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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask my landlord for a discount on rent?

59 replies

CobyKnobe · 07/04/2020 18:06

He owns the property outright (inherited a long time ago) and my income has gone down 80% in recent weeks.

I've never missed a rent payment and don't want to move, but to save money I probably should do. This would probably cost him rent as I wouldn't want any viewings in the house while i'm still here (with covid-19 and because I have health issues) and there's a glut of properties coming on down with some good reductions.

So wouldn't it be in both our favours to ask for a short term rent reduction?

OP posts:
Thankssomuch · 07/04/2020 20:12

It’s fine to make a reasonable request based on a change in your income. As with any request I’d advise (if you can) to prepare for either outcome. Also to be blunt, sorry, your landlords financial situation isn’t your business so is irrelevant. But many landlords are coming to arrangements with tenants just now, or are being asked to.

mumwon · 07/04/2020 20:16

your ll might be using the money to pay for care for older relative - very common -you don't know the circumstance & to be frank its irrelevant & non of your business. Approach politely explain & prove that this has happened but you may have to pay it back

2020canfuckrightoff · 07/04/2020 20:26

@mecuryishot genuine question - how does one “prove” a drop in income. If furloughed obviously you can send proof - but for someone like me - what exactly would you expect?

Ontheboardwalk · 07/04/2020 20:27

YABU just by the tone of your first post.

If you are struggling on 80% then yes absolutely speak to him about a short rent reduction

Making it sound like he’s doing you a favour letting you rent his house and saying you’re thinking about missing rent makes you sound entitled and jealous of him

Hope it works out for you and he doesn’t pick up on your thinking behind asking for the reduction

mecuryishot · 07/04/2020 21:10

@2020canfuckrightoff I'd expect your accountant to send a letter detailing your income drop.

Ie the above is suitable or any other documentation usually required to prove you can't pay your other commitments. I would presume you'd already hold this documentation as unless rent is your only outgoing, again, I would expect you to avoid paying other obligations before seeking to reduce payments of rent.

Obviously if you're PAYE it's straightforward.

mumwon · 08/04/2020 00:00

it always amuses me when people object to paying rent - you have to pay rent even in old communist countries & Housing Associations which are considered social landlords are businesses too - this resentment of private ll who can be more considerate than many council ll by the way, it unreasonable, ask some council tenants about difficulties they have had in getting things fixed or being obliged to have checks & servicing when councils tell them (ire not flexible at all!) & the state of some of some the council properties when tenants take them on!

Quizacabusi · 08/04/2020 00:18

We are landlords and have great sympathy for people who cannot pay the full rent so would come and go as best we could with tenants.

What increase in rent has there been year on year?

If you approached me and asked for a temporary reduction with evidence of your reduced income with a plan on how you would make up the shortfall in the future I would 100% work with you.

If you started throwing into the mix that you knew I owned it outright and are thinking of leaving and blocking any new tenants from viewing you would get a completely different response.

It’s a completely dick move to give notice and not allow any access at all for viewings (CV situation not withstanding). You are pretty much subjecting the landlord to a vacancy property for some time, all for the sake of an hour or so a couple of times.

Try and be considerate to their situation as well as your own.

2020canfuckrightoff · 08/04/2020 07:00

@mercuryisshot - interesting. Our landlord accepted a rent decrease very easily - though we did put forward our case with all the info (we actually haven’t been here long so I felt awful about it).

The only thing I would say though is that we had to actually priortlitse some outgoings over the rent - e.g council tax, car payments etc. As when push comes to shove - those are the ones that could leave is with bigger problems than finding somewhere else to rent (and prevent us from doing so in the future). Also, while the landlord isn’t getting rent now - they will be getting in back in the future.

I have been a landlord so am not in any way anti-landlord, but I do think that there is a balance here. Tenants who take this piss will be evicted later (just as a standard section 21 as soon as a landlord is able), but conversely - I imagine that we may be looking at a downward trend in rent prices for a while.

Original poster
CobyKnobe · 08/04/2020 14:23

It’s a completely dick move to give notice and not allow any access at all for viewings (CV situation not withstanding)

I don't get this, it's fine not to allow any viewings at the moment if you're at risk.

