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AIBU?

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Original poster

Has anyone had any experience of telling landlord they can't pay rent this month

135 replies

Namechangepanic22 · 02/03/2017 12:48

Hi. I've name changed for this but have been around for ages.

My fiancé has an executive wife who he had an agreement with to payback negative equity on a house they used to own. They were both making payments out of their own bank accounts. It seems that she has declared herself bankrupt and yesterday the Halifax cleared out his entire bank account to cover both the payments.

All of my contribution towards the rent and bills was already in his account so that's gone too. Both of us already have loans and are unable to get anymore so today we have the unenviable task of telling our landlord that the rent will not be paid today, does anyone have any experience of this? How did it go? What was their reaction?

OP posts:
njfhow · 02/03/2017 16:08

It is a bit of a coincidence that the amount in the bank account completely cleared the debt almost to the last penny. I would suggest that just in case the bank account is raided again, you do not pay any more into it and get any wages etc paid somewhere else - with a different bank (and check the bank is part of a different group of banks as some of them are related to each other).
Good luck with the landlord.

melj1213 · 02/03/2017 16:20

Definitely call the landlord ASAP - many will be willing to be a bit flexible if you explain the situation and how you could not have had any expectation of it, but the longer you wait after you should have paud to contact them, the less understanding some will be as they'll already be pissed at the money not arriving and be waiting for you to ring with a sob story or not even contact them at all.

I'd also realistically work out how you will be able to repay this months rent - double rent next month? One and half month's rent for the next two months? Weekly payments? Monthly? A longer/shorter timeframe? - and take that as an initial suggestion to your Landlord, it shows them you are serious about this being a one off and you want to repay them asap but aren't promising things you can't do/afford as that will just lead to further defaults.

As for not having savings - I work a job that pays not much more than minimum wage, but we can comfortably get by - our bills are low and I try to save a little bit every month, that doesn't mean that I have enough to cover multiple issues in a short space of time. Sometimes things happened after you've used your savings for something else and you just have nothing left at this moment in time.

I had a decent amount of savings last year ... in June I used most of it to replace my car that I need for work/school runs, was on it's last legs and had developed a couple of faults that were fine in the short term but the longer I waited to get the repairs done, the more expensive it was going to be. Whilst the car would have probably been fine for another 6 months without any immediate repairs, I decided that since I had a bit of savings I'd cut my losses and trade the car in for a better 2nd hand car. That was in June ... three months later in September my boiler blew up and the washing machine flooded my kitchen. If either of those things had happened 3 months before I would have had the money to replace both of them immediately, but because I'd already nearly wiped out my savings on the car, I hadn't had chance to build my savings up again enough to cover the other things yet.

welovepancakes · 02/03/2017 16:23

Another vote for coming clean with landlord. Play straight with them, keep them informed, don't avoid their calls, offer to pay whatever you can afford, even £10 per week towards arrears is better than nothing. Make a payment urgently, however modest, to show good faith.

Floridasunset · 02/03/2017 16:34

Another LL here...I would be ok with this as you say you have always paid on time. I would much prefer my tenants to talk to me about it than take out a pay day loan or not be able to eat for the month. I think payday loans would only get you into further money problems.
Our tenancy agreement has an interest rate for late payments but there is no way I would charge interest in these circumstances so it's much better to come to an arrangement with your LL than a payday loan.
Hope it goes well OP

redexpat · 02/03/2017 16:37

Well I guess the positive thing is as he no longer needs to pay off debt next month he will have more disposable income. So you wont notice the rent repayment going out iyswim. Very stressful though. Have you spoken to LL yet?

Original poster
Namechangepanic22 · 02/03/2017 16:38

Sorry been in training. We've let the landlord know there's been a problem and are coming up with a plan to rectify it. Fortunately he is being lovely.

OP posts:
Original poster
Namechangepanic22 · 02/03/2017 16:40

Showmepotatosalad I find your comments a bit offensive really. How is this his fault? And I don't give him all my money. I give him my share of the bills.

OP posts:
TheOnlyLivingBoyinNewCork · 02/03/2017 16:43

? I imagine you can prove the transfer from your account on a monthly basis, clearly to be used specifically for your contribution to rent etc, and on that basis it was not his for his bank to use?

