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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To do nothing about tenant?

246 replies

MyBurdenisHeavy · 01/01/2022 15:16

Hi folks, happy new year.

We have a flat in London that was used for work 2/3 nights a week. Been WFH since pandemic and started to rent it out a year ago. It’s not typically a “family” building. Mainly young professionals. Anyway we were approached by a company who offered to lease it from us and they would manage the letting. Turns out they have a contract with a homeless charity or such and had a few units in our building housing homeless families during the pandemic. No issues there - all good. Fast forward a year and we’re being contacted by other tenants/owners who managed to get our number, pleading with us to do something about the people in our flat (a mother and 3 boys I understand - 2.5, 4 and 6). Apparently they are making the lives of the people below them (at least 2 flats based on the way they are laid out) an utter misery - stomping, running, jumping from morning to night I’m told. I contacted the company we leased it to and they said that they had received some complaints a few months ago and called out to talk to the family a few times. The complaints kept coming and ultimately they said the woman explained that the children were just playing and being kids so she didn’t know what they wanted her to do. They told me the kids were probably a bit boisterous alright but ultimately that’s part of apartment living and the neighbours just have to accept there’s a family living there and get on with it. The complaints kept coming apparently but they had closed the matter and are no longer responding to them - they told me there is a legal route the other residents could take if they felt strongly about it, but it rarely happens so just sit tight and don’t worry about it.
I’m now up the walls with anxiety and guilt and don’t know what the right thing to do is.
It’s abundantly clear that the woman cannot or will not control the kids (no judgement - just stating fact that it will not be resolved from that side). So the options are to carry on and leave things as they are - thereby upsetting the neighbours and ruining their home life (their words), or terminate the lease (I can do this in 4 months) and cause distress to the woman and her kids.
AIBU to do nothing, stay out of it and leave the family stay there?

OP posts:
Santahatesbraisedcabbage · 01/01/2022 15:22

As a ll I think you have a responsibility to the management of the mh of all involved - when it is something you can change for the better... Imagine being one of their ndn's... Yabu to gnore complaints.... Boot them out op. Surely being a decent tenant and neighbour is in their tenancy?

PersonaNonGarter · 01/01/2022 15:29

C’mon OP - that is not ok.

Original poster
MyBurdenisHeavy · 01/01/2022 15:31

Thank you. I don’t think they have a tenancy (the company is the tenant and they’re probably a licence or something). But take the point about them being decent people.
Just remembered that the company said to me as well which annoyed me - something along the lines “imagine the PR nightmare you’d face evicting a single mother at Christmas”

OP posts:
nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut · 01/01/2022 15:32

Terminate the lease. Its not fair on the other tenants, she's been warned about the noise and doesn't care so give her notice. She should have thought about where she would live before and controlled her kids.

Horst · 01/01/2022 15:32

You need to fix this. Only a bad landlord doesn’t care around those around their property.

I’m sure the other owners could also turn this around on you to the company that manages the building as well there is normally something in your contract when it’s a flat/apartment.

Original poster
MyBurdenisHeavy · 01/01/2022 15:33

@PersonaNonGarter - my gut feeling is no it’s not right, but I feel a bit gaslit after talking to the company and I don’t know what’s acceptable living under a family as I’ve never been in that position

OP posts:
PersonaNonGarter · 01/01/2022 15:38

Doing nothing is the easiest, cheapest solution for the company. I would make it their problem. Tell them they will need to find a solution this week.

Doomscrolling · 01/01/2022 15:39

Give them notice. It's not fair on the neighbours to put up with that. Clearly the woman and her children need different accomodation to meet their needs, like access to an outdoor space.

Those are YOUR neighbours you are upsetting - people you may well be having a relationship with in the future if you cease to work from home.

meteoric · 01/01/2022 15:40

Does the flat have carpets down?

SeasonFinale · 01/01/2022 15:40

Terminate the agreement with the company too.

Are your mortgage company aware that it is not a standard BTL arrangement you have?

You can be sued for nuisance too.

user290814356289 · 01/01/2022 15:41

Going against the majority here.

Living underneath kids can be difficult.

Can you put in sound proof underlay under all the flooring to reduce the noise?

Kids can make typical noise between the hours of 7.30am and 11pm or roundabout those times.

I feel for mum having 3 young kids in an upper flat and neighbours complaining constantly. It must be very stressful. Throw in the fact she's a single mum and also accessing housing through a homeless charity because of circumstances. what exactly is she supposed to do. Have you tried getting a 2.5 year old to sit still and be quiet? It sounds like the other neighbours are not used to living near a family with small children.

It's not so easy to just walk into another house. I don't think people realise that you won't just be offered somewhere.

AmandaHoldensLips · 01/01/2022 15:42

I suppose it's okay if you don't give a shit about other people and you have no intention of living there again or being on good terms with your neighbours.

