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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

What would you think if your Landlord asked you this?

22 replies

AjasLipstick · 12/10/2018 08:19

We rent through an agent. Been here three years now. The house is very old and battered but we love it.

I'm nervous because we're due to renew (or not!) our lease in January. Today I received an email from the agent about the guttering on the property...a few inspections back it was noted that the guttering is falling away in places.

Anyway...the agent said "The landlord has agreed to send out a contractor to clean the gutters, the agent said "I know they need replacement but the cleaning will help for now"

then the part that worries me

Your lease is coming to an end in January and whilst no offer has been sent to you yet, the landlord would like no know if you are wanting to stay on at the property or thinking of moving on?

Do you think this means he wants to sell?

DH said it means the opposite of that...DH said, "If he were thinking of or going to sell, he wouldn't ask what we wanted to do at all...he'd just let the agent know he was selling"

DH said it's more likely that the landlord doesn't want to mend the gutters if we're about to move on in January.

Is he right? I do suffer from anxiety and whilst this sort of thing is inevitable when you rent, I hate it so much. I love this bloody house.

We can't buy yet...might be another five years before we can.

OP posts:

Jackshouse · 12/10/2018 08:21

I would assume he just wanted to plan ahead with work and maintenance.

Notrightatall · 12/10/2018 08:23

I agree with dh. Our agents do this too and then I just reply saying yes please another year and they say ok. We have been here 4 years

Chamomileteaplease · 12/10/2018 08:24

I wouldn't assume either way. It's great that he is asking. You can say you would like to stay and see if he is happy with that. Then your mind is at rest.

SilverHairedCat · 12/10/2018 08:24

I think you're reading too much into it. Tell them you want to stay and that cleaning the guttering is welcome pending the repair.

Aus84 · 12/10/2018 08:25

No that just sounds like a standard question. January is not that far away and they would like to know your intentions as the process to find new tenants can be quite lengthy. They would probably want to start advertising as close as they can to your contact end date (if you plan to leave) as possible so there is not a gap between tenants.

Laac · 12/10/2018 08:26

Seems like a usual letter to me, the landlord is planning ahead. I think it's courteous. You're overthinking it.

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 12/10/2018 08:26

I agree with your DH. I think it also means that if you’re staying, and you’ve put up with a ‘old and battered’ house for three years, he thinks he can get away with just cleaning the gutters but if he has to get a new tenant he will probably have to fix them.

TheSquashyHatOfMrGnosspelius · 12/10/2018 08:27

It's what Judas said.

Original poster

AjasLipstick · 12/10/2018 08:28

Thanks everyone. You're right..I do overthink things.

I'd be better off putting that energy into making more money to try to secure this place one day!

Silver Thanks I let the agent know right away that we wanted to stay and that I'd let her know when the contractor cleaning the gutters has completed the job.

After that she emailed me a confirmation of the work. God...I hate renting!

OP posts:

TheSquashyHatOfMrGnosspelius · 12/10/2018 08:29

Having said that he's a pillock. The leaking gutters will make the house damp and you would do well to ask him to repair them anyway. Fungal spores in the lungs is the punchline of a joke no one wants to hear OP

ParentsOfSummer · 12/10/2018 08:29

Yeah it's fine, a landlord would in usual circumstances want the tenant to stay put rather than take a fresh gamble on new tenants

Original poster

AjasLipstick · 12/10/2018 08:31

Judas yes! That probably sounds right. We don't mind the gutters...they're not that bad.

OP posts:

Original poster

AjasLipstick · 12/10/2018 08:32

Squashy well we live in the driest state of the driest continent in the world. So rain's not really that much of an issue but you're right...I think he has to budget for bigger jobs though. He spaces things out....he always gets them done eventually though.

OP posts:

Glumglowworm · 12/10/2018 08:33

I’ve always been asked what I want to do at the end of a contract, never had them make me an offer and wouldn’t expect them to.

I don’t think there’s any reason they’re asking other than to know whether you’re staying or they need to find new tenants

Original poster

AjasLipstick · 12/10/2018 08:34

Glum that's comforting! I suppose if we said "Ah we've saved enough to buy now..." then he could start getting things ready for new tenants and advertise it and so forth.

OP posts:

AGHHHH · 12/10/2018 08:46

Overthinking it, he's just seeing if you want to stay or not.

missbattenburg · 12/10/2018 08:50

Reading way to much into it, I think. All my renewal letters from landlords said something similar.

1lbatatime · 12/10/2018 09:05

I am a landlord and would only send that as it is 3 months away and i would be thinking do i need to get the agent to start hunting for new tenants. The last thing he will want is for you to go in January and then have the house empty for 2+ months while he finds a tenant

TheSquashyHatOfMrGnosspelius · 12/10/2018 09:17

Ajas Dry. Ahhhh dry. I remember dry. Vaguely.

Original poster

AjasLipstick · 12/10/2018 09:50

Squashy Yes..so dry the grass is only green in winter!

OP posts:

OutPinked · 12/10/2018 09:53

Agreed with your DH. If they wanted to sell, they wouldn’t offer you it first.

SoyDora · 12/10/2018 09:59

Yes, definitely overthinking.
When our landlords decided to sell (they let the house to us knowing full well that was their intention after 6 months but didn’t say anything as they knew they wouldn’t be likely to get tenants) they basically ignored us for 6 months and didn’t contact us or mention renewal until the date they knew they had to give notice.
Ended with us buying somewhere and them not being able to sell and begging us to stay on as tenants or buy their house (we said no!). They rented it out again for £200 less a month than we paid in the end.

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