Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu tenants not paying rent

267 replies

FrenchFancie · 26/03/2020 08:35

AIBU?
We are ‘accidental’ landlords in that DH got posted abroad four years ago and we put tenants in our flat. It’s our only flat, we have a mortgage on it. Rent has always just about covered mortgage and costs, we don’t make any money on the flat.

Tenants have contacted us to say they can’t pay rent due to one of them loosing work due to Covid. Fine, ok, I know it can’t be helped.

I’ve asked them to apply for whatever help the government will offer, asked for clarification if it was a job loss through redundancy or just that she’s been given no hours (iirc she works for a retail chain). - as this will make a difference I think in the support that she will be offered?
I’m prepared to accept lower rent for a period but I want them to apply for whatever they are entitled to in order to minimise both their loss and ours! I’m not going to evict them due to this, and we probably won’t treat it as rent arrears but instead just write the missing rent off - I think I’m being pretty reasonable with this, but tenants say it’s none of my business what benefits they apply for and I just have to accept whatever rent they choose to pay as they can’t currently be evicted.

AIBU to think they are being CF? I mean I’m happy to work with them on this but feel we are being taken for mugs if they just refuse to pay rent.

OP posts:
madcatladyforever · 27/03/2020 13:38

Actually I was very lucky. I was renting a home on a holiday park until 2 weeks ago, I bought a house and it went through really quick so I moved.
This week I heard the holiday park has shut turfing everyone who was renting off with no notice. If I hadn't of moved 2 weeks ago me and my cat would be sleeping in our car.
We weren't supposed to be using the park as out main residence but I sold before I bought while I was living there so I'd have been homeless.

Mlou32 · 27/03/2020 13:44

Don't you need to have details of all of this to support an application for a mortgage holiday?

Just tell them you're trying to help them but need the information. I'd also be looking at ending their lease once this is all over. Not because of the current situation but because of their stinking attitude of not meeting you halfway by being reasonable and helping you out with info. If you can even do that...

TurquoiseDress · 27/03/2020 14:17

Aren't landlords supposed to save up a 3-6 month cushion incase of things like this. If landlords don't have it, I don't know how people expect the average renter to have it

You could substitute the word landlord for tenant instead.

What makes you think a landlord is any more likely to have it than your average renter? Genuine question.

I think this whole pandemic has shown, so far, that many many people live very close to the financial line, landlords included.

AliceInADifferentWorld · 27/03/2020 14:18

Aren't landlords supposed to save up a 3-6 month cushion incase of things like this. If landlords don't have it, I don't know how people expect the average renter to have it.

Op is asking for the tenants to apply for housing Benet. She's prepared to wait. She's also offered to negotiate a reduction. She hasn't offered to let them live there for free. Nor should she have to.

userxx · 27/03/2020 14:24

I think this whole pandemic has shown, so far, that many many people live very close to the financial line, landlords included

This ^

Something needs to change.

TurquoiseDress · 27/03/2020 14:25

Apply for the three month break. Renters have no such luxury at the moment

What don't people understand about the "mortgage holiday" thing...it's a 3 month break, but you are still expected to pay that money back at a later date, with interest I am sure.

It's not "3 months mortgage free" for the landlord, and so they should pass this onto the tenant to get their "3 months rent free"

This attitude bloody stinks.

We are renting, and if we do find that we struggle at some point in the near future, we will talk to our landlord (who happens to be a friend too).

He owns a neighbouring house and the tenant who was not to keen on paying the rent anyway before this crisis started, has simply announced she is no longer going to pay anything (you could argue not much difference to before!).

Forgive my cynicism, but there are people out there jumping on the bandwagon and simply deciding to absolve themselves of their financial responsibilities.

Hoggleludo · 27/03/2020 14:47

I haven't RTFT

You can still evict them

You can't get blood out of a stone. However this WILL give them bad credit.

LaurieMarlow · 27/03/2020 14:57

What don't people understand about the "mortgage holiday" thing...it's a 3 month break, but you are still expected to pay that money back at a later date, with interest I am sure

People understand that perfectly.

It’s about managing cash flow, not giving home owners free money.

motherheroic · 27/03/2020 15:12

@TurquoiseDress Owning property and then proceeding to rent it out is an investment. You're putting your investment into someone else's hands, they are in charge of paying off your mortage. I assume you're supposed to plan for when things turn sour.

TurquoiseDress · 27/03/2020 18:55

Looking back at the OP, here are some important points:

I’m being pretty reasonable with this, but tenants say it’s none of my business what benefits they apply for and I just have to accept whatever rent they choose to pay as they can’t currently be evicted

I mean I’m happy to work with them on this but feel we are being taken for mugs if they just refuse to pay rent

On the basis of this information the tenants are being CFs.

FlockofGulls · 27/03/2020 18:57

Aren't landlords supposed to save up a 3-6 month cushion incase of things like this

Where did you get that idea?

But then, I've just around £5,000 on doing various things for a new tenant to keep the property in tip-top condition. It's more money than I have to spend on my own house (which doesn't get re-decorated + new carpet every 18 months or so which is what tenants now expect).

LakieLady · 27/03/2020 19:33

My DP who is self employed done and online UC a week ago, was told to phone and make a face to face appointment, he’s been on hold for 5 days!!

If he can put a note in the journal of his online UC account, he can ask them to call him because he's been unable to get through.

This has worked for some clients, so it's worth a try.

LakieLady · 27/03/2020 20:43

£57.90 a week?! Where on Earth have you got that from?!?!

It's the rate of JSA, IS or ESA that is paid to a single person under 25.

OP, if you have an idea of how much the tenant who's still in work earns (eg from the bank statements they will have provided when they took the tenancy), and how much the LHA for the area is, it's pretty easy to work out how much UC they'd get if they claimed. But if one of them is still working f/t, I doubt if they'd be entitled to any help unless the rent is pretty high.

The one who's lost their job (assuming their employment has come to an end, rather than them being furloughed) could still get £73.10 pw in contribution-based JSA, which is better than nothing. If they're furloughed, and getting 80% of earnings, they'll be precious little worse off than they are now, once you've taken into account the reduction in tax, NI and pension payments, and not having to pay fares to work.

I'm usually on the tenants' side in things, but I do think they're being a bit cheeky and that they need to be more open and upfront with you, OP.

Ivebeentohellanditscalledikea · 27/03/2020 21:28

If one of them is still working they may not get any help. I'm a single parent of three I work full time in a school and earn 11k a year and I'm entitled to £15 a month housing benefit so if they are two adults I can't see them getting anything.

Ivebeentohellanditscalledikea · 27/03/2020 21:29

I mean may not get any housing benefit. They might get UC though.

Pixxie7 · 01/04/2020 04:07

Just received e mail from the estate agent saying that people want to take a rent break they a. Have to prove they have lost their jobs. B. Provide bank statements. C. Fill out income and expenditure sheet and finally emphasised that the missing rent would have to be paid eventually. Don’t know if this helps but your certainly not being unreasonable.

MrsLouB · 13/07/2020 16:22

people saying about the OP applying for a mortgage holiday that's not the point ! she would then have a higher mortgage payment to pay so in turn would then pass this onto the tenants? as they havent paid as they are not being reasonable now i cannot see then agreeing to a rent increase.

ALSO renter do get help with benefits and help to pay their rent, which with a mortgage you do not get - a holiday is great but it has to be paid back

New posts on this thread. Refresh page