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.

Also, your windows aren't secure and your gas fire was condemned FOUR years ago? He is absolutely not a decent landlord in any way...

Tbh it could be 4months or so before you actually need to pay the deposit if you start the ball rolling now. I would go for it if I were you and not ask landlord to wait and definitely don't offer any more money. Shit of your landlord not to mention it and be so u derhanded

This

They blur all family photos out now.

Small landlord here. It depends on their reason for selling. I'd definitely approach, but would hold back on rent increase offer - can be used to negotiate after if need be e.g. if he says increase on new mortgage rates make it too costly etc. Could offer increase in rent as sign of goodwill that he 'holds' property for you and if you back out of sale, he keeps it?

LL could maybe avoid estate agent fees if sells to you, so could also work in your favour.

Give him as much info as can to show you're serious. Surprised he didn't already offer to you first and it's really really poor form that he hasn't let you know. It's your home. Most obvious reason for not telling you would be fear that you'd find alternative accommodation before he's found a buyer - also could be a negotiating point for you - you may get a temporary rent decrease! When did you last see landlord? Is it possible he's died and relatives are selling?

If you don't ask you won't get.

We bought our house from our landlady and she was very patient once she was assured that we genuinely did want to buy - we showed her our financials so that she understood why it wasn't possible immediately and she understood (and wasn't in a hurry[.

I'm a little surprised that after 13 years perfect tenancy your landlord didn't give you a heads up.

Our landlady waited two years then we had a very quick, inexpensive hassle-free exchange. 6 months then an easy exchange during the current property market is reasonable.

Further to the above, having now read the thread, he's a twat for doing this. I'd get an appointment asap, make an offer for in 6 months if that is realistic and NOT offer to pay extra rent.

Wow, a lot of responses. Thank you for the advice. I've been reading everything I can about section 21 and the rights I have.

To clear a couple of things up, I have always informed LL of things that were broken and I've reminded him at every inspection that windows are broken. He's just chosen to sort some things and ignore others. I have never asked for any cosmetic updates or repairs and I've always fixed what I can.
I do have an up to date gas safety certificate but we are always told the fire is never to be used because it is unsafe. At the last check the gas engineer told us he didn't feel comfortable signing off on it but was under instructions to do so.

He has not given me any notice, not even anything informal. I assume he's waiting for an offer he likes before issuing me with anything.

I was contacted by the estate agent earlier because they want to conduct viewings. They know I am a tenant but I don't know if they have informed any potential buyers.

The listing was added to Rightmove on Monday. I think they let themselves in while I was at work on the Saturday.

I said no to the viewings for now. I am worried this will hurt my standing though.

My financial situation has improved recently and right now I don't have a big enough deposit for the asking price. In 6 months I'd be able to double my current savings.

I would love to have sold my place to my tenants - I tried, but their bank just post Covid work weirdness was not playing nicely. The mortgage would have been less than the rent, and I offered to gift a deposit contribution twice my estate agent fees..

In your position I would make an offer, see what you can do. It takes 3 months + to sell anyway, so you are so close to doing it. If you like the house and it saves a move, that is a win for you, for the landlord they know you are not messing, know the house faults, and this will happen so a win for them.

I wouldn’t offer to pay more rent now but I would offer to buy it in six months (If you are absolutely sure you want it and can do that)

the landlord was a bit of an idiot for not discussing it with you before instructing agents

I don't know the legalities of changing the locks on a rented property, but if you can do it, please do. It's very cheap to just change the barrel of the locks and it's a five minute job at most. I've done it myself and I'm shocking at any kind of DIY!

Changing the locks is legally a no-no in a rented property. Landlord was a twat for not telling you he was selling, but the law allows him to do so whether you agree or not, and to take pictures and conduct viewings, though decency should involve agreeing convenience for you.

Speak to the landlord, but if they are the sort to sell it without telling you then I wouldnt hold my breath

https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/eviction/how_to_deal_with_illegal_eviction/how_to_prevent_an_illegal_eviction

This says you can change the locks as long as you keep the originals to refit them.