No, it was his personal bank account which he had obviously tied to the debt in question. If OP's name isn't on it she has no claim to any of the money in it, no matter where it came from.

Which is just one reason why you should never use a bank account that doesn't have your name on it.

Hellmouth · 02/03/2017 16:46

Not a landlord here. All I can recommend going forward is that, if you're going to pay bills out of one account, it should be in both names.

DP and I don't have a joint account, so he pays the rent out of his account, and I pay for everything else out of mine. There is no reason why this can't work for you if you don't want to be financially linked

purplefishy · 02/03/2017 16:51

Another LL here. Had similar situation with last tenant who always paid on time. Had absolutely no issues with the late payment. As long as I got the money that was fine. All I would say is just be honest.

witsender · 02/03/2017 16:52

You do have some money, you need to prioritise this and offer something.

Original poster
Namechangepanic22 · 02/03/2017 16:58

Sorry I forgot the £150 costs per month for him to go to work. Which leaves us £100 for food for the month

OP posts:
Original poster
Namechangepanic22 · 02/03/2017 17:07

There's no way for us to cut travel costs

OP posts:
bigredboat · 02/03/2017 17:12

Could you pawn and or/sell anything? Are you going to be able to pay double rent next month?

Original poster
Namechangepanic22 · 02/03/2017 17:15

The only thing really worth selling or pawning would be my engagement ring. How does pawning work?

OP posts:
bigredboat · 02/03/2017 17:29

Afaik you leave your item with the pawn shop as collateral for a loan for x period of time, at the end of the period you give them the money back and take your item back, if you don't give the money back they keep the item (and probably sell it).

Original poster
Namechangepanic22 · 02/03/2017 17:32

Ooh ok, there's a plan. Thank you bigredboat

OP posts:
ShowMePotatoSalad · 02/03/2017 17:35

But you can't be furious at a woman you don't even know. It isn't her fault your money got taken.

I'm not sure why you are offended by that. It's unfortunate it happened but its never a good idea to deposit money in to the account of someone who still has a complicated relationship, financially speaking, with a third party.

I'm saying you should protect yourself for your own sake, and that I hope the situation gets sorted out.

I apologise for offending you but it certainly wasn't my intention.

AndNowItsSeven · 02/03/2017 17:41

£350 a month for travel , maybe you should move.

Original poster
Namechangepanic22 · 02/03/2017 17:42

We have a solution! In between talking to
you lovely lot my fiancé and I have come up with the plan that if I cancel my wedding dress fitting next month where 50% of the dress cost had to be put down (and he was going to pay for from his commission) we can pay double the rent next month and the landlord is fine with that. It means I miss the deadline to order my dress but I don't care if I wear jeans and my docs as long as I'm
marrying him. Phew!!! Thank you all for your help and support. You all lovely!

OP posts:
EssentialHummus · 02/03/2017 17:49

Well done OP, that sounds thoroughly workable. FWIW I got married in a £24.99 ASOS dress and got loads of compliments!

MumsGoneToYonderLand · 02/03/2017 17:58

i really sympathise although I am not in your situation.
I am a landlord of 1 home, my tenant only paid a third of their rent last month as they didn't have the money. but they didn't let me know until i found i had been paid not enough in my account to pay the mortgage. I let it go and borrowed money from my savings to cover it as he is a long term, good renter and everyone is entitled to a few blips.

but my advise would be talk to your landlord asap. tell they how sorry and stressed you are. say if you miss this month can you pay it all next month or over the next few months (if you cant cover double). A nice landlord will understand. otherwise borrow from family. PAY DAY LOANS ARE A BAD IDEA. have you seen the interest rates?

MumsGoneToYonderLand · 02/03/2017 17:59

sorry I didn't see your solution!
good luck thats a practical decision. I hope you still get your dream
dress for your wedding xx

Original poster
Namechangepanic22 · 02/03/2017 18:36

Thank you everybody!

OP posts:
minipie · 02/03/2017 18:47

Good solution namechange

These "deadlines" for ordering the dress are bullshit anyway - just designed to pressurise you.

For future months - I am a bit worried you are spending every spare penny you have on the wedding and not keeping any (even a little) aside for a rainy day fund. Is there anywhere you could cut down so as to keep a little back? I know it's hard when you've made plans but starting married life living hand to mouth is not great and a bit of a financial cushion is more important in the long run than flowers or a cake...

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