About current tenant's request

[Neonpotato]

Name change as outing.

We have a tenant in our 2 bed flat currently, she seems nice.
Our letting agency has told us that apparently our tenant's friend's son is coming over from overseas to study, and she has asked whether it's ok for him to live in the flat. The agency has checked with insurance and it's fine, and it's not considered subletting as she will continue to pay rent and has full responsibility of the flat.

Can I say no? We specified at the very beginning that no students are allowed. I guess it's not so bad if she also lives there but I don't know how long he will be there for, and worry that he will stay on even if she leaves at some point.
It was good of her to ask and I don't want to be a difficult landlord but we don't really want students. Happy to be told that IABU though.

Private rents largely aren’t ‘fair value’ though are they, they’re vastly inflated, especially in cities. Extra costs associated with landlording aren’t the tenant’s problem.

I don’t think that’s always true. I charge about 90% of market rent because I have lovely tenants and I want them to stay.

As an overseas student he will be paying a lot of money to study in the UK. My experience is that overseas students tend to be very focused on their studies and are not the partying, let's have a rave every weekend type. I'm guessing the friend has asked your tenant as it means she can keep ay eye on him for her.

I would talk to her directly. Gather some more information such as age of this student. If she is a good tenant she is likely to make sure that her guest respects the property.

There are students and there are students. We had 2 girls in our flat, one of whom then went back to college. Place was always spotless and well kept. Unfortunately they moved out as the rent proved too expensive on student rates (actually more about her costs elsewhere vs lack of student funding but that's another discussion). We did offer a reasonable reduction but not enough for them. The 26 yr old computer programmer in full time employment on the other hand didn't ever clean. Do unto others as you'd have done to yourself is my rule for being a landlord.

Renters really are second class citizens from reading this thread. I'll keep my views on the rental market to myself

@Neonpotato

Sorry to jump on the thread but can I ask why you wouldn't let to students? It's just I start studying again this year at the ripe old age of 27, a young child in tow and working part time. I'd like to hear from a landlord's point of view so I can gauge my chances of finding a house (currently renting a 2bed flat but it's being sold at the end of my contract).

How long is he staying? I would likely say no to this tbh OP but you aren't beholden to the agent, they work for you - surely no need to prep statements, just say no if you don't want to and move on, but I would expect her to very reasonably move on, doesn't mean anybody is BU though.

Hopefully you are aware that by letting to her she is legally allowed quiet enjoyment of the property and you cannot just 'turn up' to spy on her without providing written notice of intent to inspect the property of 48 hrs. That would be a breach of your own contract as landlord, not to mention a huge misunderstanding of what renting is. She lives there. It is her home. Neither of you can breach contract.

You cannot 'just' raise the rent either. This again is subject to conditions and notice. If she is a good tenant I would attempt to reach compromise or add this person to the tenancy agreement subject to the same checks as any other tenant.

Babyshark I can't rent to students because it's forbidden by the terms of my mortgage and because you probably wouldn't pass my credit check so I wouldn't get rent guarantee insurance, which is different from general landlord insurance.

I would have considered you with an increased deposit (3 months and a guarantor) but the former is now forbidden unfortunately. So you would probably be a no for me.

Obviously many landlords rent to students - i assume most own right so don't have a mortgage Co to abide by. You must be able to get insurances as a LL of students but i presume it's expensive?

@T0getherindreams wow. Just wow. First of all the tenant can afford a home, she rents one no doubt from a greedy landlord. She has 'asked' if she can move someone in so is expecting a yes or a no, this isn't unreasonable. The OPS reasons for not wanting second tenant are odd. Lastly this country is built on low paid workers, doing vital, menial jobs that keep this *hit show running. They are not less important becuase they can't afford mortages. You should be utterly ashamed of your snobbish and nasty response.

@Pepperstripe

He’s a full time student so it wouldn’t affect the council tax anyway

Babyshark Sorry to jump on the thread but can I ask why you wouldn't let to students? It's just I start studying again this year at the ripe old age of 27, a young child in tow and working part time. I'd like to hear from a landlord's point of view so I can gauge my chances of finding a house (currently renting a 2bed flat but it's being sold at the end of my contract).

I'm sure you will find somewhere but its a combination of factors. The Government has increased duties on landlords whilst simultaneously making it harder for them to remove tenants who don't pay or trash the property, so landlords now have to be ultra careful with all checks before they take on a new tenant.

