Tenants making viewings difficult

[areweonabreak]

We have a flat that we rent out. It was my DH’s flat before we met. It’s been rented out for 10 years now (by only 2 tenants) but we’re now in a position where our own house needs a lot of money spending on it and we want to free up some capital.

we do feel bad for the current tenant, we offered them first refusal to buy the flat (it’s on the market for £90k) but they cannot afford it (even though a mortgage would probably be cheaper than the rent but they’d another thread)

we’ve had a few viewings now but all the feedback is that the tenants have told them that they don’t want to move so they’re put off as they don’t want the hassle.

we live about a 40 minute drive away from the flat so the agents are sorting out all of the viewings. The agents have suggested that it might be easier to sell if it’s empty.

We’re really not sure what to do, they’re on a rolling monthly contract at the moment.

has anyone else been in this position before?

would anyone else recommend selling as a vacant property?

I do not understand this culture of doing viewings while someone is still living in the apartment. It just seems so intrusive and a huge invasion of privacy. I absolutely hate landlords and apartment managers that do this because I once had a landlord that violated my lease and did a viewing while I was extremely ill because of my pregnancy. The viewing potential tenants got an earful of new vomiting violently because of my hyperemesis gravidarum and it did run them off which I’m glad of. I did pop off right in front of them and let them know if they move in that this is what they are in for! This is how he treats his tenants. Forced viewings while violently ill. I don’t care. I was angry, pregnant, embarrassed and deeply hormonal. I think even voluntary viewings are intrusive.

Also got the joy of unnecessary commentary on my gestational diabetes kit, at home IV because I couldn’t drink water, and medications that I didn’t have time to move.

I moved later but never forgot being treated that way and now go out of my way to make sure that this is not part of the lease and tell them straight up that I won’t agree to this behaviour. It was humiliating and terrible. My apartment was disgusting because I couldn’t get out of bed to clean. Even so much as rolling over would make me sick.

Maybe you should think about how you would feel bringing a total stranger into your own home and seeing all of your personal effects. Imagine it happening at a very inconvenient time in your life.

The btl market is dead
highly unlikely to happen
would be at a reduced price

This. Why aren’t you doing it?

Section 21 OP - and prepare yourself for the fact you may have to eventually evict them, if they’re refusing to move.

It can be a very long process so get cracking is my advice.

I'm interested to know where in the country you can buy a flat for £90k.

Loads of places! You can even get a house for that in some areas. I just tried a few northern English cities on Rightmove and they all had at least a hundred flats available for 70-90k, and that's even before trying the towns where there's less demand. I'm not saying they'll be MN approved naice but they definitely exist. OP could be in the north of England, the non touristy parts of Wales, lots of Scotland and most of NI.

I think the fact lots pf people always claim to not know there are houses in this price range shows more priviledge than landlord with house in this price range could...

Then they shouldn’t be so difficult 🤷‍♀️ It’s not OPs problem where they go next, nor should it be.

Pay them to leave

Oh come on now

Or just serve them notice?🙄

Op, you need to serve notice as pps said.
When we were looking few years ago there was a great house for us for 70k. Tenants were absolutely not cooperating and blocked viewings. Yes, it's understandable people don't want to leave house they live in, but bloody hell.
Lots of people know stories like that and especially since your tenants are telling viewers they don't want to leave, viewers might worry it will drag on for very long time if you need to evict via courts.

Either sell as tenants in situ and continue to advertise or vacant with it being vacant when it returns on market

Stoke on Trent. I'll sell you mine for 60 (bought for 83 15 years ago!) House price inflation hasn't hit everywhere.

Well, practically speaking it could very well be. Bearing in mind how long the eviction process takes, it's worth any landlord thinking tactically about whether it's in their own self interest to delay until a sitting tenant has found somewhere else.

I just tried a few northern English cities on Rightmove and they all had at least a hundred flats available for 70-90k

Starting prices for outright purchase from £55k in my east midlands city, Bashir - and that one's really quite nice

Why on earth would a landlord do this? Unless it's their son/daughter or something I don't think they are going to drop the price or lend them a house deposit, what a bizarre suggestion when they are selling it to get the money out of it to spend on their own home.

Oh yeah I forgot the midlands. Lots of cheap places there so I hear.

Landlord bashing on MN is so boring. The OP sounds decent, she's offered it to them; it's hardly her fault various systems make it impossible for some to get on the ladder.

Serve notice and sell empty OP. Good luck with your renovation.

Obviously you haven't said what the rent is but at £90k there might be a margin to interest an investor. Have you asked the EA?

@areweonabreak I'm all for being reasonable to tenants, but they're putting themselves in a position where you have to have to serve notice. Which is what I would do if I were you.

What sort of deposits do you need these days? 5%? 10%?

It is a real shame that they can't somehow get the deposit together, as it's not an expensive flat.

However, I suppose there is a service charge as well.

I think the comments about giving the flat away for free are silly, if the tenants have been decent tenants, kept the place tidy and paid their rent on time it's no unreasonable for a landlord to do what they can for them. I suppose they have explored all avenues to get a deposit together? I guess they have if the alternative is being homeless.

But it's not unreasonable for them to tell potential buyers they don't want to leave.

You say you need to sell to do up your own house. Could you save up the rent each month and then do the work on your house? By the time you evict your tenant, get the place sold, and get your money, you'll have had the best part of a year's rental anyway.

5% 😂 You having a laugh?! 5/10% are generally a thing of the past.

Now you’re looking at 20-25% deposit before you’ll even be considered.

Erm... many professional Landlords do?

No you don't. Banks still offer 5% though usually with higher interest and you need spotless financial history. Friend is buying with 10% now currently going through the process.

A criticism of the system which you benefiting financially from?

They’re very, very rare and come with a LOT of conditions so are not available to the vast majority.