Frustrated with tenants?

[thankunextex]

I’m trying to view a house and the tenants have refused to let me view it both times. Appointments been booked in advance and then they say it’s not a good time an hour before.

I get it if you don’t want to actually leave the property (not sure if that’s the situation or not) but I’m just being messed around now.

It's a bit silly of them really. They certainly won't be getting a reference off the landlord. I'd be fairly wary and wouldn't exchange until they are out. They sound like they are playing silly buggers

Bit unfair to assume that about the tenants, you have no idea of the circumstances or what the situation is between the landlord and tenants

A tenant has every right to refuse viewings of the property- they cannot be forced to allow estate agents and prospective buyers into their home.

It would be better (in an ideal world) that the property is empty, it may mean a number of months with no rental income but surely that is better than to jeopardise the whole sale of the property

The respective costs of rent v mortgage depend entirely on an individual situation. The first time we rented out our house the rent was a little lower than the mortgage. The second time we rented out the house we had been living in it covered it.

We don’t actually know if they are cancelling the viewings with an hours notice. If they are anything like my previous agent then they weren’t even informed of the viewing until an hour beforehand. Some agents are utterly shit and treat tenants like crap.

We had a six month contract for rental and within three weeks were getting a lot of viewings (we once had four in a day) meaning we had to let people walk round our home without us being there or we had to stay in and waste our weekends constantly to no benefit to us and with no timeline to end . We also had to keep everything constantly showroom tidy

@Spookydollshouse

That sounds like a nightmare!

If our home was ever put up for sale by the owner, we would most certainly NOT be keeping it showroom ready for prospective buyers! unless we were enticed by a rent reduction or something similar!

I've been the Tennant in this situation. I just allowed appointments at my convenience and made no extra effort on the tidying etc.
If they don't want any viewings that's fine, but why arrange then cancel? Either they or the EA are being unreasonable.

I know there are accidental landlords out there. But if you’re renting a place out, you should be able to pay the mortgage for a considerable amount of time. Otherwise you could lose your property. Some tenants don’t pay rent, trash properties and will hang on until evicted through the courts.

Regardless of the reason behind letting out your place, it is a business and with the tax changes, it is very much seen as such. And I agree it’s lazy to start viewings with tenants in situ. I’ve sold rentals a couple of times and they were empty first. I also only sold when the tenants left of their own accord as I don’t agree with giving notice on good tenants unless absolutely necessary, which for us it never has been.

We don’t actually know if they are cancelling the viewings with an hours notice. If they are anything like my previous agent then they weren’t even informed of the viewing until an hour beforehand. Some agents are utterly shit and treat tenants like crap

all very true

I remember a few years ago, we'd given notice on our flat as we were moving into a bigger place

Our baby several months old at the time, I was in the bathroom dealing with a poo explosion, water was running in the bath.

I heard a noise at the door and stepped into hallway with naked baby and me in a dressing gown- there was the letting agent stood there with a young couple.

He'd tried knocking, then with no reply he just let himself in! I was furious

He explained that he'd been calling DH (who was aboard with work) and had left messages etc, nobody had tried to call me

That put me off totally. Luckily we moved out a few weeks later.

Completely agree that it is the tenant's home and they aren't obliged to allow viewings (even if it says so in the lease).

I do think it's a bit inconsiderate of them to agree to viewings and then cancel at the last minute. If they don't want viewings just refuse, don't mess people around.

No, which is why I didn’t take out a mortgage on a house I wasn’t living in grin common sense really

Not really. I owned a flat as a student. I graduated and was offered a year long contract in another city. Flat was rented as I would need it to return to. Contract was extended for another year so flat was rented again. When it was made permanent, I put the flat on the market. I couldn’t have afforded to cover the mortgage and my rent had it ended up on the market for more than a few months.

Not everyone is a greedy BTL landlord ripping off tenants.

I couldn’t have afforded to cover the mortgage and my rent had it ended up on the market for more than a few months.

That’s the risk of choosing to have a mortgage on a property you aren’t living in. You chose to move out and rent somewhere else.

All just part of being a LL. If you don't have sufficient cash flow to cover void periods you have no fucking business being a LL
Absolutely. So to increase cash flow, you increase the rent... Oh but wait, then the tenant is not happy and moans at the ridiculous price of renting compared to having a mortgage and how unfair it is because the bad LL is making money. Those issues of having to set money aside each month to consider void, repairs etc...id then promptly forgotten!

