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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not move out of rented house until I'm ready?

378 replies

longtermsinglemummy · 13/09/2016 11:41

I have rented my current home for 5 years. I've looked after it as if it were my own and we've been really happy here. The landlord lives abroad.

In April I had a phone call from the letting agents asking for the property to be valued as the landlord was looking into selling it (huge shock as you can imagine). To cut a long story short he did decide to sell the property and we were given 2 months notice on 21st May, which was then extended by another 2 months expiring on September 22nd as it was still unsold.

In this period I have complied with their wishes. I have had people view the property (which was galling as it feels like our home), and then a mortgage valuation and survey once the house was sold (they only told us it was sold at the end of July). Since then we have looked at so many houses both online and in person but there were none that we really liked or that were suitable for us. I also have legacy credit issues which have stood in our way.

I have finally found a house that we like, and they will have us Grin

But am I being unreasonable in saying we are not able to move out by the 22nd? This date would put so much pressure on me as I couldn't get my head around moving until we had somewhere to move to, so still have loads to do. There is no chain, the buyers aren't selling their house and my landlord is abroad and has a home there. I also have to get my daughter back to university which wipes out one weekend. My ideal scenario would be to vacate the house on Monday October 10th, 2.5 weeks after my notice runs out.

I just feel that I have been a really good tenant over the years, I have been compliant during this horrible shitty period when I could have been obstructive had I chosen to be. The letting agents are saying it has to be Sept 22nd and it's not possible to go past this date, contracts have been drawn up etc.

Surely another 2.5 weeks couldn't be that much of an issue?

OP posts:
OrangeFluff · 13/09/2016 12:12

YABU You've had plenty of notice to get packing, and you still have 9 days to go. Just suck it up and get on with it.

My conscience wouldn't allow me to purposely stay the extra time, possibly causing other people big problems, just because I hadn't been organised.

DogsAndCatsAndThings · 13/09/2016 12:12

YABU you've had four months notice and they're legally and morally in the right. Get your shit together they've done nothing wrong. If you can't get into your new place in time get a short term let or stay with friends or family in the interim. Not to be rude but you are massively taking the pies.

DogsAndCatsAndThings · 13/09/2016 12:12

*PISS obviously!

Floggingmolly · 13/09/2016 12:13

Why do so many posters say you have a right to stay until a court says otherwise? Why would a court support anybody in outstaying their welcome when their tenancy has ended?
Do the courts not have enough to do without policing idiots intent on playacting for no discernible reason? (Op, for example, despite having had four months notice; needs another very precise two and a half weeks to "get her head around it" Hmm)
Stop encouraging her. She's not going to be homeless Hmm

justatoe1 · 13/09/2016 12:13

The landlord will want an early exchange date as until then buyers are not legally committed to buy until then, regardless of when they wish to move in/complete.
I think the landlord could potentially persue you for costs of a lost sale if you didn't move out by exchange given the notice you have received...now that could be very expensive!

MatildaTheCat · 13/09/2016 12:13

I have just had my tenant unable to move out by the date on her Section 21. She literally had nowhere to go but you do, it simply doesn't suit you.

It cost me £330 to apply for an Accelerated Possession Order which will be passed on to the tenant by the court in most cases so you will have that additional cost. And you cannot expect a lovely reference from your LL.

So move on time. That's renting unfortunately. You had 5 good years which is a long time in private rental accommodation.

OnionKnight · 13/09/2016 12:15

You need to stop dithering and get out.

DogsAndCatsAndThings · 13/09/2016 12:17

Hilarious that you seem to think you have some kind of "right" to do as you please. Entitled, much?

What about the buyers and your landlord? You don't care that you're going to potentially cause them to lose a lot of money despite the fact they've been more than fair to you because you're dragging your heels like a spoilt brat?

Get out of their house.

DoreenLethal · 13/09/2016 12:17

Call Shelter and get proper advice, unless you have an official Section 21 notice I believe you can stay there until the proper legal processes have been followed.

Or call the agent and negotiate. Can they pay for removals and a packer to assist you on your way? As you would hate the sale to go through due to only just having found somewhere to live?

sparechange · 13/09/2016 12:18

If they are exchanging on the 26th September, they could well be completing on the same day, and expect to get the keys and start moving their stuff in that afternoon.

