Renting a 2 bed house to a family with 3 kids

[Beetle76]

I’ve got my hard hat on! I am renting out my two bed house while I have been seconded to a job in a different area for a year.
While it’s a small house, it’s in a good area so I received a number of offers for the full asking rent after the first viewing day. I decided to go with the person who stated they had two cats (I know what it’s like to rent with pets so I thought I’d help them out.)
The provisional paperwork listed a single tenant with their cats and I agreed to proceed on that basis. The full lease has arrived for me to sign and now it’s the tenant, plus cats, plus 3 kids.
My view is it’s a two bed house, one living room, small eat in kitchen and is thus not really suitable for a large family.
I didn’t base my decision on no kids, I just wanted to help out another cat person, and they happened to be the only applicant without kids.
I was expecting to have a kid or two in the house, it’s a great area for kids, but I think 3 is too many for the space. I don’t see where they would go - 3 kids beds would not fit in either bedroom, they are just not big enough. Maybe a sleeper couch in the living room? I suppose a kid could live under the stairs Harry Potter style 😂
But I fiercely dislike dishonesty and I feel they have been dishonest by not saying who would be living in the house from the outset. AIBU if I decide to pull the plug on this based that it’s not what I agreed to in the first place?
YANBU = it’s ok to pull the plug
YABU = it’s none of your business how many people are shoehorned into a rental property

I rent out properties. They're handled by agents and I never even see the names of the people who will be there.

So I don't see this as dishonest - just that they didn't need to let you know until the final paperwork was turned in. I honestly can't tell you who is staying in a house I won. It's none of my business. As long as they pay the rent and keep it in a good condition, that's it. If they did make it seriously overcrowded so that it becomes high-occupancy, that's the only thing I need to know.

I stand corrected over the credit/reference charges. We paid them last time we moved plus a pet deposit but I know there were a few changes not long after.

OP, this poor man is probably fleeing an abusive relationship and is desperate for a home for himself and his wee children and 2 cats.
Even if the kids are teenagers, you owe it to him to provide them a home.

Have you considered letting them stay there rent free or even just giving them your home. You know it would be the right thing to do.

If he is ( ?) a non-resident parent, he might feel that the cats need mentioning as most LL have a natural aversion to renting to tenants with pets. And the kids might only be spending x days/ nights there.
Why not get the agent to follow up/ ask ?

@IShaggedAMarriedMan

We lived for 18 months 3 kids in 2 bed flat. The youngest was in with us. It wasn't ideal but it worked. But not for long so I'd expect them to be moving on quite quickly.

I wonder if anyone will agree with me. I'm a regular poster hiding behind a name change

Lets repeat this - if you are under the illusion that 5 weeks rent will cover any & all potential damage (&that is the maximum you can charge & you will pay all for all searches etc not the tenant) let me disillusion you. Cost of legal expenses of evicting someone is just under £400 & councils wont rehouse someone until not only have they got an eviction notice but a bailiff date. You must make sure you have all paperwork in place, the deposit in a proper scheme annual gas checks & the tenant has been given a how to rent book (I think that's what its called.) You need to check the ages of the children & talk to the council - what size are the bedrooms? You could risk being seen as overcrowding the property
england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/check_if_your_home_is_overcrowded_by_law
Honestly Op I think you are putting yourself in a really dodgy situation

OP are you waiting for the credit checks hoping they fail so that you don't need to give the holding fee back?

Just pull the plug it's clear you don't want to go through with it.

It’s now after 6pm and I haven’t received the report/references and some of the answers to my questions so no more will be done today. It’s a Friday too which is annoying.

thanks very much to the PP who mentioned the room standards and space standards - I’m sorry, I can’t recall who you are! I had no idea this was a “thing” and the landlord could be fined if the property was found to be overcrowded 😳 the house is not large so I need to be realistic, if the tenant is not going to be, particularly if I’m going to be the one held responsible at the end of the day.

The agent is working for their fee now 😂

And I think it will be me that is out of pocket for the reference checks, not the tenant.

When I was looking at buying a 2-bed house, I saw some where the bedrooms were tiny and would not have been big enough for two single beds.

