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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Email from tenant refusing to pay rent tomorrow. AIBU to give notice by return?

299 replies

birdladyfromhomealone · 02/01/2017 22:01

Osting here for traffic also in Legal
Gave notice in September that we would be increasing rent £27 pcm. From Jan 3rd 17.
This is the first increase and they have been tenants for over three years.
Tonight we had an email that they have not signed the new contract or changed their direct debit as although they they agreed to this increase in Sept they now say they want repairs done first.
We had new DG windows fitted just before they moved in 3 years ago. They have managed to break 3 window locks in that time. The first one we replaced within the guarantee but these further two were broken in the summer.
We said they broke them so they should pay to replace them.
There was also a leak from the shower which was fixed at our expense.
We also had to have the ceiling re plastered due to the leak. We went round as planned to paint the new ceiling and the tenant a SAHM had forgotten and was out. A wasted 25mile round trip for us.
We texted and she apologised and has never come back with another convenient time so we left it.
Now they are saying they are not paying the increase tomorrow until we do the repairs.
Thoughts please

OP posts:
thatdearoctopus · 03/01/2017 13:42

spend more on the property so it does stay maintained.

Where have you deduced that more needs spending on it? The OP said they'd overhauled it three years ago with new heating, kitchen and bathroom and a rewire. They've also Scotchguarded and deep-cleaned the carpets and replaced a perfectly good washing machine for a washer-dryer because the tenant requested it. That's alsongside making good damage that the tenants should technically have been liable for.

Yeah, really shit Landlords!

Original poster
birdladyfromhomealone · 03/01/2017 14:03

Thank you all for your positive and some less positive opinions and advice.
I sincerely hope things now get back on to an even keel as in the past.
Just to clarify some points that some have overlooked in my posts -
The tenants son is NOT a toddler he is a primary school aged boy. He plays with the doors and windows as told to us by the tenant. They have to keep ALL doors and windows locked as he escapes.
The double Glazing firm have inspected and say the locks are being forced and screws are being bend. They replaced the first one free of charge.
The ceiling was replastered and now needs painting as the tenant left the shower hose running slowly draped over the taps.
We paid for the ceiling and arrived to paint but she was out.
We replaced a perfectly good washer for a washer /dryer as a gesture of goodwill.
We have refused to remove a three year old kitchen cupboard and provide a dishwasher.
We do not resent maintaining the house nor do we resent making good from their mistakes. We did this to be good LL
We do not make a fortune from renting this house out. It was left to our kids from my Mum and as such I am reluctant to part with the final bit I have left of my Mum, although the house is unrecognisable from the 1950's style wreck it was when she lived in it.
FWIW the tenant are also LL, they rent out a house they own as they couldnt sell it and wanted to move into the catchment area of an outstanding primary school.
They had 10 foreigners living in their 3 bed house and had to evict them, so she has had a rough ride as a LL.
Thank you for all your advice I will leave the thread now and fingers crossed our tenant will let us in to paint and replace the window locks herself.

OP posts:
Jux · 03/01/2017 14:17

Ou sement had been made a separate flat before we bought the house. It had tenants in, who were apparently ready to move out if we didn't want them, but we were happy to let them stay. They asked us to do all the repairs which the previo wne should have done, so we did. I tuink we'd had one months rent from them at that point.

11 years later, we have had 4 tenants altogether. The first couple, who got married and bought their own place; the nightmare chap who did a midnight flit owing us a couple of grand; the wonderful woman who eventually married and left us Sad; the present one whom we have known for 10 years, who has lived here for 4 years.

They were all provided with fridge. Each of them bought their own freezer and washing machine (except the nightmare chap who used mine..... long story there) and have taken their white goods with them when they left.

OP, I think if your tenant wants a dishwasher she can buy her own.

MoreProseccoNow · 03/01/2017 14:20

Loving your update, OP! It will make the LL haters froth at the mouth! Imagine, the tenants are themselves LL who have moved to get in a school catchment! Grin

Blatherskite · 03/01/2017 14:28

Ha ha ha! The Op 'profiting from the provision of a basic human right' that is a house in the right catchment area Grin Grin Grin

TheDevilMadeMeDoIt · 03/01/2017 14:30

I think the OP is mentioning the leak, the window locks etc to make it clear she's not a shyster landlord who never does anything beyond demand money. She's explaining that she fulfils her duties and it doesn't sound in the least bitter or begrudging.
In putting in the washer/dryer she's gone beyond what is required of her legally, she is trying to help her tenants be comfortable.
And this, from a post the OP made -
This is my Mums house- she died and left it to my kids.
We have a small mortgage on it as we borrowed to put in new heating, kitchen and bathroom and rewire.
It sounds like the tenants moved into a very nice, newly renovated house, for a lot less than the market rate.

