What have I done wrong? Landlords and renters!

[Kapalika]

I bought a flat in 1999. Yes I'm old! I lived there for 6 years, then met my now husband and we moved to a house.
We budgeted and were able to keep the flat.
We've had 4 tenants in that time, the last guy was there for 12 years. He moved out in 2021 and we now have new tenants.
2 sisters even though it's a 1 bed flat. Ok, they said they wanted to share the bedroom. Fine.
However, the ‘lead tenant’ then started complaining about various things.

1. Needed new black out curtains in the front room. Fine. I did that.
2. Have moths that will ruin their clothes. Massive apologies from me. Paid for fumigation. The guy who did it said there was no problem, but ok.
3. She requested a rug for a carpeted floor. (ok, no problem. Bought it)
4. She tells me her sister has OCD, so we can't access the flat. Ok fine.

She has said she wouldn't pass the affordably check as her sister has now moved out.
I mean, honestly?

But really? She doesn't reply to text messages or emails. I've called her 3 times over the past year. No response. She's a teacher and said she's very busy, but now is the time to renew her contract and she just doesn't respond.
I've said it's a £10 per month increase.

I don't think I'm being a complete bitch. Or am I? Seriously, what am I doing wrong?
There are other things, but minor and not worth mentioning.

omg! The moth issue ok I get, IF they had a problem but that sounds debatable. The curtains and rug? No way. I have rented our home for 12 years and never expected our landlord to place rugs down or give us black out curtains. I bought ours myself and washed his and placed them in black bags to keep them safe. I think it’s pure cheek. As for OCD I’m sorry it’s hard but you ha every right to acres the house as long as you give them appropriate notice. They didn’t mind when the moth situation was dealt with. I don’t think a £10 increase is bad at all. I would carry on trying to get hold of her but I would post something to her as well. If it doesn’t improve I would question whether you want to continue renting to her.

A friend had a tenant like this - was even calling the managing agents to change the light bulbs until friend told the agents they had to run all requests by her first.
the woman calmed down a bit eventually and stayed a few years.
Black out curtains, rugs - down to her if she wants them.
It sounds as if you've been really fortunate with your previous tenants, but that is a two way thing, you must be a good landlord for them to stay.
Current tenant sounds a PITA - in your position I'd cut my losses and not extend the contract.

The rug is a bit of an odd one, I wouldn't expect to provide this.
Now that her sister has moved out, I'd go and do an inspection.

If she's not responding, your options are

1. To give notice
2. If you don't want to give notice, the tenancy becomes a periodic tenancy with a 2 month notice clause.

I would write and send the letter recorded delivery giving her 7 days to respond and decide then.

Do you use an agency? Have they contacted her about renewal?

Could you end the tenancy and find someone else? I don’t know the legalities of such things

If she can't afford it then surely she needs to move somewhere she can afford? What happens if she can't meet the rent agreement?

Not letting you in to inspect is a breach of the tenancy n itself, and is no doubt to hide the other breaches. Serve notice. The market is too buoyant to have a tenant who plays games.

Its time to get a new tenant. New rugs and curtains on a whim, and refusing inspections, aren't normal. Best let her go now as its only going to get worse. Wouldn't be surprised if she stopped paying, after all she's hinted she wouldn't have passed the affordability test.

I'd insist on an immediate inspection in the evening maybe to suit her working hours.

I would give notice if that didn't happen for whatever reason.

Rugs and curtains aren't your responsibility.....

I would be looking for a new tenant strange behaviour

I think you need to act more professionally (I mean that in a nice way). Follow the steps the law outlines and don't do "favours" (like buying rugs) and then get cross because there is no reciprocity. You are this woman's landlord, and you are running a business. Run it.

Blackout curtains? Not allowed to visit and insoect your iwn property?

Are you absolutely sure that it's not being used as a cannabis farm?

Would suspect the lounge doubled as a bedroom, hence curtain and rug request. If sister is no longer there why can you not access the property (with due notice).

