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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To leave the house we love?

21 replies

newlife79 · 05/05/2018 16:25

Long time lurker but was prompted to post today as I reassurance that it's not me being unreasonable!

Have been renting house for 2 years. Landlord informed us he is planning to sell but we can stay on rolling contract until he does. All fine. It will be a pain to move, but that's life.

Had no problem until he mentioned getting an agent round next week for valuation, photos etc and has instructed us to clear up the house, hide kids toys and put climbing frame in the garage! Is this reasonable? We are still living here paying full rent. Is he going to expect us to do this each time he has a viewing? How do people cope with this? Tempted to jump the gun and hand our notice in now as this is going to be a real pain. I have 2 year old twins.

OP posts:

NCJaneDoeNut · 05/05/2018 16:27

You don’t have to do those things but they hold you over a barrel because you need a reference from the landlord.

Minisoksmakehardwork · 05/05/2018 16:28

Start looking now for somewhere to go. Otherwise you might find yourself having to take something you don't want if the landlord sells quickly.

As for putting things away, I'd think it's reasonable to ask, not insist, you move them for photographs. But you still retain the right to enjoy your home.

Check your contract thoroughly. If you are not in a fixed contract at present it will be easier to hand your notice in and leave.

MrsHathaway · 05/05/2018 16:32

If it's a family home then seeing it as such would be a positive for viewings - though you'd have to make it clear the climbing frame wasn't part of the sale and that's why it ought to be out of the way for the valuation and associated photos.

You could agree to a full clear up for the agent but remind the landlord that your child will need to play on the climbing frame while you live there so it will go back afterwards. You could also negotiate days that viewings could be permitted, so you can accommodate them but not have to be show home tidy every single day.

As pp says, you don't have to help at all. It would be a good idea for you to find a good place to move to now. Once you move out the landlord can market it however he likes.

SandysMam · 05/05/2018 16:35

Can you buy the house if he’s selling it? Might give you a good rate as it will save estate agent fees etc?

pigsDOfly · 05/05/2018 16:35

Agree with the idea of starting to look for somewhere else now.

You're living there with a family you can't be expected to hide everything remotely connected to a normal life.

I'm a landlord and I wouldn't expect this if I were selling my house while someone was still paying rent. As long as it's clean and reasonably tidy that's all the LL can ask, surely.

The fuss over the photos can get a bit silly. I remember the photographer hiding things like a bottle of washing up liquid in the
cupboard under the sink when taking the photos when I sold my last house.

GreenTulips · 05/05/2018 16:37

You don't have to allow viewings

halesie · 05/05/2018 16:43

Hi OP, if you do allow viewings you can ask the LL to have them in a block on one day or do an open house so they don't interrupt your family life. When we sold our last house the agents suggested it to us so we didn't have to keep tidying up.

Nightfall1 · 05/05/2018 16:49

No- it is not reasonable. A LL cannot interfere with how you live in your home.

SmashedMug · 05/05/2018 16:49

You don't have to allow viewings and you don't have to tidy things away. You don't even have to allow photos being taken if you don't want to. I wouldn't want photos of my entire belongings listed for anyone to see when it's not me selling up.

In your situation, I'd be looking to move because chances are you'd end up doing it anyway if someone buys it to live in rather than rent out.

CakeOfThePan · 05/05/2018 16:53

Honestly, get out the viewings will kill you. Estate agents pissing about with times, just turning up, not turning up. It’s horrible, people traipsing round your house looking at your stuff trying to gauge if your going to be an issue.its shit really shit. Meanwhile your trying to pack up your house and keep it tidy so the agents don’t report back that your causing issues to the landlord. Whilst keeping some semblance of normality for the kids

Most tenancies you can give one month, he has to give you two. My last one the new landlord wanted us in asap so we actually moved within a month of a complete unexpected notice.

