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

by the way.
I have known quite few families who when they moved out, sent kids to friends for the day and then painted so the house was in good condition to get their deposit back.
Please don't assume kids will mess it up

Ffs this is a man with weekend custody. Will likely spend most of it in a play area. Only redeeming quality is he likes cats. Go for it!

She was not transparent to begin with so what else will she hide. Honesty is so important and so rare these days. I'd rather let to someone who states they have kids than one who tries to hide them. Red flags do not get any bigger. By allowing her to deceive you, you encourage her to continue, therefore conditioning the behaviour. I would walk. Next time she may choose to tell the whole picture.

YANBU they should have told you.

YANBU to ask for more info. It's your house.

Ask to meet the mum and discuss it. I wouldn't be keen to rent to them personally. Are you sure she can afford it?

Just to add.... when I was desperate for somewherento live close to school I applied for a one bedroom house with a reception room. I was declined on the basis of overcrowding as it was my son and me. I was upfront in the initial stages, anything else is dishonest IMO.

You're not unreasonable. The would be tenant was not up front from the start and I assume now hopes you don't read small print.

Find another tenant.

YANBU I wouldn’t rent to them. They have been dishonest.

My friend privately rents and has 2 children and 2 cats. I stayed over for the first time for a girly night. I was ro.sleep in one of the bedrooms. I can honestly say.my eyes were watering the smell.of ammonia was so bad. I was so shocked. I didn't understand how my friend could not smell it. I didn't sleep that night and left early in the morning , I've never slept over since. It has taught me what 'nose blind' means.

I’m not comfortable with dishonesty and if you have a choice I’d steer clear. I’ve rented out property for a long time and found children to be the worst problem. I don’t hate kids but just speak from a business prospective.
The house will be cluttered, get knocked about and as long as you are prepared to accept that, go ahead. Again, this is from my personal experience over 15 years.

It would be utter folly to let your house to this person. She wasn't transparent. That is a HUGE red flag. It's also too many people for the size of the home.

Don't tie yourself in knots wasting your time trying to justify letting to this person by scheduling meetings, etc. Someone who does this is never worth letting to. I've known far too many folks who got totally burned by this (and they all have a sob story). And don't believe the agents, either, they just want the house let and off their books. I'd go no kids, no pets.

It rented out the first day of viewing. You have nothing to lose by saying no and putting it back on the market. Good luck 🍀

@PatellarTendonitis

It's a man, and it's not too small!

OP, I'd be very very careful. My colleague had a terrible experience that started very much like yours.

She rented to a single mum with 3 kids. They moved from a 4 bed home saying that the place 2as to big now eldest had moved out.

She had two dogs so was a bit concerned but agreed to meet and really liked the lady who appeared very respectable and the dogs clean and well behaved. She passed credit check and moved in.

She was very friendly, paid rent for 10 months ok and then suddenly stopped paying and refused all contact.

My friend and her husband were due back in 2 months. To cut a long story short, the mum was a self employed part time hairdresser who relied heavily on tax credits and housing benefits, which she oy started to claim after she moved in. The agency she used took her tax credits into consideration to pass affordability. The problem is that two of her three children had turned 19, finished college so her tax credits were significantly reduced as was the maintenance she got from the father of the eldest and she couldn't afford the rent any longer even with HB. She wanted a council house so had to be evicted. It took 9 months and cost my friend over £10k as she wasn't recieving rent but has to pay rent herself when they came back to the town.

The stress was horrendous and she said she would sell before letting again.

You say you are new to letting. I would say be very careful as it could end up costing you more than if you let your property empty for a year.

Good lord while everyone is making assumptions about the tenant .why don't you just ask the tenant as it would not be unreasonable to ask her a few questions or the estate agent. Then you won't have people calling her dishonest without knowing her

For me it would be the mess. With everyone in close quarters it would be hard to keep everything clean. I’d be worried how worn everything would be after a year. 4 people and two animals in a two up to down....

That deliberate deceitefulness to start with would put me right off and i'd assume they were deceiteful and untrustworthy all the time, not just when making the initial application to rent the home.

It's a man, and it's not too small!

It could be a Martian. It's dishonest, and kids cause way more wear and tear. The OP isn't running a charity. It would be beyond foolish to let to these people. It's a surefire way to get your house trashed.

Why ask him/her whatever when they left the number of tenants off? Bollocks to that. The agents are utter sheisters, too, as they knew this person deliberately left off three bloody kids and forwarded the form onto the OP to sign. I'd bin them both off and go 'NO kids, NO pets'.

And no Universal Credit! Don't entertain sob stories about housing benefit, anyone on legacy benefits who moves house triggers a new claim to UC, it takes a minimum of 5 weeks to process, the housing element is paid in arrears, it's notoriously fickle and can be cut off easily.

@PatellarTendonitis

It's not dishonest. Did she state "no kids" when putting the place up for rent?? If he went to view it, liked it and put down a holding deposit and THEN completed the forms in line with the letting agency how is that dishonest?? If anything the letting agency should have got in contact with her and asked the "Ooh are you OK with kids" rather than letting him complete all the documentation and sending it off to her to sign.

I would expect that someone coming from a five bed house that is being sold has separated from their partner. Perhaps the children will only stay occasional nights with the tenant sleeping on the sofa on those occasions.

I’m a landlord and the above scenario wouldn’t bother me. However, once I had a gut feeling that someone wasn’t the person I wanted to rent to and was proven right. If you aren’t happy to rent to him, then don’t.

I’d also opt to rent to someone with cats to help them out. I think there are a few of us who feel this way out there, despite what the letting agencies make out.

Annnndd you don't put kids names down as being tenants!!! You put them down as occupying the property, which he CLEARLY has!!