AIBU to end a tenancy so my niece can live there?

[SunnyDaysAndCoolNights]

We have a house that we rent out to a family with 2 children who have been in the house for about 7 years. The house is in the same city that our niece is at university in.

Just after Xmas, my niece asked us if she could live in the house for her second and third year at uni, (possibly longer) as the houses she had looked at weren’t very nice and she can’t stay in halls.

After speaking to my husband, we decided to say yes and we gave our tenants a section 21 notice in February. Our tenants were/are not happy and have been advised to stay in the house by the council. We thought that may happen which is why we served the notice in February despite my niece not needing the house until September. We were also aware of the new rules coming in soon which would make it harder to end a tenancy.

Since finding out that we have ended the tenancy for our current tenants, my brother and his wife (not nieces parents) have told us that we are ‘typical arsehole landlords’ for ‘kicking out a family’. They think our niece, also their niece is selfish for asking, that she could have found somewhere herself and that we should have put our tenants first as they have been our tenants for quite a long time and they have children. My brother and his wife rent with their children, so obviously that may play a part in their feelings on this. I feel upset they would say these things as I think it’s normal to put your own family first. My other brother and his wife who are parents of my niece are very annoyed at our other brother and his wife.

Would you have done the same as we have or would you have put the tenants first and said no to your niece? I do have sympathy for my tenants, they’re a nice family and have been good tenants, but obviously we love our niece and to us, she comes first.

I suspect they were charged (substantially) below the market rate. So they can't find a similar property for the same money. I'm not sure why council (taxpayer) has to deal with this though.

Respectfully, I agree with your brother.

In the whole of the city your place is the only one suitable? You are willing to let her stay for peanuts, why not help fund a better place for her?

I think it was very sensible to move the tenants out now if you will probably sell the house in the next couple of years. It's not going to be any better for them to move out in 2 years than it is now anyway. As it is they're refusing to move out so I really couldn't feel too sorry for them and I assume the new rules would mean it would only get harder to get them to move out.

I think your niece is very lucky. You own the place and you've done what's best for you and yours, nothing wrong with that at all.

Appreciated. 😂

It’s a choice though isn’t it, because they can clearly pay rent. They just want it cheaper, hence the joining the council waiting list.

Too many people clearly don’t realise that the tenants in this example are waiting for the council option out of a choice. It’s nothing to do with the OPs niece.

as @Nanny0gg mentioned; The renter's rights act may enlighten further as to why @SunnyDaysAndCoolNights is trying to justify their, still reprehensible action.

Key Changes for Landlords (Effective 1 May 2026):
Evictions: Section 21 "no-fault" evictions are abolished.

Landlords must use a strengthened Section 8 notice, citing legal grounds such as rent arrears, antisocial behaviour, or intent to sell/occupy the property.

eta; link

In that case, I don’t think you need to come
posting on here then. You’ve made your decision so why post?

We once had a guy on here fantasising about shagging his MIL. I laughed at him and he started sending me frantic messages about how he really was shagging his MIL and it was very important that I believed him.

I do think YABU op, not legally but morally it isn’t great.
Did your niece honestly ask to rent your house when she must have known there were already tennants in it? Autistic or not she must have known that the tenants in there already would have to move out to allow her to move in. That’s just downright selfish.
You said you are trying to come to an arrangement with your tennants, what sort of arrangement?

They may not have the money for a new deposit and first month’s rent though, which is what you need to secure a new private rental. So they may not have a choice, particularly seeing as they have been served with an eviction they didn’t plan for.

Even 'non service user' tenants are facing a lack of supply and huge barriers such as needing guarantors and high costs. This isnt changed over the last 5 years

A very slight change over recent months is not the same as increased supply. I think the figures are that private lets are around 20% down over the last 5 yeras or so

That’s just hideous. A real sign of a disordered personality. Why do they care so much?

Why can't she just keep living with you, like she already is part-time anyway? X

They will find another landlord who has to pay their BTL debt and knows sensible rent is better than no rent.

https://www.zoopla.co.uk/press/releases/rental-demand-drops-to-six-year-low-as-supply-improves-and-rental-growth/

It's not just about the property size though is it? A managed student flat could give her the privacy she needs with a self contained unit but also help on site for when she trips the electrics, blocks the toilet, whatever else a 19 year old may need some support with if living alone rather than in a house/flat share. Also 24hr security.

Will you be giving your tenants a good reference to support them in their ongoing search - even if they do refuse to move out? I feel like this is the very least you could do

Oh I can confirm this sort of thing happens, because it happened to me twice. One time it was because their friend moved to Canada in the dead of winter and then a month in couldn't cope with the weather, decided to move back and needed somewhere to live. Then the landlord proceeded to tell me how difficult it is for her to cope with evicting me. You couldn't make it up.

Why are you saying they were paying below market rate?

You should have spoken to her parents.
An entire house would leave yr niece very vulnerable and isolated.

It is possibly even more difficult for a family to find a good place to rent than for the OP’s niece, though. With these new landlord/tenant laws coming in at the end of the week, many private landlords are selling their properties as they can’t be doing with the expense/faff. This means that there are even fewer properties available to rent on the market, whether private or council, and those that are available on the private market are becoming more expensive thanks to profiteering landlords. So your idea that these tenants “want it cheaper” has no basis in the reality of the current market for tenants.

Because in 1977 a piece of legislation was enacted that codified how local authorities should deal with people who were going to become homeless. The legislation was as a result of a television programme called Cathy Come Home. It was a groundbreaking piece of docudrama. It took several years and much campaigning for a private members Bill to become law. The bill was almost universally supported on both sides of the house. Since 1977 that legislation has been altered, amended and changed to reflect whichever government is in office, what that administration thinks of homeless people and the times we live in.
If you are sufficiently interested, the legislation is on the government website, you could peruse it as bedtime reading. The legislation is further codified by the code of guidance and caselaw. A lot of points to consider when dealing with people who are going to be homeless.

Its your house for crying out loud.

Of course you can decide who lives there.

And I say this as a family who spent many years renting.

Can't understand anyone saying otherwise.

I don't know but I told him to knock it off or I'd report him. Sticky keyboard, I reckon. He just wanted an audience of women for his disgustingness.

Jesus, she isnt 5!!!

Shes a grown adult. She can deal with those things and doesnt need 24 hour security, who is she Beyonce or something?