Not sure how to answer tenant’s question

[Silverflake]

I’m renting my flat out from today, the tenants (couple, 2 bed flat) are moving in this afternoon. I’ve not been a landlord before so this is all new to me.

I’ve had a message from the letting agent today: “The tenant reached out to us asking once they move in and been there for a couple of weeks how it would work with having friends over and if you allowed them how long it for them to stay?”

I’m not sure how to answer this. I rented myself for 20 years and it wouldn’t have occurred to me to ask this - I had friends or relatives to stay on odd occasions for a night or two, maybe every few weeks.

I wouldn’t want people staying there all the time as I have to think of my neighbours downstairs (small block of 4 flats) and additional noise. And wear and tear on the flat to a certain extent I suppose? Do I even have the right to specify this though? And if so, what is reasonable? Are they trying to get me to agree to a certain amount so that it becomes a regular arrangement/partial sublet thing and then I can’t complain at a later date? Or am I overthinking it?

WIBU to say they can have one or two people to stay no more than once a week? Really not sure what the done thing is here so any advice would be great, thanks

@doorbellringer (great user name for an agent! )....

@JolieOBrien The reason you're making a million or so is because your tenants have paid all the mortgages off for you. Not sure I'd class that as you working hard

No their benefits will have paid off all the mortgages. I actually sold one of my houses to a tenant at a cut price because he wanted to get on the property ladder. He is a builder by trade and has done me repairs to my houses as a thank you. I did work hard to get the money for the deposits for mortgages for the houses I buy to let.

@JolieOBrien So you do target a certain type of tenant (benefits? So the tax payer has paid off your mortgages then, hardly better is it.. )...plus it was hardly you doing a favour for that builder, considering your very obvious motive for cheap labour in return.....

JolieOBrien be careful you don't fall off that high horse, it's a long way down.

Just before you pipe up about greedy Landlords I was actually was born into a family of eight who lived in a council house with an outside toilet so I am self made and I did not get any help from rich parents etc. I just worked very very hard.

The harder you work the luckier you get, first million is the toughest I’m told

If hard work was all it took, every woman in much of Africa and India would be a millionaire.

@JolieOBrien I've no idea why you thought any of that would change my mind. A million quid of taxpayers money almost makes it worse, how you've the nerve to call that your hard work I don't know.

This has really wound me up. We shouldn't live in a society where people need housing benefit to keep a roof over their heads. Work should be enough to do that and rents shouldn't be so ridiculous that it isn't. And nobody should be able to hoard so many properties that they can make one million quid out of housing benefit, when countless of their tenants have been unable to buy one house! That we live in a society where that is legal honestly makes me furious.