Landlords, would you consider this if your tenants asked?

[DesperateTenant]

I have rented my current home for 13 years. I am a good tenant, I keep the house in excellent shape and care for it as if it was my own. I have never asked for anything, rent is always paid on time.

Landlord has decided to sell and I only discovered this when someone knocked on my door wanting a sneaky viewing. They showed me the listing on Rightmove, complete with pictures I was completely unaware were taken.

I am shocked and desperate not to move. I came from nothing and I've made a life for me and my children here. We have a real community around us. I'm at the point where I'll be able to buy locally within 6 months and staying in the area is so important to me.

I completely understand that legally I am not entitled to be told when the LL is selling and have no rights to ask for anything from the LL and I don't know their personal situation.

But, for the landlords out there, in these circumstances if your long term tenant asked if you would consider waiting 6 months and offered to pay more rent (currently pay £850, would offer £1150) would you?

Would it be completely unreasonable for me to ask this?

In 6 months I'd have enough to buy the house I'm in and would do so in a heartbeat.

Absolutely, but why can’t you offer asking price now? Is it the deposit or the higher interest rate that kills this for the lender to approve you?

Id speak to the landlord. It’s silly they didn’t offer you the opportunity to buy first. For that reason alone I would start my offer at 10% below ask and discount further based on the inspection report. No point being a pussy when the other guy is being a dick. I recommend starting with being a dick and escalating to an asshole if necessary.

Well you can ask but every single landlord on here can say what they would do but that does not make your landlord do anything so ask them

I’m not a landlord but have been in the past and I think it’s definitely worth asking. Sales can take a long time and fall through and I would regard you as a good buyer because you’re highly motivated and unlikely to mess around by gazundering or similar.

I would want evidence that you would be ready to proceed in six months and it would be helpful if you were able to start some of the legal processes.

Your landlord might not be in a position to wait of course but there’s no harm in asking.

Talk to your landlord. It can take 6 months for a house to sell anyway plus for a sale to complete. If you are in a confident position to buy quickly in 6 months, they might not even care about a rent increase now. Don’t start by offering more rent as part of the negotiation. Hold that back if you need to offer an incentive.

You need to ask your landlord. Show them some evidence that you have almost all of your deposit together and a DIP from some lenders which back up your ability to buy. Make an offer and give them a firm date six months ahead when you expect to be in a position to conclude.

Without that, if I needed to sell for personal or financial reasons then I’d keep marketing because promises about what someone might be able to do in the future are worthless. Extra rent wouldn’t really be an incentive.

I am not a landlord, but if I were, I'd agree.

From a practical point of view, because selling to you would be a lot less faff than dealing with estate agents. But also because he hasn't even issued you notice yet, and you could easily drag your feet for six months, and no-one (other than another landlord) will buy with tenants in situ.

Plus he's been a bit sneaky letting someone into your house for photos, and not telling you he's selling, which should make him feel guilty of he's human at all.

House sales take time so I’d just offer the six months with no rent increase tbh and then if they say no I’d offer more rent

I just don't have a big enough deposit right now.
Houses around here sell so quickly, it's a great location. I have no doubt it will sell soon. It was a very rough area when I first moved here but things changed drastically during COVID and it's improved so much.

To be honest I am crossing my fingers that some of the work that needs doing will put people off for a little while considering the price it's listed for. For example none of the upstairs windows close properly and half of the downstairs can be pried open from the outside (like that since I moved in), the gas fire was condemned 4 years ago etc. So while I've kept it in excellent condition and looked after everything there are things broken that LL never fixed and I couldn't.
But it's the fixer-upper in a nice area that appeals to people.

You aren’t going to lose anything by asking!

Ask - I would have done this for my tenants before my flat went on the market

Why don't you offer to buy it direct without the estate agent? It might be too late and he will have to pay the agency, but if he withdraws from the market and waits till you have the deposit, he may avoid having to pay them, so would be wirth his while waiting.

Ask.

The landlord gets extra rent and has the option for a guaranteed buyer at the end, possibly without any estate agent fees.

Perhaps be prepared to prove how you will definitely be in a position to buy at the end.

It would depend on why I was selling but it doesn’t hurt to ask!

As an aside, the way your LL has put the house up for sale without even telling you is unbelievable! And what do you mean about the photographs? Please tell me they are only external?

I wouldn't offer to pay more rent for a start, you're just reducing your ability to save for the deposit by an extra £300/month in the short term. I'd also question what type of person your LL is not to even discuss with their tenant of 13 YEARS that they were planning to sell, or give them first refusal if they may be in a position to buy rather than advertising on the open market. Also, you mention pictures, has your LL entered your property without your knowledge and taken pictures in your home?? If so, I'm sorry to say this is increasingly sounding like someone who isn't likely to be reasonable in their response to your perfectly reasonable request.

The photographs are of the inside. They were either taken during my most recent inspection or someone was given access without my permission. Either way, I wasn't aware they were being taken and wouldn't have consented to so many being posted online (which I am legally allowed to do as far as I'm aware).

You may as well ask.

Also you can decline viewings, your LL has behaved very badly by not informing you.

We bought our first flat from our landlord, Op! It can be done. Good luck.

Is he selling it with a tenant in situ? Or is he pretending it will be vacant?

Remember your rights. You don't have to move out until evicted, don't go early to make his life easy!

It's strange because he's been a decent enough landlord over the years. So I'm a bit upset that he's now possibly going to be difficult.

Firstly, your landlord is a c**t. He won't wait.

No matter what he says those pictures are of your possessions and should not be on the internet, let him and the estate know this.

Secondly, you do not have to allow viewings.

Of course, no harm in asking!

Don't offer more money just yet. Keep that up your sleeve.

But definitely ask and let us know how it goes as I'm routing for you!!!

There is no mention of there being tenants in situ. It's all listed as a regular house sale.

I have been reading about the eviction process and learning my rights.

I'm really scared if I'm honest.

I am a (not intentional) landlord currently trying to sell and would be over the moon if my tenant would buy our flat. There’s so much less chance of you backing out since clearly there’s nothing new you’re going to find out about it. Good luck OP!