On what planet is the OP being a grabby selfish LL profiting from others' misery?

If you have a political issue with property letting, do something - write to your MP, start a co-operative. Don't take it out on the OP.

Mummyoflittledragon · 03/01/2017 14:30

Excellent. Tenants are landlords. So they should know better.

thatdearoctopus · 03/01/2017 14:31
Grin
FatalKittehCharms · 03/01/2017 14:32

Starting to think I was a right mug as a tenant.

We paid £50 extra per month for a one bed furnished flat but that didn't include a microwave, vacuum cleaner, kettle, toaster etc.

The pigeons made a right mess of the balcony meaning we couldn't set foot in it for months. Should I have insisted on a reduction in the rent for the 4 months that balcony was unusable?

I also paid £150 for the flat to be professionally cleaned on departure.

PyongyangKipperbang · 03/01/2017 14:54

I would be interested to know who much profit they are making on their own property.

And the cheek of them demanding a dishwasher!

EweAreHere · 03/01/2017 15:05

I'm glad the tenants have realized they had completely overstepped, backtracked, apologized and agreed to terms.

Rather hilarious to find they own a 3 bedroom home that they rent out (ie, they are landlords themselves) and moved into your property because they wanted to be in a particular primary school catchment. Wonder what all the LL haters and tenant defenders at all costs in this thread think of that?

I hope they don't cause any more problems for you, OP.

Quintessing · 03/01/2017 15:07

Please make it clear to them that any more damage caused to the property by them or their child, will have to be covered by them!

GabsAlot · 03/01/2017 15:29

i dont think u should give them a years tenancy and if u do make sure it states all repairs done by damage will not be included

GabsAlot · 03/01/2017 15:32

sorry missed the update

theyre taking the piss out of u being ll themselves-make sure the contract is watertight (pardon the pun)

MoreProseccoNow · 03/01/2017 15:38

Tumbleweed.

BoSelectaBigBiff · 03/01/2017 15:38

I've followed this thread with interest. That's a cracking last update from you, OP Grin Some earlier posters seem to have gone a bit quiet now...

thatdearoctopus · 03/01/2017 15:41

Wonder if anyone will be back to bleat about the OP's moral obligation to effectively fund the tenant's son's place at the outstanding school.

zsazsagaboredom · 03/01/2017 16:01

Absolutely hilarious that they're LLs too!Grin

Basicbrown · 03/01/2017 17:11

Absolutely hilarious that they're LLs too!

It's not that surprising as they have been labeled on the thread as cheeky entitled fuckers 😂

Nuff said....

CotswoldStrife · 03/01/2017 18:55

No way have they forgotten to change the bank order, it has been stopped!

When this happened to us it was the start of a world of pain, so I'd still look for more tenants and keep them on notice! The story is changing daily!

Baylisiana · 03/01/2017 22:52

Most tenants aren't also landlords though, are they? To me their is a right way to treat your landlord/tenant whatever the reasons for renting are.

I would be interested to know where you can rent a house near an outstanding primary for under a grand a month. I know OP understandably probably won't want to tell us.

RaspberryOverloadTheFirst · 03/01/2017 22:58

Baylisiana OP posted at one point that the market rate around the house is indeed £1000 to £1200, and that she knows they rent out at under the rate.

So this family are indeed getting a bargain and know it.

x2boys · 03/01/2017 23:03

many ,many places you can rent houses for far less than £1000 /month just not in london or the s /e.near outstanding schools we have them here in the northwest too.,

CockacidalManiac · 03/01/2017 23:12

Bloody hell; I've been a tenant, and I'm often on their side vs landlords, but some of the anti-LL stuff on this thread reads like a poor first year Corbynite sociology essay.

IamPoopyHead · 03/01/2017 23:28

I'm glad it's seemed to work out for you OP.
I've been lurking, with nothing useful to contribute, and love your latest update Grin
It's gone a bit quiet around here...

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