SmashedMug · 05/05/2018 16:54

And he won't have you over a barrel with references. You won't get somewhere new without a reference. He can't sell easily without viewings and photos. If you decline to allow those, he needs you out. Therefore, he will need to give you a reference to get you out. Yay!

CakeOfThePan · 05/05/2018 16:54

The phrase your looking for is quiet enjoyment, his viewings will encroach on that. Even if your tenancy says you should, that phrase (I believe) over rules it.

Mummyoflittledragon · 05/05/2018 16:56

Im a LL. I’ve only ever sold after tenants chose to move out and took advantage of an empty property. Kicking tenants out seems so heartless. I know we don’t know his circumstances.

I’m gobsmacked at his audacity.

Unless he wants to charge you half rent to only half live as you wish, he is bvu. And even then, he cannot demand this. He can ask (and please tell him to piss off). He basically wants you to pay the rent (therefore his mortgage) and get maximum whack for the house by having it show home ready.

I know some LLs are deciding to sell to due to changes in taxation rules.

Mummyoflittledragon · 05/05/2018 16:56

Cake
Yes it does overrule any added clauses.

LeeLooDallasMultiPass · 05/05/2018 17:00

Would you want to try to buy it? Talk to the LL immediately. You can gauge price by looking on Rightmove and looking at sold prices.

Usually a LL wants a tenant out before any viewings as a sitting tenant is an issue for a sale.

If you are looking to rent again, look now and get out now. We over-lapped tenancies by 2 months as the house we wanted was available immediately and there were other people interested so we signed for that one and gave 2 months notice to the current LL.

katseyes7 · 05/05/2018 17:09

About five years ago, l took tenancy of a rented house. When l went to collect the keys, the agent 'happened to mention' that the landlord was keeping it on the market. To sell. l'd already signed the papers by then so had to suck it up.
However. ln the five months l was there, l had 12 viewings. One couple who came were lovely, had two little ones. l asked if they were intending to buy or rent, and they said rent. l asked if the agent had told them that the landlord was keeping it on the market, and they said no. They wanted the house because one set of in laws lived nearby, and the kids went to the nearby school.
l suggested they ask the agent if it was being kept on the market. They were so nice and l couldn't bear the thought of them just getting settled with the kids, then being told to move because it was being sold!

MatildaTheCat · 05/05/2018 17:24

You have leverage here because if you move out now he’s probably going to have a long void whilst he sells. He’s totally unreasonable to ask you to hide evidence of your dc but I would probably say I would allow viewings at a set time to suit and would keep the place looking nice which is more than you have to do.

SmashedMug · 05/05/2018 17:25

That's awful kats. So cheeky that they waited until you'd signed. There's an estate agents locally who list every property they sell as up for renting too. So if you find somewhere you like to rent, you check the agent and if it's him, it'll be for sale too. It's so unfair on people who rent them without realising. All so they can get a bit of money in until it sells.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 05/05/2018 17:28

Just say no. You don't have to and he has to give you 2 months notice. He is 'allowing' the rolling contract for his own benefit, to reduce his rental losses.

It doesn't matter if your contract says you MUST allow viewings, the law says you don't, so don't. If he goes ahead and an agent tries to take pictures, say no and explain, they should just go away... though they may well ask again and again, as they also have a contractual obligation with him.

So, start house hunting but don't bother with the tidy up... good luck!

Sprinklesinmyelbow · 05/05/2018 17:31

Lol of course he can’t tell you what to do with your belongings- tell him to do one. The landlords reference is meaningless tbh, no one gives a fig about them

Nightfall1 · 05/05/2018 18:01

If you want to stay in the property as long as possible -am happy to give some further advice.

Please note though that should be served a notice- you do not have to leave by the date on the notice.

LL has to follow further procedures in order to actually get you to leave (can take up to 6-7 months) and that is only if a valid notice is served.

You also do not have to leave if the property is sold to someone else (even if they want to move in) until the correct legal procedure for possession has been followed. The new owners become the new landlords (whether they want to be or not) and they take on all the obligations from the old owner.

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