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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Rental problem - wwyd

33 replies

namechange7438 · 11/10/2020 20:54

Hi,

I'm posting her for traffic as I'm not sure where else to put it and I could really do with some input - sorry if it's long, I don't want to drip feed.

We've been in our rental house for 28 months, due to landlords family fall out they've just announced they're putting our house up for sale.

In my area the housing market is currently insane - for both rental and sales. We have 6 months before we have to be out of our house but have negotiated that from now on we can leave on 30 days notice (this is due to the insane market and needing to have our child registered in a school by January) to put the state of the rental market in our area into perspective; when we were looking for this house there were around 150 available on Right Move. There are currently 40. Most of which have a tenancy agreed within a week of first being advertised.

We went to view a house - it is perfect. All of it is perfect. Because of a bizarre set of coincidences I feel we stand a high chance of being offered the tenancy.

BUT

the estate agent mentioned that they really need to find out how long term a tenancy the landlord is after as they had been trying to sell but had ver little interest sales wise so they've decided to rent it instead with an initial tenancy of 6 months.

I have dug around online and the house most recently had its sales listing updated in late July.

If you were offered the tenancy wwyd? We want as long term as possible (obviously nothing is certain in rental). The estate agent said at viewing, having been v upfront about their concerns, that they'd get a straight answer before offering a tenancy. If the answer was that the landlord wanted a longterm tenancy and you were offered it, would you take it?

YABU = No

YANBU = Yes

Thanks

OP posts:
SpookyNoise · 11/10/2020 20:56

I wouldn’t take it. I’d be too worried about them planning to sell it very soon.

MillieVanilla · 11/10/2020 20:56

Nope
Was in a similar situation and they sold within a year. Had literally just got the DCs into an excellent school.
Sorry op but run away!

Original poster
namechange7438 · 11/10/2020 20:57

God! Excuse my typo's!

"her" = here
"28 months" = 18 months!

OP posts:
Original poster
namechange7438 · 11/10/2020 21:01

Thankyou - we're so torn over what to do! We don't want to end up in the same situation again!

I think they'll struggle to sell for what they're asking as there is a feature of the house that 98% of the target audience hate - luckily we think its brilliant. But if we do so might someone else!

According to the estate agent, all of the viewers who came to look when it was for sale hated this feature so I guess that's a good thing!

OP posts:
SpookyNoise · 11/10/2020 21:08

Don’t trust the estate agent - they will be wanting you to take it.

underneaththeash · 11/10/2020 21:39

Could you afford to buy it instead? May give you a decent offer if it’s failed to sell.

Oysterbabe · 11/10/2020 21:43

Nope, they'll be chucking you out again in no time.

Bouncycastle12 · 11/10/2020 21:44

Ask for a year long contract, and if they say no, go elsewhere

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 11/10/2020 21:46

Ask for a longer lease?

supermodel · 11/10/2020 21:48

Oooops read the title as rectal problem so was expecting something very different! Grin

Pipandmum · 11/10/2020 21:49

If the landlord's offering you a long term tenancy then why wouldn't you take it? What is considered long term - two years or more? A six month tenancy is minimum - I wouldn't consider that long term.
Only sign if they say two years or more.

NailsNeedDoing · 11/10/2020 21:49

Any other property you view could come with the same issue without the landlord being so honest, you may as well take it if you like it.

stovetopespresso · 11/10/2020 22:06

sounds like you're the victim of a changeable rental market, been there twice a few years ago, having to move as a single mum and it really sucks. Best get a property where the ll uses it as just that, a rental property for income, with minimal danger of selling.