I love my cat and he doesn't scratch the furniture (my clothes and handbags are so much more scratchworthy), but he scratches at doors, and sometimes brings in little friends who have wild jumping around parties.

He sometimes brings in presents - mice for chasing around the house or dead birds. He also leaves hair everywhere.
He also sicks up hairballs.

Legally four kids and one adult are overcrowded in a two bed (unless the youngest is very young or the lounge or similar can be used as a bedroom)

Hi OP

• on a more lighthearted note, is there a cat flap on the door, or are you going to hope the cat litter trays don't stink the place out?? I realise many many people will say cat litter trays don't smell, but oh yes they do!

I live in a 2 bed with my dp, 2 kids, a dog and a cat. I've lived here coming up for 3 years now and whilst I would like a little more storage it isn't cramped in the slightest imo.
Children aren't named on the tenancy, I asked permission for my cat when I rented previously but nothing was said of the children so I don't see the relevance.

Sounds like a divorce.

Just ask for 2 months deposit in case of extra wear and tear.

Yes!! @trimtops and @MikeAlphaMike Let’s talk about cats !

I’m finding it weird how many people think cats need litter box training. Never in my years of cat ownership, did I ever have to train a cat to use a litter box. If it was there, they used it. No instruction required. (Even the bloody minded one and the more than a little bit thick one)

There is no cat flap & no place to put one in either unfortunately. I wanted to and couldn’t find a solution. I guess he is going to operate a door service

I’m really quite relaxed about pet ownership as I do feel the need to return the favour to all those landlords who took a chance on me. I may regret being this way, of course!

I think your out clause here might ge overcrowding? I think landlords have a responsibility not to over Crowe houses??

whatdayisit I suspect according to overcrowding it is capable of being a 3 bedroom house therefore 5 people (living rooms count in these things)

england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/check_if_your_home_is_overcrowded_by_law

I suspect both bedrooms and the living room would count so no overcrowding. I have lived in many student accomodations that would back that up

I would say no though I dont think you are the right Landlord for them. You are renting out your home they can easily find a 2 bed property where the landlord just really doesnt care!

Cats will look for somewhere suitable for using as a loo without training.If there is no litter box they will go in a corner.

Dead birds will leave blood stains on carpets.

CharlieAlphaTango doesn't always poo in the litter tray - occasionally he sits in the tray and the poo goes on the floor.

Despite having the run of the house, he insists on sitting in my chair resorting to violence if necessary, and sleeping in my space on the bed. If I am in bed he sits on my head - i sleep with the duvet over my head.

He leaves hairs everywhere including on the curtains and window panes. The hairs and dander get everywhere including behind radiators. They sort of embed themselves in synthetic fabrics like clothes, carpets and furnishings. Even pet vacuums don't remove them.

The house smells of cat. Not a bad smell but if you don't have cats you will notice it.

One thought on wear and tear is things breaking.

When I rented, it was a PITA when something broke. I can remember the water heater breaking and the landlady got an emergency plumber to fix it quite quickly. Another landlord would take ages to get things fixed and when the fridge freezer broke I was told to claim on the insurance. Private tenants often don't have contents insurance.

I suspect that a man, 2 cats and 3 kids are a different proposition to a single person with two cats.

Another thing to consider is if thinking of renting to a couple.
I did this and we split up. I stayed in the house.
A couple moved in next door and split up fairly soon. Neither could afford it alone.

Just ask for 2 months deposit in case of extra wear and tear

It is the law that security deposits are capped at 5 weeks rent

I'm a single parent and every rental I've vacated has either been left in the same condition it was in (if it was clean and in good shape) or significantly better/cleaner condition (if it was dirty and in poor shape when I moved in). How can so many pp on a parenting website claim that children damage properties more than a pet would? Do any of you have children? Drawing on walls. What parent doesn't know that children's pens, crayons, pencils, paint are washable? What parent wouldn't know how to clean up after their own children, supervise their own children? A tiny, tiny, minority. Most families look after their children, look after their homes, provide a clean and healthy environment. I can't believe that the pp demonising children and on this thread could be parents or even be people who like children.

Maybe his children will only be staying some of the time.
Talk to the agent. Good luck.