WTF is my Tenant for real?

[Rollercoasteride]

Just for background, I am an accidental Landlord. I rent my old flat out, I could charge more, but as long as my mortgage is covered I don't care. Getting the right tenant is more important to me.

Anyway my recent tenant has been living there for 18 months, no problems so far always pays on time.

Yesterday the gas safety certificate was due. I messaged the tenant late afternoon to check if the gas man had been. He replied saying the gas man just arrived.

Then shortly later he messaged me to say the boiler has been condemned because of a leak. So I replied what leak etc..I got no reply.

I was furious with the gas man for not calling me, worried the tenant had no hot water etc. I tried to call the gas company, but they had closed as its after 5pm.

Tried ringing the tenant, goes straight to voice mail. Try messenger, no answer. Left messages no answer.

Checked my emails about 6pm....I only get an email from the gas man with a copy of the safety certificate! No leaks mentioned, just an advisory about a wire.

Nothing about the boiler being condemned.

To date I have heard nothing more from the tenant!

Why would the tenant do this?!

Oh god, why the gripe on a widely used terminology which helps to convey the ops position.

Ignore it all op, it really is a way of grabbing on to an innocuous detail in order to create a bun fight.

Try not to communicate with the tenant in future and only liaise with the workmen. Keep the interactions simply on a necessity basis so a simple 'Hi X, the gas man needs to come and check the boiler. I have provisionally booked him for X date but please let me know if this not convenient and we can find a date that works.'

Don't involve the tenant in official business and then there is no chance of this happening again.

Just do as other suggested , email and leave a voicemail or text for tenant (so you have written copy) saying gas boiler is fine, passed gas safety certificate check and you think there's been a misunderstanding

But you do need to deal also with this accidental landlord stuff. Your tenant needs an AST contract, deposit has to be secured in deposit scheme and you need to reconsider amount of rent charging as if there are repairs or extra landlords insurance etc needing covering you are leaving yourself in a poor position. Get some advice and work to get it sorted. It's taxable income also so rent should be higher than mortgage costs and should be declared. You need some advice, there is planets out there. Don't let it be a loss for you. Also if your situ changes you need to know how you go about giving notice and if things are set up poorly, you will regret not taking the time now to do it right.

@ParkingFeud

Please explain how you are an accidental landlord? Frankly, if you have a business renting out property you should accept that you will have to deal with hassle and communications. It's what you get paid for.

Here come the chip on shoulder anti landlord posters OP!

It sounds as others have said, as though the tenant misunderstood. It doesn't seem as though there were any issues prior to the gas check or you'd have known.

I'm a tenant.

@sueelleker One of the things that pushed me in that direction was the mention that the tenant is paying well below the market rent - often a sign of a landlord who isn't 100% sure what they're doing and may be easier to manipulate. The tenant may well have picked up on this and is trying to take advantage.

Not sure why the tenant would have said such a thing - maybe he thought it was a joke, or perhaps misunderstood the gas man.

Anyway - please see an accountant who can advise you on the tax implications of renting out your property. You may think it's a solution to covering your mortgage payment but rental income is viewed as an income so will therefore be liable to tax.

One of my friends rented out a property to students for number of years without declaring the income and was clobbered with a large tax bill recently.

Is it an old and inefficient boiler? Maybe the tenant didn't realize you'd get a copy of the gas certificate and is trying to dupe you into buying a better boiler? I lived somewhere with an old one and in winter it took 45min for the room to warm up. The new boiler in current home heats the room up toasty warm in 15min.

Yes- accidental landlord is a term that is widely used and accepted. But it is an inaccurate term. Shout all you like. I don’t care who is annoyed by the people pointing it out. I’m not going to stop doing it.

Deal directly with the workman, not the tenant. If the tenant were qualified you wouldn't have needed to consult a professional in the first place 🤷🏻‍♀️

@Gingefringe

Not sure why the tenant would have said such a thing - maybe he thought it was a joke, or perhaps misunderstood the gas man.

