Landlord won't sell. Another second home in our dying village

This.

She might be regretting the lifestyle shift of marrying a farmer, she might be an abusive relationship, her parents might have died in that house … there’s many reasons she might want to keep it, and maybe some very sensible ones.

Yes, it’s sad and unfortunate, but you’ll have to look at other properties.

@AppelationStation
Read the EPC rules, regulations and exemptions.
You say it is old and stone built.
It won’t apply to this house.

Despite that, if you were the landlord, would you sell it if you didn’t have to? It sounds like a little gem, and I know for sure I wouldn’t.

There is a massive difference between “would consider” and “has promised”.

Its her house - she might love it as much as you do.

A friend of mine was recently evicted after 26 years renting the same house because she 'loved it'.

She was moaning on how much she had paid in rent over the years, how she had paid more rent than the house was worth probably twice over, how much work she had done to it, etc. Fact of the matter was, it was never hers in the first place and she had no rights.

Presumably you would have taken care of it regardless of hoping to buy it? That's a weird comment. All the stuff you've done to it extra is making it nicer while you live there, but you didn't have to do it. I've rented all my life, though not in the UK.

It's your home while you live there, that's all.

OO I’m 100% with you our long term 6 year rental where we had the babies was my favourite house ever! In our case the landlords died and the family did put the house up for sale but I’d just had baby number 2 and they were asking more than we could afford so we moved on and rented from the nation trust.

At the time I was so upset to leave I loved that house but with 10+ years hindsight it was a good move, we ended in a batter place, good schools and thrived.

Has the landlord actually told you to leave?? So you know how much they would need to sell? Have you put a value on paper to them that you’d be willing to pay.

This. Particularly if their home is a farm as I think they can fall outside usual rules on divorce

You have to change how you’re viewing this or you’ll eat yourself up. You’ve had stability for 6 years which is rare in and of itself in a rental. Your landlord has given you the freedom to make the garden nice and that is something you’ve had benefit from. She doesn’t have to sell to you and has no obligation to be totally honest re her intentions.

Unfortunately, this is the problem with renting. A good tenant, who looks after the property and even helps increase its value by putting money into it themselves. It doesn't pay someone who is renting to put money into a property that isn't theirs. By all means look after the property and be a good tenant but don't increase value on someone else's investment. There's a rented property at the back of me, looks dreadful. Landlord has had the property for 20 years, and has spent zero on it. The tenants aren't interested in even keeping the property tidy, let alone anything else. The last tenant moved out a week ago, into emergency accomodation, and we are hoping and praying the landlord will sell it, preferably to someone who gives a shit. The property itself is in a dreadful state, windows rotten etc, original kitchen from 1980's. You have to accept you will be moving out, and see about finding another suitable property you could buy or rent. As sad as it is, your landlord isn't obligated to sell, let alone to you.

And I'm finding it doubly galling that, having paid them over 50k in rent and added value to their house by taking such good care of it (more fool us), they're going to leave it empty, let the garden go to ruin, just to keep it as an asset on their balance sheet.

As you say, OP, more fool you. I’m not saying that to be unkind, but you chose to put your time and money into a house you knew wasn’t yours. You presumably decided that this was worth it to give you a better standard of living. It was your choice, and you can’t reasonably be annoyed that they won’t sell just because that’s what you want.

As for the amount you’ve paid in rent - well, that’s just how renting works. It isn’t some con where you suddenly realise they’ve had all your money and you don’t get the house at the end of it. It’s not like increasing your share in a shared ownership property.

She doesnt have to sell the house. Can't believe you think she has too. You no idea why she wants to keep the house and it's hers so she allowed to do what she wants with it. You sound Abit entitled. If you want to buy now you have to find somewhere else.

Could you possibly talk to them about doing some sort of deal/trade off that enables you to stay in the house but not pay anything (as such!) could you do the work to bring it up to rental standard again?
As an empty house is a risk and affects all sorts of things such as insurance. You're clearly good tenants who look after the property well.

But you dont know any of that, or anything about the owner of this house.

Op is just guessing that the house will sit empty. Noone knows if it will or not... landlord might let a family member live there who may equally contribute to the community.

She may do the work needed to rent it out again

Or landlord may be planning on living there herself (op doesnt know the details of landlords marriage)

She is not obligated to sell her house and You have made a lot of negative assumptions about a person you do not know based on the fact they do not want to sell a property they own at this particular time

There are a few houses in my area I wish people would sell and let me buy because I really like them (I’m a homeowner). Some of them are ‘too big’ for their owners.

It just doesn’t work like that. We don’t get to determine who deserves it more.

The back story of why you think you do is irrelevant and you’ve dressed it up as a second home issue. If the house is that ideal location wise etc. they’d be mad to sell.