If she cannot afford it without her sister, she needs to move out.

Be very careful alarm bells are ringing very loud on this one. Something is very off with this situation.

Blackout curtains and rug - for the tenant to buy and keep when they leave.

Moths - seek professional advice. I wouldn't have treated if advised no issue.

Have you not been able to do a routine inspection since she became a tenant? That's a bit worrying.

If she won't let you in, doesn't meet affordability and won't respond then I'd say it's time to get new tenants.

I'd write to her saying as you've not had a response regarding the renewal, you'll have to assume she does not want to remain at the flat and you will be giving formal notice.

If she gets in touch and wants to stay make sure you do an inspection first.

If sounds like you're not using an agent. I really would recommend using a letting agent. Mine is invaluable for keeping things upto date with rules etc.

If my tenant requested rugs etc i would direct them to the nearest shop.

It's not your place to provide soft furnishings. Even in a furnished let. Curtains, rugs etc are the responsibility of the tenant. Would the council provide these items if she was renting from them?

I'm a landlord and have been taken for a mug in the past by tenants but no more.

Go on Landlord Zone for advice from landlords and ensure you sign up to NRLA.

I think you need to go through an agency if you haven't already. You seem to have SOFT TOUCH written on your forehead. And maybe GULLIBLE as well if you bought no 4.

(Are you sure she's even still alive?)

As 1 year contract coming to end give 2 month's notice. Post recoded delivery. Apply for section 21 before they are scrapped. Go through agent in future where they will do proper checks on tenants.

All of the things you have don’t aren’t landlord responsibilities. Pests are tenant responsibility unless there is a building defect that has caused them, curtains and rugs are tenant. I’d get rid and join a landlord association so you are fully aware of what you are and aren’t required to do.

Re. not letting you in to inspect, she said that was because her sister had OCD.
If her sister has moved out then that excuse won't work any more!

In the nicest way, you're being a bit of a pushover OP here.
I kind of understand the curtains as they can be a big cost for what could be a temporary home for these tenants and at least the next tenant can enjoy them but a rug, a decorative rug?

Huge alarms bells ringing here with the second tenant moving out mid tenancy too. The sceptic in me would wonder if the sister ever lived there at all. I've seen many a single occupant find a partner for the referencing process and then magically find the relationship breaking down mid tenancy leaving the one tenant in the property.

Having an excuse to refuse access, the unreasonable demands and now the lack of affordability would leave me inclined to service notice to end the tenancy OR leave the tenancy as a periodic tenancy and serve a section 13 notice to increase the rent. This gives you the option to serve two months notice should the tenant cause any problems.

Good luck OP, you've been very lucky to have had a good tenant for so long, don't get tied into a new contract with this one if you have doubts.

Are you sure she is a teacher?

Have you considered just letting the tenancy roll on to a periodical one for the time being? If you start a new tenancy you will need to re protect deposit, etc, and can’t issue a section 21 notice for 4 months at least, or 10 months if you use a 12 months fixed term.
Can you get some legal advice?. If they were joint tenants one of them can’t just leave with no further liability.
What has the sister said to you? I think it is possible for one party to give notice to end the tenancy after the fixed term, but it ends the whole tenancy and not just their liability. Whilst it is often a pragmatic approach I don’t think you have to offer a new tenancy to the one who hasn’t asked to end. It would still require a court case if things got that far, but I understand it’s a straight forward matter.

Landlords do not 'apply' for a section 21 and never have.
The Landlord serves a notice now called form 6a, once that's been served (correctly) and if the tenant doesn't leave at the expiry date the landlord can then apply to the local court for an accelerated possession procedure.
If you're going to serve notice OP, I'd suggest asking the agency who originally found the tenants to do this for you. Any decent agents do this free of charge if they're going to be sourcing new tenants for you.

This is on the basis that the property is in England and not other parts of the UK RE the two months notice and section 13 etc.