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?!

@thecapitalsunited

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.

This isn’t true any more. The rules changes in 2017 and you could only ever deduct the interest portion before then. Now you get a 20% a tax relief on the interest portion. It’s really stuffed higher rate tax payers so a lot of BTLers have sold up.

Apologies, I’m well out of date then!!

Aw, my tenant is a very clever, well paid, professional woman. The slightest problem with the house and she goes full-drama. She cannot handle anything house-techy.

I've learned this and now I don't stress. The tradesmen always fill me in and its usually nothing.

Don't stress, some people just can't do house stuff. They aren't bad or stupid, its just not in their remit.

The comments on this post are insane.

The boiler probably failed a tightness or let by test, hence the mention of a leak. Theoretically speaking that would constitute an immediately dangerous notice, and the boiler would be isolated safely with a do not use notice applied. But it was probably alleviated by tightening the union or similar so no risk.

You don't need to carry out PAT unless it's a HMO. You also don't need to do anything really with regards legionella beyond the most basic of risk assessments for the majority of properties as so few have water storage tanks etc now. EICR is every 5 years and costs relatively little.

It would be lunacy to get rid of a good tenant in order to list with an agency instead.

And I'm an accidental landlord because I inherited properties which had tenants in. So it was either evict them to sell or just carry on as things were. I don't know why people get all wound up over the term!

@Dullardmullard
Yes, of course it’s safe to use, but why assume the landlord does not have to send a copy of the gas safety certificate to the tenant?
I’m sure the OP knows either way what to do.
Maybe I’ve misunderstood. This is a ridiculous argument for a Saturday night.

[quote TheUnlucky1]@Dullardmullard
Yes, of course it’s safe to use, but why assume the landlord does not have to send a copy of the gas safety certificate to the tenant?
I’m sure the OP knows either way what to do.
Maybe I’ve misunderstood. This is a ridiculous argument for a Saturday night.[/quote]
I meant the tenant gets their own no need for landlady to send anything @TheUnlucky1

Speak to gas engineer.
Email copy of certificate to tenant stating certificate was given, all is well.

There’s obviously been a misunderstanding.

It would be lunacy to get rid of a good tenant in order to list with an agency instead.
Exactly.

@DamnUserName21

Maybe the tenant got his wires crossed.

Whatever the reason, chill. You have the safety certificate and things are ok.

Yes. Wait until Monday and speak to the gas engineer personally. It would hardly be to your tenant's advantage to lie about the boiler, who wants the upheaval of having a boiler taken away and a new on installed, in their home?

He certainly misheard or misinterpreted - possibly the gas man was talking while wearing a mask which wouldn't have helped communication.

Please don't worry, I'm sure all will be well.

New 'one' installed, not 'on',

You say that the rent just covers the mortgage. You do know that you need to declare the rental income on a tax return, don't you?

Also, mortgage capital is not a tax deductible expense.

Mortgage interest can also not be offset in full and in some cases not at all now.

@WetWeekends

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

Mortgage payments cannot be deducted at a revenue cost.

So let’s say rent is £1000 / month. Other costs ( insurance, service changes, repairs, voids, maintenance , legal ) are £300 a month.

Taxable profit is £700 / month so OP pays tax on that £700. PLUS her mortgage - let’s say it’s £900 a month as she says that she only charges a little over the mortgage costs.

The actual tax paid every month will depend - if she doenst have another job she won’t pay anything . Or if she does have a job she might pay about a quarter of it - so £175.

So the tax of £175 and the mortgage of £900 means that she would make a loss of £75 every month.

Yes that’s right - she pays tax even if she makes a loss.

If she lives in somewhere like London she might be making a capital gain, if she is ever able to sell it. But she already in negative equity and house prices in many parts of the Uk are low and rising slowly.

That’s why so many small landlords are selling up. It’s not the get rich quick scenario that many of the landlord haterz here think.

As more small LL sell up, the private rented sector will shrink and rents will go up.

So maybe some of you haterz might consider if that’s the outcome you really want - higher rents and more demand for fewer properties.