sugarplumfairy28 · 11/10/2020 22:24

Don't do it! We rented a house on the belief it was a long term rental, no mention of any other undertones at all, literally days after we moved in our new landlords 'came clean' and said they were only renting it out to making money from the rent to save a deposit for a new house and sell the one we were renting. Within 6 months (we had a 12 month tenancy) the house was up for sale, and we were plagued with estate agent phone calls wanting to arrange viewings, despite only accepting full time working tenants, they were enraged that we couldn't accommodate their midday viewing appointments on a Thursday. They then wanted to do blocks of 12-15 appointments at weekends, and if we had plans would tell us they had a spare key and would let themselves in. This went on for months, literally 18 months as it wasn't a great house for the price! Our right to quiet enjoyment went out the window, and our previous experience (literally the house we moved from) of prospective buyers letting their kids jump on my kids beds with dirty shoes, going through my underwear drawers and even stealing my children's toys, all this told us we could not trust estate agents to show people around in our absence.

So to sum up, don't do it! The landlord's focus will be selling, which means upending your life for viewings and disregarding you when it comes to getting you out, same applies to the estate agents.

Lolalovesmarmite · 11/10/2020 22:28

Is the feature a downstairs bathroom? Or a dungeon?

PiggyPokkyFool · 11/10/2020 22:43

@Lolalovesmarmite

Is the feature a downstairs bathroom? Or a dungeon?
That made me laugh @Lolalovesmarmite

I reckon its a swimming pool or a giant crap pond

PiggyPokkyFool · 11/10/2020 22:44

Oh God - CARP pond not crap - whoopsBlush

ImSleepingBeauty · 11/10/2020 22:45

I’m a landlord. Tried to sell the house but 3 chains fell through within 12 months.
Put it on the rental market and let it out to the first tenant for 5 years so you may get lucky.

Xenia · 11/10/2020 22:54

Ask for 2 year tenancy. We hoped my son's tenants being a family would stay more than a year as they had intimated but the relationship has broken up and they want to move out after the one year. Longer tenancies are better for both sides usually.

AcademiaEatingItself · 11/10/2020 22:56

@underneaththeash

Could you afford to buy it instead? May give you a decent offer if it’s failed to sell.
yetmorecrap · 11/10/2020 23:31

I would only take a guaranteed 18 months minimum on a house that’s been on the market for sale and even then I would insist on having a no ‘on the market’ clause for first 12 months- purely for the reason the person above mentioned— constant viewings!!

lotsagossip · 11/10/2020 23:53

I wouldn’t OP. No point of all the upheaval of moving just to have to move again in 6 months you might as well stay where you are if that’s the case. Find somewhere that’s offering a longer tenancy.

caringcarer · 12/10/2020 00:34

Which area are you in OP where rental houses are going so quickly? I have 6 rental houses and only offer a six month lease in the first instance but if no problems with the tenants I offer 1 year after and then renew with tenants each year. One tenant has been in one of my houses for 9 years now. Morgage lender and insurance do not allow me to let for more than 1 year at a time. This is pretty standard with mortgage lenders and insurers.

Original poster
namechange7438 · 12/10/2020 07:34

Sorry, I didn't realise I had so many replies!

We're in the south east and it really is insane at the moment - it was a fast market when we moved in here but its now just ridiculous.

We've made our position very clear - we need long term. We've suggested a signing a longer tenancy so thatbthe landlord (and us) feels more secure - should we get offered the tenancy of course.

Theoretically we could buy however it isn't an option as partner owns the house (with mortgage) his ex and children live in. We don't have the money for a second deposit unless he sells their house.

The (very genuine) estate agent is going to try and get a straight answer from the landlord today so hopefully things should be clearer - my viewpoint is that wherever you go as renter this is always a risk however I've never owned a house. My partner has always owned so he deals struggles to deal with it. Obviously I don't like the idea that a house could be sold from under you however there's naff all. I can do about it.

If they offer a long contract then I'm of the view that we should take it. So long as its a longer term agreement.

And for those asking - the off putting feature is the garden..... Not a crap pond😂

OP posts:
ImaginaryCat · 12/10/2020 07:42

Yup, 2 yr initial term should do it. It's a good way for both sides to convey their intent.