You say they aren't in a chain, which probably means they are first time buyers. Can you imagine the stress and heartache for them, after years of saving up for their first home, to suddenly find they are now in a huge legal mess, all because you can't be bothered to get packing?

They will have to inform their mortgage provider that they have 'broken' the terms of their mortgage by not living there, they will have to arrange storage of their things and emergency accommodation. If they have children or pets, this will be a massive stress for them as well.

All because you are being too lazy or in denial about needing to move. So massively unreasonable!

AnyFucker · 13/09/2016 12:18

Your landlord has already said no, so it's a no

You need to be out on the 22nd. This thread is one of the reasons why I dragged my heels and spent the money elsewhere when the option of buying a BTL property came up for us.

OliviaStabler · 13/09/2016 12:18

YABVVU.

Jackiebrambles · 13/09/2016 12:20

Blimey, I can't believe this!

Just pack up and get out OP!

harderandharder2breathe · 13/09/2016 12:21

Yabu

You've had 4 months notice!

I wish posters would stop advising any tenant to stay til they are forcibly evicted! It's horrible advice in most situations.

CathyCats · 13/09/2016 12:21

If they cannot exchange until you're out of the house YANBU! You've known you'll need to leave since May, it's now September. Sorry, but it's not your house, so not your choice. You've had far more than the one month legally required warning. I mean, sure you can refuse to leave and he'll have to go down the routes of removing you etc but do you really want to cause the owner and new buyer so much grief that you might ruin the sale?

CathyCats · 13/09/2016 12:22

Damn auto correct *yabvu

heron98 · 13/09/2016 12:24

YABU. It might feel like your home but it's not! I'm a fellow renter and it just goes with the territory.

OrangeFluff · 13/09/2016 12:25

Doreen But doing that would be incredibly selfish and twatty. She hasn't mentioned financial problems, she has somewhere to go, she just hasn't started to pack yet!

OnionKnight · 13/09/2016 12:25

Or call the agent and negotiate. Can they pay for removals and a packer to assist you on your way? As you would hate the sale to go through due to only just having found somewhere to live?

Why the hell would they agree to that?

somekindofmother · 13/09/2016 12:25

you are being massively unreasonable. you've had 4 months to sort your act out and move! if the buyer gets wind you arnt planning on leaving the sale will fall thru. it's incredibly selfish to behave this way, especially as your LL has given you reasonable time to vacate

Gazelda · 13/09/2016 12:26

If your DD is off to uni, then that's a perfect opportunity for her to empty her room before she leaves.

Concentrate on packing up one room per evening. Or use a packing service from a removal company.

Its not too bad once you get stuck in.

Ipsie · 13/09/2016 12:26

You could be a pain in the arse over section 21, maybe they haven't issued it properly. But as a few others have pointed out, you can be sure that your good references will be shattered and unlikely to find another landlord willing to have you - esp with credit issues. Even if you are right to quibble over how the notice was served your new landlord will not be impressed by your actions. And your current landlord will call him to inform him of your actions and likely he will inform every landlord/letting agency around.

If this had come as a bolt out of the blu and you had nowhere else to go then you'd have more sympathy here and I suspect from prospective landlords. That's the real reason why section 21 is important- not so someone who has effectively had 6 months notice can get their heads around it!

Move.

Don't play silly games. Ignore those who advise you to.

Or risk ending up homeless.

Waltermittythesequel · 13/09/2016 12:26

Or call the agent and negotiate. Can they pay for removals and a packer to assist you on your way? As you would hate the sale to go through due to only just having found somewhere to live?

Wow.

Mistigri · 13/09/2016 12:31

You probably do need to just get on and move, since you do have somewhere to go, but it sounds like it would be worth having someone who knows the law look at the notice documents you've been sent to check that they are all legal.

I diagree with some of the stuff in this thread (and I am a landlord myself). A house that you rent out is not your home - it is the tenant's home. A good landlord would be looking to make a (small) compromise if possible, and to give the tenant the maximum notice possible, and not the minimum required by law. But most landlords are not very good.

Artandco · 13/09/2016 12:32

Wouldn't you be really pissed off if that was done to you?

Ie you say your new flat is ready from 10th October, what if they say actually it's now 5th November?