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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to be honest to prospective tenants?

51 replies

JambalayaCodfishPie · 13/07/2011 10:31

We are moving out of our house after a year of hell.

We have a restraining order against our neighbours as they are violent.

A young family just came to view the house and asked why we were moving - so I told them. I wouldnt want another young family to go through what we have.

Then got a phone call from the estate agent "Dont tell people thats why youre moving, they dont want it now!"

GOOD!!

AIBU??

OP posts:

DogsBestFriend · 13/07/2011 10:34

Absolutely not and good for you.

Tell the estate agent to go take a hike if they don't like the truth!

Wishing you far happier times in your new home. :)

SortingHardHat · 13/07/2011 10:35

YANBU good on you for being so honest!

itisnearlysummer · 13/07/2011 10:35

I think it's very decent of you to tell prospective tenants.

Tbh though, if you don't they will realise as soon as they move in and will leave anyway as soon as they can and you will be back at square 1.

So no, YANBU, in fact you are BVV reasonable.

But you might find it difficult to let.

itisnearlysummer · 13/07/2011 10:36

For some reason I thought you were letting it out! Can't read today! sorry for talking nonsense!

itisnearlysummer · 13/07/2011 10:36

Oh you said they were tenants. oh just ignore me.

sausagesandmarmelade · 13/07/2011 10:37

Well done you!

You've done the new family a big favour....

You have every right to honestly tell prospective tenants your experience.

olderyetwider · 13/07/2011 10:38

But if nobody wants to rent your house won't have to sell it in order to move? That will leave you trapped for ages, and you'll have to disclose the restraining order anyway. I don't know how you resolve this, and admire your honesty. Why not ask the Estate Agent for suggestions about what to say?

Blu · 13/07/2011 10:40

Are you tennants?
If so you are not obliged to let anyone in to view while you are still there, anyway.
If the Landlord / EA send people round while you are there, and they ask you q's you can't be expected to do anything but answer truthfully.

LIZS · 13/07/2011 10:41

Is it your house or are you a tenant ? yanbu but your experience may not be another's

knittedbreast · 13/07/2011 10:43

really really good for you. well done, more honesty and truth is a good thing you :)

Snuppeline · 13/07/2011 10:45

Good on you for being so honest, I am sure the family are very grateful, however, I am a bit surprised that they told the EA. That wasn't very nice of them and certainly they should have thought that you might get a bit of trouble from LL or EA for being honest.

Original poster

JambalayaCodfishPie · 13/07/2011 10:45

Sorry, wasnt clear - WE''re tenants, moving to another letting.

OP posts:

MrSpoc · 13/07/2011 10:50

If you are renting then good on you for being honest.

If you are selling then you are a fool who will struggle to sell. Now if you are selling and they asked you why you are leaving. You can still be honest and say we are moving to a biger house, closer to school / job etc.

lurkerspeaks · 13/07/2011 10:55

Hmm.
You are tenants moving to another letting so you are essentially destroying the landlords chance of getting any decent tenants in to replace you at no financial penalty (other than costs associated with moving) to yourselves.

I think you are in a very difficult position but might be better advised to be slightly more diplomatic. In addition as others have said your experience may not mirror another families.

Tanif · 13/07/2011 11:01

I'm considering doing the same thing. We've been in our property for a year and can finally move on to something better. The heating doesn't work properly, the gas supply leaks every time someone looks at it, the kitchen isn't fitted properly which allows muck and grime to cake under it, the bathroom has been sealed with non-marine sealant so is covered in mould... I will most definitely be telling prospective tenants what I think of the property when they come around to view!

Also the landlord is a dingleberry who can't keep his finances in order, and refuses to change his address with his creditors so it's US that have bailiffs at the door.

ScarletOHaHa · 13/07/2011 11:06

The estate agents have a massive problem on their hands regarding new tenants. I would say something. I bet the agents will not be as open once you have left.

Sellers are required to inform potential buyers of ongoing disputes with neighbours relating to the property. I think if potential buyers ask about your relationships, you have to be honest. When I bought my house this was part of a questionnaire.

itisnearlysummer · 13/07/2011 11:07

Well I think they are doing the right thing.

I don't think they have any duty to not tell other prospective tenants about the neighbours if they ask why the OP is moving.

They'll think better of OP's family than they would if they kept quiet.

If the LL can't let, they can sell. If they can't sell. Oh well!

Islandlady · 13/07/2011 11:42

Its all very well being honest with prospective tenants but have you been just as honest with your Landlord.

The way that I see it is of you have informed your Landlord of the problem and he knows about the violent neighbours but has not done anything about it you are NOT BU

If you have informed the Landlord and he cant do anything about it then its a moot point - if the problem stems from the fact that you are a young family and maybe thats the problem with the neighbours (may not like children and noise etc) then its up to the Landlord and his EA to market the property for an older family so again I dont think are BU to warn another young familiy.

But if you haven't actually told your Landlord about the neighbours then you are BU, as the LL may believe they have a property they can easiliy rent out
and now thats not the case - its going to cause your LL financial difficulty and is it really fair to do that to them?

And you havent said if the violence is just directed at you or the rest of the
neighbours, it may have stemmed from a problem the neighbours believed YOU caused even if it was just imagined and not rooted in fact, therefore any new tenants may not have the same problems and it would BU to put other tenants off the property.

Original poster

JambalayaCodfishPie · 13/07/2011 11:57

The LL is well aware of the problems, and that there is a RESTRAINING ORDER in place.

The neighbours are violent drunks - to each other, their many children, and eventually us, when we dared ask them(after months of 'not getting involved') not to have screaming violent rows at 4am on a Sunday morning.

We asked them the nextday, BTW calmly and non-confrontationally - they were sober and still tried to break down our door to 'sort us out'. The police were called, mace was used and arrests made - they are well known to the police.

If someone had told me what we would experience living here, we would never have moved in. It is NOT a home for a family.

OP posts:

AmberLeaf · 13/07/2011 12:01

You're saving people from a potential nightmare.

Think id do the same.

sb6699 · 13/07/2011 12:06

Good for you. You have saved another family from the stresses and strains you have suffered.

In your case, I feel sympathy for the LL as its not his fault but a young family should be forwarned about the difficulties you have had.

Just an aside, I'm in a similar position to Tanif (probably worse) and when we give our notice I fully intend to inform prospective tenants about the problems we have had with the LL. The last year has been hell for us, I've been in tears and constantly on edge. Would hate to think of another family going through the same.

CadleCrap · 13/07/2011 12:09

If the letting agent can't be arsed doing the viewings him/herself then YANBU to tell he truth.

Empusa · 13/07/2011 12:12

We did something similar after living in a flat where the roof leaked in 5 different places. Someone came round to view it, noticed the huge damp patches and asked us about them, the estate agent tried to say that there wasn't a problem and the patches were old. So we corrected him.

We got a phone call a couple of days later saying we were in breach of contract

yearningforthesun · 13/07/2011 12:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

JambalayaCodfishPie · 13/07/2011 12:14

empusa Breach of Contract how?

OP posts:

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