Anyway I've sent a message saying my income has fallen significantly and to ask if they can help so I don't have to give my notice and move.

OP posts:
HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend · 08/04/2020 14:30

Don’t stop paying OP, you’ll risk bad credit, you won’t get a reference and you will likely be taken to court.

NoMorePoliticsPlease · 08/04/2020 14:32

@boringrobot
You are out of order. Why should Op stop paying rent? I do hope you are not a tenant.
Unless Op is in extenuationg circumstances I dont see how he/she can justify asking for a rent reduction. You have no idea whether the landlord is relying on rent. I also dont think its a good time to think about moving for your own health. It just feels like a try on to me. There is a lot of it about at the moment , virtually every one has been affected in someway financially. Your landlord is likely to look at this individually, whether you have been a long term good tenant and the likely hood of you staying long term. After reading your post I would not put any money on you. We are prepared to help our tenants is necessary, we have an idea who the opportunists might be and who will do their best

Original poster
CobyKnobe · 08/04/2020 14:32

No lol I've no intention of not paying it, one person posted that here and no one said they would follow it.

I'm starting a discussion with them now weeks before it's due. If they don't budge I will just give my notice as rents are falling already, but I'll pay what I agreed to pay.

OP posts:
Original poster
CobyKnobe · 08/04/2020 14:33

Op is in extenuationg circumstances I dont see how he/she can justify asking for a rent reduction

Have you seen the news recently?

OP posts:
Original poster
CobyKnobe · 08/04/2020 14:33

Unless Op is in extenuationg circumstances I dont see how he/she can justify asking for a rent reduction

Have you seen the news recently?

OP posts:
NoMorePoliticsPlease · 08/04/2020 14:33

But you are prepared to do some viewings for yourself? presumably accompanied

GlummyMcGlummerson · 08/04/2020 14:37

I'm a landlord, my tenant lost his job (well, zero hours contract and the company shut down for COVID so same difference). I granted him a break and got a mortgage holiday. He's got a supermarket job now, I'll see if he offers payment if not I'll just collect payments when the 3 months is up. No loss to me when I've got a mortgage holiday - in the circumstances I think landlords, like everyone else, should be accommodating and use the privileges put in place to mitigate their circumstances.

GlummyMcGlummerson · 08/04/2020 14:38

When I say collect payments, I don't mean I'll be charging for the months he hasn't paid - I get a break so he should too

Original poster
CobyKnobe · 08/04/2020 14:40

I would get a family member to do viewings for me for the next place and just drive by to check it.

OP posts:
Rainbowshine · 08/04/2020 14:49

It may interest you to read this thread, from a LL but similar scenario

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/3871182-Tenant-asking-for-covid-rent-reduction-WWYD

FunkyKingston · 08/04/2020 14:50

Making it sound like he’s doing you a favour letting you rent his house and saying you’re thinking about missing rent makes you sound entitled and jealous of him

At the moment she probably is, as he'd struggle to re-let it at the moment, so the landlord has to figure out whether they want say, 60 per cent of the normal rent or 100 per cent of nothing, plus the costs of re-advertising.

SharonasCorona · 08/04/2020 14:54

You don't ask, you don't get.

Original poster
CobyKnobe · 08/04/2020 14:56

At the moment she probably is, as he'd struggle to re-let it at the moment, so the landlord has to figure out whether they want say, 60 per cent of the normal rent or 100 per cent of nothing, plus the costs of re-advertising.

That's the thing, it's in both of our benefits :)

OP posts:
Original poster
CobyKnobe · 08/04/2020 14:57

The city I live in has lots of air b n b and they are coming on for long term rent very cheap. Big glut of rental properties are coming on already

OP posts:
Umnoway · 08/04/2020 14:59

Even if he had a mortgage he’d be able to ask for a mortgage holiday but he doesn’t even have to worry about that hassle so yeah, he should agree to it.

Original poster
CobyKnobe · 08/04/2020 15:05

I wish I'd never said about owning outright. It was just to say I know there's no charges on the property and he doesn't even need to ask the bank for a holiday.

OP posts:
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