That's after an attempt at illegal eviction isn't it though? Section 21 eviction, properly delivered, isn't illegal.

There is no section 21 at the moment. The estate agents have let themselves into her home without asking permission in advance, photographed her home and published those photos on the Internet. That is definitely a breach of the right to quiet enjoyment. She didn’t even get the chance to put away any valuables etc.

op - make sure you have taken screen shots of the right move advert in case they pull it.

It would seem a fairly high risk that they would do the same again to facilitate viewings. I would not be happy with random people in my home without me knowing, it is a huge security risk.

There is another discussion of this issue here that might be useful.

https://www.propertyinvestmentproject.co.uk/blog/my-tenant-has-changed-the-door-locks-can-he-do-that/

Do you have a contract?

Is your deposit in the deposit scheme?

Landlord will need to evict using 21 assuming you are not more than 8 weeks in rent arrears.
If he has none of the above in place, he needs to get that sorted before he can issue a legally binding section 21.

Just to add to the above, he needs to have had all the annual gas safety checks done without any being overdue during the whole time of your tenancy. He will find it extremely difficult to issue a valid S21 without this.
Check your deposit is in a scheme. If it isn't then you could claim up to 3 times as much.
I'd definitely talk to him nicely at first, and ask him to wait 6 months. Don't offer the additional rent and save this as a last resort.
Speaking as a landlord, your landlord has acted really badly in not telling you he's put it up for sale. How is he proposing to show people round without your knowledge?
He doesn't seem to have given any thought to how he is going to evict you. You don't have to go by the two month notice, and he'll have to get a court order to then be able to get bailiffs to remove you. It's a very long process and will likely take longer than 6 months. He'll be very relieved to sell to you once he realises this! (though I'd keep your hand close to your chest at the moment- the longer he doesn't know about s21 the longer you have, so don't educate him). On the upside for him, it'll also save him estate agent fees!

There's a really good Facebook group called 'Landlord and Tenant Advice Uk' that offers a lot of good advice.

That's got nothing to do with photographing their possessions all around the house. The identifying object could be anything that an abusive Ex sees in the photo. Admittedly it's not terribly likely, but that's not the point us it?

sges entitled to quiet possession & privacy. Neither the agent nor the LL are entitled to just walk in!

"At the last check the gas engineer told us he didn't feel comfortable signing off on it but was under instructions to do so."

WTF!

The listing was added to Rightmove on Monday. I think they let themselves in while I was at work on the Saturday.
It's illegal to do this! I'd write a very strong email to landlord and estate agent. Talk with the landlord and let him know you'd like to buy it in 6 months. Bear in mind prices may go down in this time, so don't agree a price with him until you've had a survey/ vacation done. If he's not keen to sell to you, you could then begin to gt more 'difficult' -don't allow viewings, inform the council about the unauthorised entry and change the locks (keep the old ones as you'll need to put those back on) and maybe get a camera at your door so you can see who is coming and going

Is the gas engineer the LLs son?

The gas fire can be made inoperable/capped off/warn notice, then the safety cert can be issued.

@DesperateTenant - I would offer to purchase in six months, without offering to up your rent (save it for the deposit).
We are (unfortunately) landlords, and our ideal is to sell to a tenant. You continue to get the rental income whilst the sale
Goes through; there is no eviction process to worry about and the transfer is much more seamless.
Only from
Personal experience, if we were in your LL position we would prefer to sell to you.
However, he didn't offer to sell to you initially, which we would have done. And he has been sneaky about the pics - do you think this is down to LL or agents?

I cant believe your landlord has acted in such an underhand way. You have lived there for years, he/ she should have given you first refusal on purchasing the property. I would definitely ask , without offering to pay increased rent.

Please don't get to the stage of needing bailiffs to get you out as that will make future landlords (if necessary) reluctant to rent to you.

LL will save estate agent fees if sells to you