I'm a landlady....

[SomeOtherGirl]

I'm going to try to word this carefully. It's to do with making different life choices but it's in a sensitive area which could imply that I'm being judgemental. I don't mean to be. I'm just wondering if this sounds normal to the ears of anonymous mumsnetters.

So we have a rental property - our old place. I will try to give as much info as possible though some probably isn't totally relevant, but people might ask otherwise :-)

A nice couple moved in and they have a baby.

The deposit was covered by the council, and the monthly rent is £600, which was to be paid by them. They are on UC - they had asked me if I minded and I answered of course not!

I am 75% sure that the guy has a job of some description as he talks about it on Facebook.

They moved in and after the first month immediately fell into arrears, with a late partial payment and then a missed payment. They are a little more than a month behind on rent.

I did some research and found that the UC people can pay us about 90% of the rent directly to us, which sounded easier for everyone so I applied for that and all has been well, aside from the outstanding rent.

We asked the tenants if they can catch up this money and they said they'd have to do so in drive and drabs. This was last autumn. They have yet to make a payment but with Christmas and then corona virus I didn't push it. UC said we could apply to have it taken out from their other benefits in small chunks but I think the debt needs to equate to two months for this.

So now there are some bits and bobs to do maintenance wise so we've been looking at that and working out how to sort them out.

In the conversation, we asked if they'd be able now to start repaying the arrears as it would help with sorting out the maintenance bits. They said they could only do £10 a month as they have to pay for other stuff - namely Sky which they have at £90 a month.

I was really surprised at this. We rely on this rent as an income. I'm not able to work at present and we live modestly. I know people tend to think of their landlord as being Mr megabucks but it's not like that with us. We have netflix at 5.99 a month and thats the extent of our entertainment luxuries.

I'm just surprised that a lovely couple who get their housing costs covered plus additional benefits - and a job - see repaying this rent debt as so low priority.

Am I a bit mad? Should I sell the place?
I've not got cross with them or anything about it by the way. But I am wondering if I should sell it. They wanted me to come change a lightbulb recently. I think they've also moved an older step child in, which is fine I guess But they didn't mention it.

I try to be a really considerate landlady as far as I can but it's never going to be a perfect situation.

Just wondering what your thoughts are ? Obviously not planning on evicting them over this.

UC knows how much you get paid and calculates for that, so they will know they are working unless it’s cash in hand. They are likely getting other elements such as child etc, I would move to get 100% of UC rent payment and then they pay on top

We’ve just been without hot water for 13 days, have a side door we have no key to, a broken back door and all 3 sinks had a leak. I wish we had a landlady like you! We are on UC and sky is way out of budget and have never ever missed a rent payment in our 7 years of renting

The council, as they have children will rehouse them. Its duty of care. It maybe in a hostel/hotel to begin with but they won't be left homeless.

You are too nice to be a landlady. Thr majority of landlords won't take people on benefits. Id advise you to sell up.

This couple are taking the micky. Before anyone says anything I am not suggesting this cos they receive benefits. There is as many bad tenants who pull fast ones who aren't on benefits.

This is not your problem. You need to stand firm and give them notice. The situation won't improve.

Oh and U.C will give you arrears if you apply too. So maybe get that back first and give them notice

As for lightbulbs and the like. That's their job. Not yours

I have been in a similar situation and asked for a payment plan with a standing order set up until the arrears where paid off, you need to say you have been more than accommodating but an agreement needs to be reached and arrears paid off. Re the sky if they didnt get permission you can insist it is removed, landlord permission is required for install usually. I had to realise being nice gets you nowhere and you end up getting taken advantage of. Do you have anything about arrears in the contract?

I understand your frustration but think they made be tied to a Sky contract there normally 18 months and if you change your package your tied for another 18 months.

If they are not tied to sky then yes they are taking the piss. But I don't know what to advice, they could maybe afford it all at one time but now struggling to pay all their bills.