So in the past while a landlord might decide to overlook a credit check and rent guarantee for a tenant with an excellent previous landlord's reference, the same landlord might now insist on them all.

For me, since I mainly rent to full time students, I would be more concerned about the young child, as from my experience they can create more damage than students. I'd also require a guarantor, because you don't work full time, plus a credit check and a previous landlord's reference. Even then, I still wouldn't let to you without a 2 or 3 months rent as deposit, due to the higher risk of damage, but since the government legislated recently so as to allow a maximum of 5 weeks rent equivalent as deposit, I now wouldn't be able to take you on at all. You would also probably breach my landlord's insurance requirements.

Hi Neonpotato, I live in a flat. Another tenant (in another flat) arrived then brought her son in supposedly for a couple of weeks. Turns out a couple of weeks turned into a year. They didn't have their tenancy renewed. We had the police constantly here as he was part of a gang, and had in fact had to move from previous address. Ours lives where hell for a year except when he was put in borstal for 4 months. Nightmare and as you say it's really difficult to evict without costing a fortune going to court.

How long is he intending on staying? Is he contributing to the rent and bills? If so he should be on the Tenancy and liable for rent, damage etc.

On the other hand she must be half decent and conscientious to ask. She could have just let him stay without asking.

If she is a good tenant, been there a while, pays here rent on time and looks after the property, why would you deny her just because he's a student. He's one student. This does not make it a house full of students who may not look after the property.

If he is not on a lease what difference does it make? She will be responsible for any damage etc. I guess you checked her credit score and she is capable to pay up if something will go wrong?
Sounds extremely draconian not to allow somebodys son to live with them? Are there two bedrooms? And if he wants to be on a lease then his credit score should be checked over - maybe he is even more responsible than his own mother who knows?!

Why do tennants, who can't afford a home of their own and have no choice but to rent one which belongs to somebody else, think they have a right to just allow others to move in as though they owned the property themselves?

I'm a tenant, I could afford my own home if I wanted but I choose not to. I like having the flexibility of being able to move without all the cost and paperwork that comes with it. Your post is very judgemental.

You also make it sound like landlords are forced to own additional properties which they have to rent out. That is not the case!

Two of our tenancies lived in our houses for a couple of years. They were saving up for a house of their own. They were lovely couples, sad to see them go but happy they had achieved their wish for a home of their own.

I rented for twelve years and never understood the hatred for landlords. The vast majority of mine took the responsibility very seriously and as I couldn’t afford to buy I’d have had no other options for accommodation without renting! Not everyone can or wants to buy, what do people expect those individuals to do for a place to live other than rent?

Our LL gave notice earlier in the year they were selling up which gave us the kick we needed to buy: we’d been saving for a couple of years and had enough to get our own place (yes, saving for a deposit alongside renting, didn’t get any help from anyone else!). We were so excited to move into our own place but enjoyed the time we lived in the rental too.

As a landlord:

It's a grey area. It's not about whether he's a student or not and I assume this rule applies to students renting?

Your contract states one person and it's irrelevant what or who he is.

However: he is still her child and if she is a good tenant it might be better to discuss it and find a middle ground.

I would find out his age, how long his course is and how long he intends to be there.

Could you amend the contact and charge her a bit more? What would you do if she moved a partner in.

We had a similar situation where a female tenant moved her boyfriend in as she was struggling to pay the rent following a change of employment. That was fine and we didn't charge her extra but then they split. She moved back to her mothers and he wanted to stay so we changed the contract to his name.

When he left after a year she wanted her deposit back but he had trashed the place so she didn't get back and we directed her to him for reimbursement.

Love my landlords, I have been very lucky. After renting the last house for 10 years I got my full deposit back. Only moved because he sold it.

Been here 5 years, no middle man, we just WhatsApp each other as he lives overseas. If I do anything in the house I send him pictures.

He deserves his rent, and I deserve to live here, we have a contract. Contracts are great but need careful consideration by both parties. I.e amending that darn fireplace one to specify "used".

FelicisNox

However: he is still her child and if she is a good tenant it might be better to discuss it and find a middle ground.

Oh for actual fucks sake.

If he is not on a lease what difference does it make? Double that for actual fuck's sake fo rme leae @GammaStingRay

THE LAW!!! As I have posted, linked to at least 2 different websites and SHOUTED a few times THE LAW!!!

Felicis I hope you don't allow that situation to occur again. Having a tenant you have not run a right to rent check on leaves you open to legal sanctions... as I keep trying to explain, to little or no avail!