Lots of people are subjected to nightmare neighbours and there's very little they can do about it (unless they're prepared to go legal which is costly and highly stressful). Shitty landlords are part of the every day landscape it seems, and if you don't mind being one of them, then carry on.

The management company will only care about the money. Same goes for the owners/landlords who couldn't give a fuck about ruining neighbours' enjoyment of their homes.

HoardingSamphireSaurus · 01/01/2022 15:44

Check your agreement with the leasing company. You might need legal help to deal with them. They are wrong in what they have told you. If the neighbours contact the council and prove that the noise is over and above normal family noise it is you, the owner/ landlord that might face a variety of censures, including fines, depending on the freehold etc. The management company won't face anything at all.

Gird your loins and find a better solution.

Original poster
MyBurdenisHeavy · 01/01/2022 15:45

There are carpets down so nothing that can be solved too easily.

OP posts:
AthenaPopodopolous · 01/01/2022 15:46

Can you offer to lay down carpets and underlay in your flat to help reduce the noise? That would help. Noise is distressing when living in a flat but I can see both sides POV.

Ginjanotaninja · 01/01/2022 15:46

You need to pull in some big girl pants and tell the agency they need to sort it or else you are terminating the tenancy. If the woman is on a license or being housed there as a homeless applicant, then they ( agency/Council) can move her almost immediately, the quickest I've known was about an hour and I have worked in homelessness/ housing options. You are being taken for a muppet.

sst1234 · 01/01/2022 15:48

@Ginjanotaninja

You need to pull in some big girl pants and tell the agency they need to sort it or else you are terminating the tenancy. If the woman is on a license or being housed there as a homeless applicant, then they ( agency/Council) can move her almost immediately, the quickest I've known was about an hour and I have worked in homelessness/ housing options. You are being taken for a muppet.
Exactly.

The agency is responsible for sorting it and are taking a cut but not doing the work. Equally, it’s not fair for the neighbours to put up with this

IncompleteSenten · 01/01/2022 15:49

What about writing and asking them to indemnify you from all actions taken by other residents as a result of this family's noise.

I think the term is indemnify. I may be wrong. Tell them you want a written assurance, legally enforceable commitment, whatever, that they will meet all costs occuring from any complaint or action and if they will not make that binding guarantee then you will end the contract.

Make it their problem and I bet they'll give a shit then!

Xmasiscancelledagain · 01/01/2022 15:50

Something to consider is that just because you evict her or give her notice, doesn't mean she will actually leave when she is meant to.

LethargicActress · 01/01/2022 15:50

A choice you made is having a hugely negative effect on people, you need to take responsibility and get it sorted. This family clearly aren’t living in a suitable place, you’d probably be doing them a favour by getting them moved on.

Dobbysgotthesocks · 01/01/2022 15:51

I'd find out exactly what is going on before kicking them out!
Neighbours can be funny things and it's not fair to kick someone out without knowing all the facts.
I have had numerous complaints about my dogs since living in my house. Them barking mainly. But also complaints about my bins, where I park my car, how bright my outside light is. All coming from an extended family within the village. All complaints have been proven to be false by me and I know have a harassment case going against them.

I not saying this will be the case for you op but it does happen. So make sure your being fair to your Tennant.

Original poster
MyBurdenisHeavy · 01/01/2022 15:51

@Ginjanotaninja thanks - I’m feeling a bit like that alright - wasn’t sure if I was off the mark. Good to know about relocation so quickly

OP posts:
FestiveFuckery · 01/01/2022 15:51

It sounds like the amount of complaints made is significant and that they are so desperate for help they have found a way to contact you. It's not fair to do this to them as it doesn't sound like "just normal life". You need to tell the agency to get this woman out or sort it. I don't think it's great to do that to a woman with kids but intimately this is her own doing.

EmpressCixi · 01/01/2022 15:53

I am shocked at the votes. The neighbours chose to live in flat with people living above them, so they accepted there would be noise of general living going on. Three children playing normally will make noise...what is this mother supposed to do? It’s wrong to not let children play. I’d agree if the noise reports were of screaming and shouting, but it’s not. They’ve only mentioned the sound of little feet running about. I don’t understand how that makes her a “not decent” neighbour at all.

I think your letting firm is correct, the neighbours don’t have a legal case in terms of noise level. If they did, they’d be using that route. I think the noise really isn’t that bad and they were used to no one living full time above them and now have sour grapes. I would ignore the complaints.

Hankunamatata · 01/01/2022 15:54

@Ginjanotaninja

You need to pull in some big girl pants and tell the agency they need to sort it or else you are terminating the tenancy. If the woman is on a license or being housed there as a homeless applicant, then they ( agency/Council) can move her almost immediately, the quickest I've known was about an hour and I have worked in homelessness/ housing options. You are being taken for a muppet.
Terminate the lease. This is multiple flats making complaints
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