Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Renting a 2 bed house to a family with 3 kids

462 replies

Beetle76 · 31/01/2020 02:51

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

OP posts:
YASvenus · 02/02/2020 00:07

Really uncomfortable about your judgement of how families should sleep and where. Many people live perfectly well in small properties with a few kids...I’d be more worried about the cats, having just looked after a neighbours’ for two weeks.
If their references check out and they pay a deposit - Can’t see a problem.

FelicisNox · 02/02/2020 00:13

YANBU.

Your house, your rules. That house is not big enough and with pets and 3 children in a confined space it will be trashed.

You're a business woman not a housing association. Pull the plug.

ddraigygoch · 02/02/2020 00:17

It's literally OPs responsibility to judge that @YASvenus

Malmontar · 02/02/2020 00:37

It sounds like a guy who's just started divorce and needs a place to stay plus somewhere for his kids for some of the time until they sell the big house and sort themselves out. I would let him rent if his credit checks and ref come back fine. Also, due to the housing shortage (at least our council definantely) you're allowed to be overcrowded by one bedroom.

I don't feel sorry for him tbh but I also don't think he sounds like an especially bad choice? Idk single people also often= parties and lots of guests so renting in general is just stressful!

Rache49 · 02/02/2020 03:36

It's better to have the property occupied than empty and an attraction to squatters or burglars. It's only a year and you will hopefully have earned some income as well as helping her. Maybe she should have mentioned the Children but equally you should have been very specific about who is going to live there.

alig99 · 02/02/2020 05:01

I think you should query everything with the agent, after all they should have discussed the number and ages of the children with you. I am also wary of the single parent downsizing issue. I'm sort of thinking she is separating/divorcing and maybe the ex is contributing to the household, BUT that could stop and I'd worry if she could afford the property should that happen. You should also ask for the maximum deposit allowed (incase of pet/children damage and a guarantor (checks to be done on them too)). Also get rent guaranteed insurance.

Museumland · 02/02/2020 08:08

The wear and tear is likely to be greater, is it possible to ask for a larger deposit ? Like the others I would be a concerned about the honesty issue, but she may have found that she has tried to rent property before and people won't let to her and was rather forced into this situation; may be ask her candidly and make sure your agent actually checks the references.

Iwanttobeagranny · 02/02/2020 08:18

Maybe she mentioned the cats because she knew there could be an issue but didn’t mention the kids because she didn’t see that they would be a problem? Did she say ‘it’s just me and the cats’?

Fr0g · 02/02/2020 08:35

Really got my goat that she could tell us it was too small. No it's our decision!!
her property, she can decide who & how many people live in it.

BigChocFrenzy · 02/02/2020 08:51

YANBU
Both for the idea of 3 kids and one adult - at least -
and the lack of honesty.

You are not letting for charity;
you want to let out your property, receive rent and receive it back in good condition
You want to avoid the wear & tear / damage, that often happens with avercrowding

VerbenaGirl · 02/02/2020 10:34

I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, but it seems odd to mention your cats but not your children. However, what information was specifically asked for? If pets are asked about, but children are not - could this be a genuine oversight? Can you go back to them and say that you are surprised that the children have only just been mentioned, and see what their response is? Do you know the ages and whether or not they are there all the time (there maybe a shared custody arrangement)? I grew up in a three bedroom house and there were 2 adults and 5 kids (3 in one bedroom, 2 in the other) - it was fine.

Fcukthisshit · 02/02/2020 10:42

Don’t rent to her. The kids wouldn’t be a problem for me but the dishonesty would be. I’d be wondering what else has she omitted to tell you??

StudentMummy19 · 02/02/2020 11:31

@MyDcAreMarvel that is perfectly within my comprehension thank you but there is a national calculator. Whether or not a council is 'happy' to put a certain amount of people in one room but for benefit purposes and what would be paid for is not area dependent.

Please see;

lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/bedroomcalculator.aspx

NannyOggsStripedSocks · 02/02/2020 11:34

Like many other people I think it may have been an accidental oversight to not mention the kids, just clarify it with her.