Exactly - which is why the OP can keep renting it, but the landlord can’t rent it out to new tenants. OP was hoping this would make selling up an attractive prospect. However, by putting her own time and money into a house she doesn’t own, OP has made herself the most attractive prospect.

Think about it. OP loves the house. She wants to buy the house. She loves the area. The landlord knows all this. OP could buy somewhere else, but there are few options locally (which the landlord will also know). She is unlikely to want to rent somewhere else, as she doesn’t really want to be renting this place anymore. But continuing to rent it is currently her best option to stay in the area. So in all likelihood, OP will keep on renting the house and maintaining it well and the landlord will keep getting income without the hassle of selling and the cost of capital gains tax.

How do you know all of this? I suspect they have plans and ideas that they are not sharing with you. Possibly they will sell it but would rather do so on the open market to maximise their return. Maybe they will carry out the necessary renovations for EPC in due course but don’t want to say so in case you expect them to do so now while you can benefit. Who knows.

It sounds like you’ve put a bit too much into this rental house, both financially and emotionally. Best thing would be to draw a line under it all and start searching for a different house to buy that you can make your own.

The tone of the responses on this thread is so weird. Landlords aren't doing anyone a favour - so let's can that idea.

Who said they’re doing anyone a favour? Tenants aren’t doing anyone a favour either, it’s just a business transaction.

They're making money and throwing a raging hissy fit when they aren't.

Who’s throwing a raging hissy fit? The landlord in this story just said no to selling. There was no rage and no hissy fit.

The OP is adding value to her community and loves her home, which is palpably something that several of the landlords on this thread can't even begin to understand.

It’s not that difficult a concept to understand and nor is it that important. Other people love their homes and do local stuff, it’s nothing special.

They're all the sort of people who think wasting time being a governor at a primary is "more fool them".

That’s a reach.

Well, I know who I would rather be friends with.

Weird thing to say. No one is here looking for friends.

I am sorry, OP. It's shit and it's absolutely reasonable to feel very sad about the situation. I hope you find a lovely new home.

Sadness is understandable. A sense of entitlement and criticism of the LL for making perfectly normal choices is not.

I agree. I feel forcthe op and feel sorry thst villages and communities are dying due to second home ownership.

Op I can understand that after all this time and investment you feel emotionally tied to this house, but it is up to the LL to decide whether to sell or to hold on to it and while it may not make much sense to you, she will have some pretty compelling reasons to hold onto it for now. They may be financial, they may be sentimental, she may perhaps want to hold onto it so she has an escape plan for herself one day… who knows 🤷‍♀️ but whatever the reason, it’s her house.

As a parent of two young people who will be wanting to buy their own homes in the next few years, I’m as anti second home as anyone could be, particularly an empty one, but this is just a frustrating situation that you’ll have to make peace with. I hope you find somewhere of your own soon x

Err she did say that.

(the landlord had previously told us they'd consider selling to us down the line). All we've done is I crease the value of someone else's house.

It's wildly naive to spend lots of money and time on a property that isn't yours.

I have to say that I agree with @Iwiicit Yes, it’s a blunt comment but it’s the long and short of it. You need to accept what you can and can’t control, however galling. I understand - I’ve lived in two rental properties we wanted to buy and both landlords said no. Stupid reasons as well - one wouldn’t sell to us as they’d have owed the estate agent money for a finder’s fee as tenants (cowboys and hard to enforce but still). The other was an ongoing dispute about an inherited property, which is still rented out now. Family falling out has led to that house probably being rented out in perpetuity… Time to face up to reality and find something new. Onwards and upwards. Best of luck.

I lived in a private rental for 22 years it was very much my "home" . We lived there while all my DC's were born, grew up etc. The original landlady, died it passed to her daughters, and after we received an inheritance we asked if we could buy it. The answer was No! We had no alternative but to look for somewhere else before we got to old to take out a mortgage and to preserve the value of our lump sum.
After a year of looking we found a house, not perfect but any stretch but it gave us possibilities and we, in time, made it lovely, and it is now our home.
A home is how you make it, a house is bricks and mortar.
OP there is a house out there for you somewhere you have time to look for it, time to adjust your requirements, and needs.
Our old rental now has the original landladies great Grandson living there, they obviously wanted to keep it in the family, perhaps the the owner of the OP's rental wants to do the same?

The tone of the responses on this thread is so weird. Landlords aren't doing anyone a favour - so let's can that idea. They're making money and throwing a raging hissy fit when they aren't.
The OP is adding value to her community and loves her home, which is palpably something that several of the landlords on this thread can't even begin to understand. They're all the sort of people who think wasting time being a governor at a primary is "more fool them". Well, I know who I would rather be friends with. I am sorry, OP. It's shit and it's absolutely reasonable to feel very sad about the situation. I hope you find a lovely new home.

EPC stands for Energy Performance Certificate, ie. insulation, double glazing, solar panels etc. Nothing to do with the safety of electrics.