Space or cash

[Bestoftimesworstoftimes]

Currently renting a compact 1.5 bed flat - it's lovely and comfortable with lots of advantages and reasonable rent and decent landlord but we do begin to feel cramped! We have a 2 pre school children. We could probably squeeze another year or two out here but there is a shelf life – we won't be staying forever particularly if our family grows which is on the cards.

Opportunity to rent a large 3 double bedroom house has come up. It is extremely spacious and very bright and light.

BUT the house is very rundown and so the rent is well below market rate. It would definitely be a downgrade on the material level plus have a less convenient kitchen /bathroom et cetera The landlord has agreed we can make some improvements but we have had a quote and changes to the decor plus all the furniture we'd now need to buy (current rental is furnished) would come to ten grand which is an absolute fortune!! This is not to make it fancy by the way, just basic stuff to make it a pleasant living space and less dilapidated/dingy. Obviously if we stayed five or more years it would pay itself but uncertain to know what the future holds, although they have agreed to a two year contract.

We could get help from parents for the initial outlay (don't love this option but we will not have those kind of figures readily available and they have offered to make an arrangement) but obviously simply living in the second one would cost us more in terms of rent, bills and council tax. But because of the low rent not the huge amount more it should be for a house that size. We can't decide whether the extra money to live in the other place might just be better put to savings while trying to live more efficiently in our current squeeze. It is so tempting to imagine having more space and another rooooom! Plus I love natural light and the house is so bright with big window and our flat is quite dark, one of the few things that bugs me about it. But then the house will be cold half the year and our flat is really cosy. Oops I'm rambling...

In terms of location both properties are quite near each other. Also we are now ground floor flat with access to garden now so that aspect is equal.

We are very attracted to the long-term potential of second place in terms of price/size but one other mitigating point is we know the current/leaving tenant and the new landlord has form for being quite eccentric to the point of obstructive and unhelpful (hence the state of the place). No rental is secure but we have a mutually good relationship with our current landlord.

Which option is unreasonable?! Estate agent on our back as lots of people interested and we are lucky to get first refusal. I find one day I lean one way and the next I see all the advantage of the other.

I think you made the right decision.

Hmm, It sounds a little like you're convincing yourself you don't want what you want.
You said that the place you're in now has a definite time limit due to practicalities of space. When push comes to shove and you have to go for a larger place what kind of rents will you be facing then?
You have an opportunity to skip the ever increasing crush period and move early, to somewhere similar to you're probably going to anyway.
I'd not in a million years spend 5k painting a three bed rental, spend money on paint by all means but you'd be better off spending it on other things.

If I were you I'd do it.
But only with at least a three (pref 5yr) year tenancy which includes min 6month notice period and provision for being a sitting tenant etc.

I'd personally spend about a grand on painting & decorating
The remaining money would be better spent on furniture, garden furniture, insulation and having a provision for a new boiler + contingency funds.

I know that you shouldn't have to put a boiler in a rental or insulate or argue the toss for your rights, but if you're getting a rare deal that means you might have to overlook the shoddy landlady skills and just bear the cost. whilst being quietly thankful for the rest. I'd simply act as if it were my own house baring (unlikely) massive structural works

After all's said and done if you were to put a new boiler and £500 worth of insulation in you are going to benefit, whats the difference really between that and paint?

"compared with current landlord who voluntarily says 'I'm going away for a couple of weeks - if anything happens while I'm gone sort it out and send me the bill' ! "

The only difference here is that you've already given the landlord the cash for the bill in the form of rent. Every 6 - 8 - 12 months your 'rent savings' would be possibly wiped out by taking on a landlord responsibility. Assuming of course you asked her to sort it and she says no.

Well, we are all different and would make a different decision here.

Personally I'd go for the space. I live in a 1.5 bed flat with DP and it's cosy for the two of us. I know there are families living in some of the flats and I honestly don't know how they do it without going completely bonkers. It must be crowded with children; maybe not so much with babies/toddlers (I still would struggle) but in a year or so it's going to start getting harder, I think. You'll have to move at some point.

I go for space even if a bit tatty. That was my decision with this flat - same rent as 1 beds but much bigger (proper size separate kitchen plus the box room) as it's a bit tatty looking inside. Everything works fine though, and the space was worth a lot more to me than having a lovely new bathroom or laminate flooring without a few gappy bits. That's my preference.