*The tenants may well have other debts and they might not understand budgeting and dealing with debt. There's no financial education for young people and if you grow up in a situation where your parents don't teach you these things - or don't know about them themselves - it's easy to get in a mess with debts.

I agree that rental properties should be state owned. Why should other people make a profit from a basic human need? And before you compare supermarkets, it's not the same thing, and the desperate need for food banks that has risen up in the past 10 years under the austerity Conservative govt proves that there is something wrong with the way our economy is being run*

Well obviously you and I have a different attitude to this . I believe that people should be able to work hard and reap the rewards of their efforts .

i don’t get why people think there should be no private landlords. Do people seriously think that councils would buy up all the properties if every private landlord gave up renting out? People would just end up on 10 year waiting lists for a council property, whilst meanwhile the family living in a room in a B&B. And those without DCs would be living in shop doorways. We need private landlords.

SomeOtherGirl

Hugs for you - I wish you were my niece's LL

I’m not sure if anyone else has said this but unless you’ve got a clause in your rental agreement you won’t be able to make them leave until the end of the tenancy (unless you evict them), selling your property with a tenant will mean you get less for the property. The Sky payment probably took priority because it would have been paid by direct debit. I would go down the route of getting taken from their UC. Good luck x

Christ what do get for £90 a month on Sky? Sounds like they just can't manage money.

I am a landlady too. Maybe a bit more experienced than u by the sound of things. As a newbie they're taking the piss and will continue to do so cos they can. If you can have it taken out of their benefits then just go ahead and do it, no more needs to be said to them, theyve had their chance. Do not communicate this to them. If they can't be bothered to economise to pay their way in life .... My tenants are currently trying to get me to buy them a tv!

You’ve been fair and kind. They either have no respect or are without a sense of fairness and decency. They are operating in their own interests and breaking their contract and getting away with it. I would explain that you need the money as it’s your income. If one of them is working and they have an expensive Sky product then seeking the outstanding rent direct from UC could be the ideal solution. I’d also consider whether you want to recover the property when the Tenancy ends, which involves giving notice etc. maybe try and keep it amicable giving a good reason for why you need the property back.

Haven’t RTFT, but £90 a month on Sky? They’re taking the piss. I pay £63 (and £28 of that is sport channels). I was a reluctant landlady for a few years (couldn’t sell the house so decided to rent it out) and found it so stressful I eventually sold the house at a loss. Part of the reason I did that was the worry about what would happen if something expensive needed doing (roof / boiler etc). My tenants were very good tenants, but the rent didn’t cover the mortgage (and the “bits and pieces” maintenance that needed doing) so I was also losing more than £300 a month. It was a stressful money pit, basically! If you can afford to, I’d sell. I lost thousands, but decided it was the only way forward - if you can break even, then do it is my advice!

OP I could have written this post about past tenants i had.

Similar to you I rent out the house I bought when I was younger before I met DP and we bought a house together. I also had tenants in receipt of UC who weren't paying it over to me and I got lots of excuses including "we need it to pay our sky arrears or the sky will get cut off" They were a young family and I let it go on for too long. They ended up leaving and owing several months rent. I kept their deposit (some of which went towards new carpet and repainting as the children had drawn on the walls and the dog had ruined the stair carpet). They did pay off some of the arrears in the months after they left (they had moved in with one of their parents to try to pay off debts) but then they stopped paying - there is still several hundred pounds owing which I don't think i will ever see.

They also asked me to change light bulbs, unblock the sink and the best one - tighten a screw which had come loose on some built in wardrobes!

My advice to you is to start the eviction process. I went with my heart and not my head and am now out of pocket and you will be too.

Are they likely to be your tennant for long enough to pay off the debt at £10 a week tho?

I think you have been very fair. And possibly too nice and understanding so they are taking the p*ss a bit.

Can you get UC to take out £50 a month from their money until the debt is paid. They will still be able to afford a basic sky package, but it will set a presidence that you're firm but fair.

