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AIBU?

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Original poster

Not sure how to answer tenant’s question

232 replies

Silverflake · 04/12/2019 07:51

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

OP posts:
MollysMummy2010 · 05/12/2019 22:57

Errr @taddaa I also rent due to housing crisis in London. Despite a good income, after paying £1300 a month in rent we find it hard to save for a deposit. My post, I think, was saying about noise - I am also concerned that there are 6 people living in less space than 3 of us share.

ReanimatedSGB · 05/12/2019 22:57

No, it isn't legal to prohibit guests if you are the landlord of a rented property (the only exception is if you live in the property as well and have lodgers rather than tenants - you can prohibit overnight guests then.) Tenants have the same rights to a normal life as homeowners - and it is within the bounds of a normal life to have friends, family and sexual partners to stay overnight sometimes, whether they sleep in the spare room or on the kitchen floor.

Taddda · 05/12/2019 23:03

Rhinoskin Well, according to some 'landlords' on here it's not your own home if your just a lowly renter....'They who must be obeyed' seem to think they have the right to dictate every aspect of how you live in 'Their' home...just because you pay off their mortgage, give them extra income, look after their otherwise vacant property apparently gives you no right whatsoever to have a 'friend stay longer than for 4 days within a month's (!!!??)...think of the poor extra 'wear and tear' on their carpet....Hmm

TheReluctantCountess · 05/12/2019 23:08

Our previous landlady told us we should be vacuuming her (50 year old) carpet every day. She was deadly serious. It was the house her parent had lived in and apparently her mother vacuumed every day. It didn’t matter that we both worked full time.

Livelovebehappy · 05/12/2019 23:15

I rented for a few years, and moved onto property ladder earlier this year. But my adult daughter’s boyfriend moved in with us for the last year of rental, and it just never entered my head to check with letting agent or landlord first. I paid the rent and lived there so classed it as my home to do what I wanted for the term of my lease.

RhinoskinhaveI · 05/12/2019 23:15

Thereluctantcountess, you thought you were a tenant but actually she took you on on to serve as a cleaner in the shrine she keeps to her parents
of course we should be grateful to the beneficent landlord's those saintly philanthropists who so generously and selflessly provide homes for us lowly peasants to shelter in
Of course you landlord are part of the reason that the tenant is unable to be a homeowner and instead has to channel their wages into paying off the mortgage on your investment and funding your retirement

TheReluctantCountess · 05/12/2019 23:17

I don’t miss that stinky old brown patterned carpet!

Sisiwawa · 05/12/2019 23:27

Agents are notorious for doing as little as possible. Don't put your faith in them and carry out any inspections yourself.
It does sound as though they are possibly hoping to rent the spare room to help with costs.
I once had a tenant in a one bed flat, he put his bed in the living room and each time I went there, there was a blow up mattress and some clothing in the bedroom, and he'd just say a mate stayed over etc. It felt dodgy but i couldn't prove it so gave him his notice as soon as i could.
Trust your gut and put it clearly in writing that no sub letting/ air bnb type arrangements are permitted.

Taddda · 05/12/2019 23:40

Sisi....everytime you went there? Did you give your tenant notice before your 'inspections'....?

I once had a landlord (similar sounding) who thought it was okay to turn up on my door step anytime he wanted and just 'pop his head in'....it wasn't, in fact, it was illegal- and very intimidating-

Taddda · 05/12/2019 23:45

Sisi- Also....on what grounds did you evict him, given that you couldn't prove anything other than 'he felt dodgy'...did he pay his rent??? I seriously hope kick this guy out of his home over a blow up bed...what is wrong with the world!!?

JolieOBrien · 06/12/2019 03:01

@Silverflake

Just make sure they are not sub-letting your flat ... this can happen with flats. I no longer have flats because they were too much trouble so I sold them.

JolieOBrien · 06/12/2019 03:04

@Taddda

I never turn up unannounced and I don't even have keys to any of my properties because I change the locks every time I have a new tenant. I have once turned up to ask for unpaid rent and having looked in a window saw a large 50 inch flat screen tv which I don't even have and the woman concerned owed me hundreds ... I was livid!

