 3-5 months.

I would not offer more rent but email your LL directly stating you may be interested in purchasing the house and asking for a meeting.

In the meantime have all your facts and figures worked out, speak to a mortgage broker if necessary. See the earliest you can get enough funds together, see if you can borrow to bring it forward say three months. Most importantly establish the actual value of the property, get three agents in to value it for you. Ensure they are discrete.

At the meeting ask why the LL is selling, is he/she in a hurry, this dictates your strategy.
Say you want to buy and he/she would have the considerable advantage of rent right up to Exchange of contracts.
Say you know the condition of the property well and so the sale should be faster and more straightforward.
Remind him/her that they already know you and that you are a reliable person.

You hold many cards op.

I have sold to a tenant in the past and in fact gave a 5 % discount because of the above.

That's great news @DesperateTenant so pleased for you. Like @Agapornis says, hope you got it for the same or less than you previously offered. Good luck with everything.

Well done op, it was obviously meant to be.

Very pleased for you. Clearly the LL wasn't getting any offers! Serves him right. Hope you offered the same or less than last time?

Hope you’re ok @DesperateTenant

How's things going @DesperateTenant? Did you manage to find a new home? Thinking of you.

I would change the locks. I'm a long standing landlord and have never let myself in, let alone an estate agent.

@SquirrelsAssemble
Good advice. However I wouldn’t be encouraging a S21. And I also would not allow viewings after that time. Op is perfectly entitled to refuse viewings full stop for the duration of her tenancy, whenever she decides to leave or once the ll has sought a court order for possession… not that I’m advocating for her to do this as the letting agent wouldn’t then give her a good reference for a future rental.

Letting agents are legally required to provide a landlords details as set out in S. 1 of the LTA 1985. They can be fined about £2,000 if they don’t comply - info about it here https://england.shelter.org.uk/professional_resources/legal/housing_options/private_renting/tenants_right_to_information_about_a_landlords_identity

Do you have any legal cover with your home insurance? They're very good at helping draft legal sounding letters referencing the right legislation...

I know it's stressful, but to buy some headspace i'd forget Del Boy LL and consider sending a letter to the estate agents saying :

They have previously unlawfully entered your home without permission or notice violating your right to quiet enjoyment and The Housing Act 1988.
You have not been served a S21 notice to quit and wish to make it extremely clear that you will not be hosting ANY viewings until a S21 is received.
Even when this is issued, they will be expressly forbidden to enter your property without prior appointment in line with your rights as a tenant & not without you being present.
Any evidence via your CCTV that people are entering the property without express permission from you as the tenant will be passed to the police for trespass.
Once an S21 has been received you will notify them, please stop calling until this time.

It doesn't need to be true that you have CCTV or intend to involve the cops etc. you're just buying breathing space until this bellend if a landlord has upheld his legal duties & you know where you stand & can breathe.

Really sorry this is happening OP, Landlords don't need to be shits (I tried very hard not to be).

@AnotherEmma · Today 12:10

Yes she was and still is a single parent of 2.

Was she a single parent with a disabled child?
I doubt OP would have the time or energy for a fixer-upper.

Block estate agent's number, change locks, sit tight. Even you do get a S21 notice you'll have months and months to find somewhere else.

I know it's stressful but try to remember that you do have rights, and while it's sensible to look for somewhere to buy, you don't have to settle for an unsuitable place. You can stay where you are for now.

Would the 2 bedroom bungalow work? My colleague had to get out of her home quickly, could only find a bungalow that needed doing up. She wasn't pleased at first, but it turned out great. She did one room up at a time and removed a wall. After 18 months she had modernised it, it felt like a holiday home.

I think you mentioned your son being at a special school. If so I'm guessing he has an EHCP who means the local authority would provide a taxi? Worth looking into if you have to move