BTW you can still work and claim UC. It's to help people who are on a low wage as well as not working.

Good luck. They just sound a bit selfish and immature. Not the worst thing in the world, but it shouldn't impact you.

Good luck.

They are taking the piss. We don't have Sky because we can't afford it. We have a mortgage! Therefore we only have netflix. Get the money out of their benefit.

I pay £36 odd for my sky broadband and TV and I think I'm being rinced big time. Wow for paying £90, that's insane.

Oh i forgot to add we are with Virgjn Media rather than Sky. We pay £99 per month. However what we have there is no way they will have this bundle as ours covers an adult home with family snd friends in and out

For £99 per month we have the highest speed of Virgin (who do surpass them all) landline (don't need but have to have) all sky plus sports, all sky movies, all children's etc in x 3 rooms and unlimited calls, data, text, sim only deal.

I have one adult son still at home however its what we use as he is heavily into gaming and he does pay towards it.

There is no way they are paying £90 unless its with arrears too

I’m another who could have written your post. I’ve skipped some of the replies so apologies if this has already been said. My advice is to try to get them out and, if you decide to keep the property, take on a management agent. They usually take around10% of the rent but they deal with all the problems and tenants seem to be a bit more wary of them. It would be even better if you could get one straight away so they can deal with your tenants.

I earn reasonable money, no debts apart from my mortgage and spend £22/month on Sky TV which I keep thinking I should cancel and just not bother.

People have different priorities but why should you be out of pocket because they decide their Sky TV is essential while paying you the rent they owe isn't essential !!

I've had tenants on housing benefits and they were fine. Now I have a tenant for a luxury flat, found and vetted and managed by an agent and he stopped paying rent after the first month. There have also been numerous complaints about him. He now claims there are 'maintenance issues' and won't pay until they are sorted. The agents have sent around a guy twice to have a look (with notice) and they wouldn't let him in and now are not responding to calls or emails. There are no maintenance issues- the flat had a thorough check before he moved in and it's a big complex with onsite managers.
What I'm saying is some tenants can be crap whether they are on benefits or not. I've given notice to my tenant to quit at the end of the term (covid means three months notice now) and I expect he won't pay any more rent.

Change a lightbulb???????

You are a soft touch and they are taking advantage of you!

@mellowww

Change a lightbulb???????

Some tenants are like this and they don't want involved in the simplest of things . I had ones who wouldn't change the batteries in the smoke alarm - they lived with it beeping until I was able to send someone to change them.

I think you have been very patient and understanding, for quite a long period of time, up until this point, but they are taking the piss. Why the hell should you be short of rent money so they can have expensive TV subscriptions. Sod if anyone thinks you are being judgemental or not - you need the rent money, they agreed the rental price and have defaulted, big time. I'd advise you give them a firm ultimatum - pay up or get out. Get tenants that respect you and your property and that pay the rent on time every month. I know there are plenty of people that believe anyone who has a second property to rent out is probably creaming it in but I know several landlords/landladies that are in similar positions to you, often with the rental money being their only or main income source - they are by no means rich and not remotely 'well-off' - and none live extravagantly or drive posh cars etc.

A lot of landlords will not rent at all to people claiming any sort of benefits so you have obviously tried to do your tenants a favour, and because you think them 'a lovely couple' you presumed their behaviour as tenants would reflect this. If you are prepared to give them a time limit & payment plan then do so, but be firm and tell them any deviation from the terms will result in eviction. You do not need to justify yourself or explain you need the rent money. You are entitled to the agreed rent and should expect it. No rent, no house. Oh, and if tenants have somehow wangled getting the housing money paid directly to them they are most likely pulling a fast one as it should be paid directly to the landlord. This was because in the past many landlords found themselves with tenants months in arrears as they'd got, and spent, what should have been the rent money. If with current or future tenants you are dealing with the benefits system, insist on direct payment. Good luck - this nice couple sound like a piss-taking nightmare who have no intentions of making up the shortfall or they would've tried to do so long before now