Pixxie7 · 06/12/2019 03:37

I don’t think there is anything sinister going on they are new tenants and probably don’t want to rock the boat. If they were up to anything they probably wouldn’t want to bring it to your attention.

sophe · 06/12/2019 06:44

I would say, no sofa surfing or any other form of flat sharing or subletting, whether or not for value. Draw their attention to the requisite term in the lease . Explain that breach means forfeiture and that you will know as people in the locality are very quick to complain, which is why you have to be so strict.

Ask if this answers their question?

sophe · 06/12/2019 06:49

I should have added that you should add that while there is no law against having visitors, if you have people traipsing in and out all the time, some one will claim you are dealing in illegal substances and you will get an early morning visit from the police.

LadyFlumpalot · 06/12/2019 07:49

If it's their first private rental they are probably just asking the question to make sure they don't inadvertently get into trouble if friends/family stay over.

When DH and I moved into our second rented property we were a couple moving into a three bed house. Not because we wanted to do any dodgy subletting with the extra rooms but because I was pregnant and wanted a house we could get comfy in and could grow into with room for hosting Xmas and a garden. We stayed in that house for nearly eight years and cared for it as if it was our own. I'd have been gutted if I found out our letting agent/landlord thought I was being dishonest.

JustJayne1959 · 06/12/2019 07:49

It's nothing to do with you, you can't dictate how and when your tenant has friends over or to stay! Unless they cause a nuisance to the neighbours, and it's a regular occurrence.
I would tell them that it's their home, do what they want (within reason!), so long as they inform their neighbours, either in person (which to me is best) or in a polite note, that they will be having a few friends round, they will be respectful and aware of noise and it won't go on too late etc. That way if anything does get out of hand, the neighbours can knock on the door and ask for them to keep things to a low hum Smile Wink

Taddda · 06/12/2019 08:57

@JolieObrien As a landlord, the tenant not paying their rent and how to rectify that situation is why so many rules and regs (and legal contracts) are put into place and obvious grounds for eviction....as frustrating as that must be, as a landlord you still also need to follow your rules and legal regulations....turning up unnannouced, looking through the window (So what she had a large TV?? Your thinking why should she own anything of value when she owes you money?? Your not a bailiff! That's for the courts to order, not for you to personally undertake....).

I would suggest that before anyone considers letting out a property they need to decide whether they can cope with the Legal rights of a private tenant instead of just thinking 'My house, you'll do as I say, I'll do what I want'....you really cant, that's the risk you will run, for a very lucrative payout btw-

Cultoffortnite · 06/12/2019 08:59

Weird question. Do they have family far away ( China, Oz) who will come for weeks at a time?? Tell them no Airbnb and no subletting. The rest is fine.
Maybe they had hassle with a previous landlord for having relatives in the house for a week or two??

RhinoskinhaveI · 06/12/2019 11:15

A 50-inch flat-screen TV
This year brass neck of these peasants, getting ideas above their station like that how dare they have a large television, the very quintessence of decadence
They should be sitting on the floor wearing rags and sewing mail bags like the wretched non property-owners that they are

Lindy2 · 06/12/2019 13:16

Rhino "This year brass neck of these peasants, getting ideas above their station like that how dare they have a large television, the very quintessence of decadence
They should be sitting on the floor wearing rags and sewing mail bags like the wretched non property-owners that they are.

No. But they should pay their rent.

RhinoskinhaveI · 06/12/2019 13:18

Oh sorry I meant to say 'sheer brass neck'
Thanks for pointing out my typo @Lindy 😊👍

Lindy2 · 06/12/2019 14:25

Your welcome Rhino.

Plus the pointing out that the tenants should also pay their rent. Anyone can spend their money on anything they want - once they've paid their bills.

Lindy2 · 06/12/2019 14:26

*you're not your. Before it gets pointed out! Grin

JolieOBrien · 06/12/2019 14:40

@Taddda

I am good landlord but sometimes some of my tenants have done things that are illegal and I only went to my house to confront her about the unpaid rent because I did not want to put her through having the bailiffs evict her and her children.

Do live in a rented house?