I'd def. go for the house in your situation. It'll be a nightmare with children in a small flat. You can live with crappy decor for a bit. And if you choose to pay for decorators instead of slapping up some paint yourself, it's just that, a choice, and I don't think you should count that or the cost of your own furniture in how much you'll have to 'invest' in someone else's house.
And you'll recoup what you spend in saved rent anyway, if you get a 2 year agreement with no rent increases.

Sound slike your landlord is a wee bit lazy, but on the other hand likes having long term tenants. Security is also a factor when renting.

I guess you couls say to LL you would take it of the work was done by her before you moved in, if she agrees you are happy, if she says no then goodbye house. it should not be down to you to make the house decent.

painting - just paint over what is there. it's not your house. you will get it done for half of what you been quoted.

furniture -well you will take with you so get furniture you like and will take with you. get modular in case any future place is smaller or not same layout.

boiler and floors are good so cheap ikea rugs will do.

i had to move and current place bigger and cheaper and less good decor and everything wise - i bought a dishwasher (landlady paid for fitting)

i was going to buy and replace cooker as the built in one was v v old - but in fact you couldnt use it at all so Lady had to replace it and pay for it.

fridge/freezer failed so landlady had to replace it and pay for it.

i've done some painting in garden of patio wall.

i bought new thermostatic bath/shower mixer tap and had it fitted - as makes a huge difference to a basic mixer tap when you have a shower or run a bath - you know what temp you getting....

insulation - tape up certain windows in winter with draught proofing material, remove in spring. add thick curtains.

apart from getting some simple painting done before you put all your stuff in, the rest do as you go along...seeing what is needed.

Hi again all thanks so much for the comments. The problem with all that 'I would do X but to get the landlord to agree y/z/abc' is that you assume the landlord is either reasonable or at least open to negotiation. From what we understand from the previous tenants, who are friends of ours which was why they share so much, is that she is completely immovable. She doesn't want to spend a penny or agree to anything. When they offered to put in a brand-new kitchen at their own expense she refused. (on my phone so can't italicise or bold or underlined that but I find it astounding. She did not allow them to put in the kitchen – like you all suggest I suspect they wanted something like a five year tenancy in return and she was not amenable.) It was difficult for them to have a new boiler put in when it broke in the cold month and they had to chase through the estate agent.

Syne (pp above) pointed out that what we are in effect paying for in current flat is a premium that makes sure the landlord does all that – that is absolutely right and factored in our choice. We like having the security of knowing if the washing machine or something breaks he takes care of it promptly, efficiently and although a thrifty man will make sure we are comfortable as soon as possible. If the money works out the same as us doing those works ourselves in another place so be it - at least we save on the hassle and the discomfort of the interim period.

We once had a holiday in a large house that was absolutely beautifully furnished and generally very expensive decor. Kitchen was a dream. It was on the seafront and unfortunately for us a windy week and we were absolutely freezing cold- in May! We were miserable and snivelly and couldn't wait to get back home. I can't imagine enduring that in and comfortable surroundings, it was bad enough when the house itself was tiptop otherwise. Of course this may not happen but the risk of it is off putting particularly as we are managing well where we are now and in real terms paying less (at the moment)

Finally loveareading can't resist derailing a bit to say that actually I think babies take up the most space. It never fails to amaze me how much these tiny people bring with them, the crib, mats, car seat that you offered and bring into the house because they are sleeping, pram/pushchair, later highchair etc etc. not to mention the constantly growing out of clothes and all the boxes! obviously not all these things essential to be out at the same time but when you are tired with newborn you tend to be a little less organised (at least I do). Also we are ground floor with direct access to an enclosed and almost private garden this helps a lot and in the summer especially it feels like my flat doubles in size. We just throw open the living room doors and the kids are in and out and are quite safe- it helps a lot. I realise when the children are even bigger and literally taking up much more space physically I may reconsider my view again but for now it's ok and actually better than the early days.

Sorry the holiday was in August not May–far worse! And yes, northern hemisphere

LL sounds a complete nightmare - steer well clear!

I agree with someone above. What's to stop your landlord seeing massive improvements to the property and wacking up the rent. I would NEVER pay to improve someone else's property.

But mint poppet - it would be money used to improve the living for us while we are there and would be easily affordable with the amount saved on the very cheap rent... This is academic as not really considering the option any more but that is how we saw it intially and think there is some sense to it based on the unique circumstances

Money used to improve your living conditions. Yes but for how long? The day after you'd finished renovations your landlord could give you notice knowing he'd now get double the rent as the house has been improved.