Anyway - please see an accountant who can advise you on the tax implications of renting out your property. You may think it's a solution to covering your mortgage payment but rental income is viewed as an income so will therefore be liable to tax.

One of my friends rented out a property to students for number of years without declaring the income and was clobbered with a large tax bill recently.

The income after costs such as the mortgage payment, is taxable, you make it sound like she’d be paying tax on the rent even if she’s not making a penny because of the mortgage and other costs.

@Notwavingbutdrowing3

Just do as other suggested , email and leave a voicemail or text for tenant (so you have written copy) saying gas boiler is fine, passed gas safety certificate check and you think there's been a misunderstanding

But you do need to deal also with this accidental landlord stuff. Your tenant needs an AST contract, deposit has to be secured in deposit scheme and you need to reconsider amount of rent charging as if there are repairs or extra landlords insurance etc needing covering you are leaving yourself in a poor position. Get some advice and work to get it sorted. It's taxable income also so rent should be higher than mortgage costs and should be declared. You need some advice, there is planets out there. Don't let it be a loss for you. Also if your situ changes you need to know how you go about giving notice and if things are set up poorly, you will regret not taking the time now to do it right.

What makes you think the OP hasn’t given the tenant a contract?

@MotionActivatedDog

Yes- accidental landlord is a term that is widely used and accepted. But it is an inaccurate term. Shout all you like. I don’t care who is annoyed by the people pointing it out. I’m not going to stop doing it.

Why does it upset you so much?

@ParkingFeud

Please explain how you are an accidental landlord? Frankly, if you have a business renting out property you should accept that you will have to deal with hassle and communications. It's what you get paid for.

Give over

@MotionActivatedDog

Yes- accidental landlord is a term that is widely used and accepted. But it is an inaccurate term. Shout all you like. I don’t care who is annoyed by the people pointing it out. I’m not going to stop doing it.

Why do you thrive of off derailing a thread and causing more anxiety by being belligerent?

Some people look for ways to pick holes in a thread. Unpleasant behaviour.

You have the certificate saying it's serviced and in working order so I wouldn't worry about it, tenants probably too embarrassed to answer your calls and texts 😂

I suspect the gas man gave tenant a running commentary.
"That readings a bit high, if I cant adjust to xxx I'd have to condemn it.....blah blah blah."
Tenant took them at their word. Within 10 mins all ok.

I agree with @MotionActivatedDog it is an inacurrate term.

How OP came to be a landlord is irrelevant, she is a landlord, has a flat as a business and therefore has all the roles and responsibilities being a landlord entails. It is OP who included these details

And blimey accidental landlord does not mean OP hasn't fully appraised herself of all her responsibilities including tax. Accidental landlord is short hand for "I'm stuck with this property for the moment"

@VanGuff

I agree with *@MotionActivatedDog* it is an inacurrate term.

How OP came to be a landlord is irrelevant, she is a landlord, has a flat as a business and therefore has all the roles and responsibilities being a landlord entails. It is OP who included these details

Then why is that widely accepted, and why is is it ok to hammer home this topic when this is NOT WHAT THE THREAD IS ABOUT?

Go and argue the inaccurate term with a change.org petition or something, instead of detailing the thread and shitting on someone who tells you they have anxiety.

@MotionActivatedDog

I am an accidental LL, as bought the property in 2007, property has been in negative equity since. I can't live there as its unsuitable for my condition.

Not being able to live in a property doesn’t automatically make you a landlord. choosing to let it does.

Why are you banging on about this when it has nothing to do with the question being asked? It’s rude and bullying.

How can a property you bought in 2007 be worth less now, when prices are rising so much each year?

I think the idea that the tenant is trying to get money!!?? Or a better boiler is just ridiculous.
I think it is more likely to be a misunderstanding than a joke and as @AnxiousWeirdo says the tenant is therefore too embarrassed to talk to you at the moment.

I really do think it’s just a bad joke or crossed wires. Why would anyone jump to ‘the tenant wants money’ when they’re actively avoiding communicating with the OP now? That makes no sense.

Because 2007 was a peak just before a massive crash. I know, because I also bought then
🙄