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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think no it's not my business what does on in our buy to let

147 replies

Shapesandshops · 08/04/2019 18:21

Sorry need opinions please.

Hubby is mainly in charge of this but I just wanted to canvas opinions.

We are in the lucky position of owning a couple of buy to lets. Mainly they run themselves really and I have nothing to do with them.

We were recently able to buy a new home and rent our old one out. As we used to live there I feel some sense of responsibility to my old neighbours but no real friendships. The letting agent has found us Tennant's and we are happy. Hubby deals with the letting agent. I have been receiving messages from old neighbours telling me the new tennants are anti social and they have had to call the police etc. Hubby says to ignore, block if necessary and tell them to get in touch with the letting agent as necessary. New tennants have a good credit history and paid first month's rent fine.

Am I being unreasonable to want nothing to do with it? Ie we have moved out of the area, don't intent to return as kids grown up etc. At the end of the day, if they are not in breach of our contract I mainly agree with hubby that it's none of our business and do not feel we should serve notice because our old neighbours can't get on with the new ones.

OP posts:

RemoaningMyrtle · 08/04/2019 22:21

God I wish you'd stop calling him hubby.

Shinesweetfreedom · 08/04/2019 22:22

And people wonder why landlords are hated.
Fuck everyone else as long as the money is rolling in.

LillithsFamiliar · 08/04/2019 22:25

Most lettings agents' contracts actually revert a lot of responsibility back to the owner.
Anyway, this is just one of many threads that have sprung up lately where something seems odd. I wonder if MN has started advertising differently or if it's something else.

Londongirl888 · 08/04/2019 22:26

🤣🤣 I rest my case at using "hubby"

ILoveMaxiBondi · 08/04/2019 22:27

Well I hate to break it to you OP but this will get worse over the summer. Longer days, warmer weather, people in gardens until last at night, drinking, tempers flare. You may block the complainers now so you aren’t bothered by your tenants’ antisocial behaviour.

WeepingWillowWeepingWino · 08/04/2019 22:28

Do stop calling your DH hubby, it makes you sound even more childish than the rest of your posts.

I’ve moved several times and have managed to do so without even having the police called. That is not normal behabiour, nor acceptable to most decent people.

You sound like exactly the kind of people who give amateur landlords a bad name.

ILoveMaxiBondi · 08/04/2019 22:28

OP you and hubby come across as a bit wet,ineffective and are deluded

No, they just don’t care as long as the rent is paid. They will care when the place is trashed though.

Jon65 · 08/04/2019 22:31

What can she do? There are no grounds for applying for a possession order and a s21 cannot be served during the fixed term.

ILoveMaxiBondi · 08/04/2019 22:32

Well she could have a word!

IncrediblySadToo · 08/04/2019 22:33

Do stop calling your DH hubby

Quit with your ‘mean girls’ script.

Lots of people IRL do, sneer quietly to yourself if you don’t like it, but don’t tell anyone else how they’re permitted to refer to their husbands.

Andromeida59 · 08/04/2019 22:34

As an amateur landlord, if people are causing issues this early in to a tenancy, I would believe that this will be indicative of not only how they treat your neighbours but how they treat your house.
I had one like this, we had numerous threats from the council about their behaviour. They completely trashed the house. It cost us a fortune having to get bailiffs involved.

Buckle in OP, you're going to be in for a bumpy ride.

mumwon · 08/04/2019 22:44

I would want to know But please don't imagine it is that easy to get someone out especially when they have just started there contract - you would have to have really strong proof that they are antisocial & it would have to be of the nature that would be acceptable to the court. I would however, talk to them & state that they must be considerate - or else you would be considering their tenancy. - even though it would take months & months to get them out - the infamous section 21 can take up to 7months or so & that is quick - which you cant use in this situation because there not at the end of their tenancy. Just tell them you will be needing to do checks (which you still have to warn them & be careful not be intrusive because that can cause you as a landlord problems if it goes to court)

expat101 · 08/04/2019 22:48

Shouldn't your letting agent be liaising with the police at least to find out if there is a breach of agreement?

Highfivethatfart · 08/04/2019 22:51

If you are 150 miles away and abroad a lot why don't you just sell the house and then you'll be completely within in your right to have 'nowt' to do with it.