So to increase cash flow, you increase the rent

Or, you set aside money to cover periods of vacancy, instead of greedily increasing rent. No tenant thinks LL shouldn’t make money, but then to expect tenants to be paying rent and allowing people through their home for the sole benefit of the LL, that’s not reasonable. Let me guess, you’re a landlord?

Citizen Advice says the following on the matter:
If your landlord wants to enter your home for any other reason, for example, to show round a new tenant, they can only do this with your agreement or in accordance with any reasonable term set out in your tenancy agreement.

If the tenants refuse and it's in the contract the landlord can serve a section 8. So whilst it is technically true that the tenants can block access it's really not prudent nor reasonable if it's in the contract. The landlord can attempt to attempt to recoup costs through the deposit as well.

then the tenant is not happy and moans at the ridiculous price of renting compared to having a mortgage and how unfair it is because the bad LL is making money. Those issues of having to set money aside each month to consider void, repairs etc...id then promptly forgotten!

😂😂😂

When has a LL ever agreed to keep rent lower because a tenant moaned?

Their greed is what drives this decision. They hate the idea of the property being empty and collecting no rent for a few months until it’s sold.

you do realise that not all landlords are wealthy and most cannot afford to have an empty property for months?

They are better off getting rid of long-term tenants and get short let whilst they are selling though, otherwise it can be a nightmare.

That’s the risk of choosing to have a mortgage on a property you aren’t living in. You chose to move out and rent somewhere else.
now you are just being goady.

Or, you set aside money to cover periods of vacancy, instead of greedily increasing rent
Out of what? You are assuming that landlords make tons of money each month. Many don't. They just come even. The only benefit is capital growth. So any e gra would come at of another income if they have that. Why would they do that?

Well if you can’t make enough rent to cover mortgage and a reasonable sum set aside for maintenance and periods of vacancy, which can happen when you just can’t find a tenant for a while as well, then you shouldn’t buy a property for rental purposes.

then you shouldn’t buy a property for rental purposes.

never heard of accidental landlords have we?

you do realise that not all landlords are wealthy and most cannot afford to have an empty property for months?

Then they can’t afford to be a landlord!! Seriously. You could have a tenant decide to stop paying rent after the first month and you have no rent for months until you get them evicted (which you have to pay for!) and be out thousands of pounds. If you can’t afford that then don’t rent out your house. That’s the reality of being a landlord. You should plan to have periods of no rent.

now you are just being goady.

I’m really not. You may not like to acknowledge the truth of the situation but there it is.

never heard of accidental landlords have we?

Oh come on! Nobody says that phrase with a straight face anymore do they? There is no such thing as an accidental landlord. It’s a choice you make.

Absolutely ILoveMaxBondi. In spades.

I'm sniggering , albeit not in a good way, at the sheer stupidity of many of the comments here, clearly written by people who have CHOSEN to become LLs and then had 'trouble' with their pesky tenants (who actually are responsible for paying off your mortgage while you do pretty much fuck all ). I could go on but I'll just lose my temper.

OP - the tenants' rights trump yours I'm afraid. And rightly so.

I know a few accidental landlords - who have bought houses then jobs have changed/fallen through, house in negative equity so rented house out while renting in new location

It isn’t always. I rented my parents’ empty and newly refurbished house because I didn’t want it standing empty over the winter. The rent was incidental.

never heard of accidental landlords have we?

Oh come on! Nobody says that phrase with a straight face anymore do they? There is no such thing as an accidental landlord. It’s a choice you make.

Yes, but sometimes the choice is forced on us by circumstances. When I got together with my DH, we each had a property we owned. Mine was a one bed flat in Greater London, my DH had a 3 bed semi in Chester. We both sold our properties and bought a house together up north

Thankfully, I was able to sell my flat quickly. If I hadn't been, I would have had to let it out. Because it made sense for me to be the one to relocate, as my DH had by far the better paying job.

I suspect that's how a lot of people become 'accidental landlords'.

It’s a choice you make It is often a choice default being the less bad of two evils. The very vast majority of landlords do not buy a property for the prospect of becoming landlords but by default, either as a result of inheritance or getting into a new relationship.

I'm not saying that tenants shouldn't be able to turn down prospective buyers by the way as long as they do leave when they claim they will instead of stringing the landlord to court and gaining another 9 months or more.