LolaDarkdestroyer · 02/02/2020 11:43

Maybe they hadn't been asked about who it was for? Did you specifically ask op? The cats were mentioned as they had to be ok'd but normally you don't need to ok kids unless the advert says specifically no kids.
As for the posters saying wear and tear jeez it's a year and not all kids run around like ferals drawing on walls etc.

All you can do is get the circumstances from the agent in my opinion someone with kids is more likely to look after your house...than a single who could be having parties, smoking in there etc etc.
I'd be more put off by the cats one
ok but two? When I moved house my car started pissing in spots in the house and I'm not joking I've spent hundred replaceing flooring painting etc and the smell never goes she was use to a cat flap which I can't have here as glass doors. Plus she's old and they do these shitty things when they get old. It's a small house and 2 cats is a lot.

Blondeshavemorefun · 02/02/2020 13:39

Didn’t mention them as not asked ?

Or asked if had kids and he said no

It’s a big difference

BigChocFrenzy · 02/02/2020 14:26

there is a fundamental difference between a family being prepared to be squashed up, because that is all they can afford
and
what kind of tenants an LL wants for a 2-bed property

Why would an LL choose tenants that would inevitably cause more wear & tear than a smaller family that is similarly behaved

Then there is the nightmare of trying to get the flat back if a family with kids don't want to leave after a year

BigChocFrenzy · 02/02/2020 14:33

Planning to be an LL for only 1 year is very different for planning 10+ years

A longterm LL can offset 1 or 2 expensive years vs profit from all the other years

Also, all the one-off costs still have to be paid:
Gas & electric safety certificates
EPH etc

If the OP has high repair & renovation costs for just one year rent, she could well end up making a significant loss

Also a difference with an LL who needs to move back herself after the year

Unless there is a shortage of tenants - which is unlikely - much wiser financially to choose the lowest risk ones when only letting for a year

Wauden · 02/02/2020 15:17

Red flag, hiding something so important from you.
I do hope that your agent is ARLA registered and honest.

ThatLibraryMiss · 02/02/2020 15:52

IShaggedAMarriedMan, you forgot to mention that it sounds like the kids have anxiety or autism and the cats are their emotional support animals.

SilverySurfer · 02/02/2020 16:07

Please ignore the guilt trippers and bleeding hearts - this is a business transaction and you aren't social services.

I would be concerned that he didn't mention the children. I also think it would be pretty crowded but may be ok depending on their ages and how many days they will be staying with him, assuming his relationship has just broken up.

I would also be concerned that if he is looking for somewhere to buy that he may not want to stay for the whole year. If he has an annual contract, how binding is it?

Good luck OP, hope you sort it out to your satisfaction

FrogFairy · 02/02/2020 16:39

You mention that your small home has fixtures that are not child friendly and your friends are wary of bringing their children to visit.

As a landlord, if one of the tenant’s children were injured could you be held liable?

BlokeTarget · 02/02/2020 16:48

@bytheseaby123

They do. There’s a percentage of all new developments built in this country that have to be BY LAW- social housing.

If you deman the govt build more- who’s paying for that? You and your taxes?
Great. That’s the finance solved.

Who are you going to employ to actually build the houses? The building companies like red row/ barret etc will all want a decent profit - and likely refuse to build them without a decent margin.

What’s your solution?

Very interested to hear your idea for smashing loads more social housing quickly , that’s are safe, and finding a company to do it.

Jux · 02/02/2020 20:00

So she's recently divorced, the financials have gone through and they've sold the house. She wants to stay in the same area so the kids can stay at the same school(s) and keep their friends.

It's entirely OK to refuse on the grounds of the undisclosed kids, but I think I wouldn't. It's only for a year. Talk to the agent and find out what you can about the family. Ask for a guarantor if you're worried about money.

Blondeshavemorefun · 02/02/2020 20:11

It’s a he - a dad

Not a mum

Swipe left for the next trending thread