As for brushing it away as teething problems - boilers not working, locks on doors playing up, getting the bin day wrong - they are teething problems - having the police called is something in an entirely different category and you need to step up.

Jon65 · 08/04/2019 22:53

Oh please! The question of whether a breach of contract has occurred is between the ll and the tenant. The question the police will concern themselves with is whether a breach of the criminal law has occurred. Different burden of proof and different enforcement mechanism. Asb is not a mandatory ground for possession and the behaviour here is so minor no judge would make an order.

Cherrysoup · 08/04/2019 22:58

There is no harm in asking the tenants if you can visit for a settling in check. Looking at my AST, there’s no mention of anti-social behaviour. If you decide to take action, you will gave a difficult job getting rid of the tenants if you gave them the usual 12 month AST.

I’m not sure it is the landlord’s responsibility and I was told tenants need to bring about Council action if there’s an issue. In the case of my poor tenants, the neighbour began a campaign of harassment against them (she is batshit, pretty sure dementia is at play, she’s an older lady and decided she didn’t like them being foreigners, despite being foreign herself. The vendors only sold to get away from her, we had no idea and can’t sue because they never raised a dispute, the wankers)

My tenants had to call the police and the council. I also contacted them to try to support them but was told-politely-to get lost. So if the situation is reversed, I think your neighbours need to contact police/council, who will offer arbitration etc.

I do think, as the one collecting the money, that you absolutely have a responsibility to go and investigate with your former neighbours and request a settling in visit. It is unfair to ignore and tell the neighbours it’s just tough shit.

DanielRicciardosSmile · 08/04/2019 23:01

There is a vast chasm of a difference between neighbours not getting on, and having to put up with antisocial behaviour. My parents had to put up with neighbours once who were running a brothel and a drug business from their rented property (not just hearsay, there were police and court reports to prove it). The landlord literally didn't give a flying fuck, despite multiple complaints from multiple residents, until they were made to do so.

Ask yourself how you'd like your tenants moving next door to you?

AlexaAmbidextra · 08/04/2019 23:03

Well, given your and ‘hubby’s’ complete disregard for the neighbours and I hope they fucking trash your house. Perhaps then you’ll take notice when it eats into your profits.

RosaWaiting · 08/04/2019 23:04

you sound like you just cba which is appalling

Me and my siblings are having to take charge of rented property owned by elderly mother - she has neglected it and our first step is to go round and make sure all is well.

we would certainly be responding to any police complaints. much as mum has let things slip, so would she! massively irresponsible to just leave it.

FiveShelties · 08/04/2019 23:12

If they are causing trouble after a month, it will only get worse.

BlatheringOn · 08/04/2019 23:38

Previous NDN went to live abroad and rented out her house through a letting agent while also putting it up for sale. A family moved in who caused a few problems with late night noise, but nothing major. After three months all was silent - they had done a moonlight flit. Letting agent completely unaware until I phoned him. Turned out they had only paid one month's rent and had caused loads of damage. NDN had to reduce the selling price by 20%. New neighbours got a bargain and, luckily for me, they are lovely. Letting agent told NDN there was nothing he could do about damage, unpaid rent, etc.

OP it is never a good idea to be completely hands off. Your letting agent is hopefully not as bad as poor NDN's but he is still not your friend.

ColeHawlins · 08/04/2019 23:41

they say it was an aggressive fight now folks feeling unsafe. I'm inclined to think look they've just moved in, give them a chance.

You're jesting, surely?

You said you felt a sense of responsibility to these neighbours but then you say police attending fights and aggressive fights is a settling in thing!?

Tatiannatomasina · 08/04/2019 23:50

Have a look at the legislation for ASB and closure orders, the police can and will use this to close your house. We live 9 hours drive from our rental property. When we had problem tenants we went to court and had them evicted. It took 6 weeks as they left before the case was heard. We apologised to all 3 neighbours, took them wine and told them to call us anytime if there were problems. Take some responsibility or it will come back and bite you.

Bunchoftulipsanddaffs · 08/04/2019 23:57

Haven’t read the thread yet but this could be taken out of your hands.

Our down the road neighbours let out their property to students who were antisocial, time and time again. They were threatened with having their letting rights taken away. A court can ask that the council takes control of the property.

MonicaGB · 09/04/2019 00:01

If they've only been there a month then this is them on their best behaviour. Have some compassion for the neighbours lives you are ruining.

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