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.

You asked what people thought..they told you!
What solution are you working on with your tenants? For them to remain in their home and for your niece to stay with you? Perfect solution.

Surely not all rentals in Exeter, close to the uni, have mould or damp. It's ironic that you want your niece to have a stable rental etc, yet are not willing to be that for your own tenants.

I wonder what city it is though. There are some places where student accommodation is unimaginably difficult to get. Unless you have been in this position, in a very difficult position with an autistic young adult, in a very difficult city, you can t really say that “she could have found somewhere”. If that’s true, then presumably “the family could also find somewhere”. I know people whose student kids have ended up on asthma medication for mould, have nowhere to study and the house is so cramped, bare electrical wires hanging out - and all the while snakey landlords are pocketing tens of thousands of pounds each year.

OP is not being unreasonable to take HER property back for HER FAMILY’S use. It’s hers!

easy for people on here to say “it’s bad” or “they wouldn’t”. But op is the one in this position. She’s done nothing wrong.

that said, it’s very unfortunate for the family. But there are two functional adult parents and they are capable of sorting accommodation out.

Very poor business decision! You have good long term tenants who pay the rent. You are kicking them out for a student with 2 years left at that geographic location. Will she pay full rent? including the holidays?! doubt it, sob stories pending. Good luck finding good tenants after niece leaves lol.

People can say what they think (as I did which I thought it was a poor business decision) without name calling and calling her evil etc

Landlords dont have to come to a solution for their tenants when they move on

As one landlord to another, you are an arsehole who gives landlords a bad name. Shame on you.

@Jaichangecentfoisdenom Yes, and that's unlikely to change any time soon. I imagine that landlords will continue to sell up over the coming months if they can't meet the new criteria. Of course, that may bring house prices down eventually, but it's no good for renters.

I'm not sure how things have changed, or will change with the new regulations coming in. But up to now, it has been allowed to end a tenancy because a family member wants to move in. I did it with my house when I was working overseas.

No, as a renter it isn't good. I've been in that position when the house I was renting was sold while I lived there. But private landlords are not housing associations.

If the country has such an issue with private landlords, they need to move to provide more social housing.

There is a reason rents are shooting up and private rental is now so hard to find. It's because conditions for landlords are becoming impossible so they're selling up. So those who are anti landlord should be happy. You should approve of this. Regardless of the fact that it means there is a growing, desperate shortage of private rental properties.

In their position, they can apply for help to the council with these upfront payments instead of asking for a council house though.

@middlechild3 The OP is planning to sell the property.

but why homeless? it's been suggested here that niece can find something, even if not so good. This family can do the same, they've been privately renting, they can find another property, maybe further away, maybe smaller, but it seems they had a good deal for seven years.
In my renting years I had to move nine times, incl with very young DC, every time because LL put prices up. Yes, it was very difficult, but that's life.

I’m a landlord and no way would I do this. Look after good tenants.

There just isnt enough property being sold to make any real dent into house prices, house prices have slowed and markets have slowed because of the war, because of world events, not because of some landlords selling

Rental prices continue to be high with lack of supply in most areas.

It isn"t "your house", it is a rental business, it is governed by law, after this week the OP couldn"t have done this for their niece?

Of course she isn’t. The arsehole landlords are the ones charging the earth for mouldy, unsafe properties. Not fixing stuff, ignoring any concerns tenants have etc.

You’re talking about op as though she is the council and obligated to house people.

Sorry if you have answered this (I have scanned and not seen the answer) but why are you doing more for your niece than her parents are?

The process of evicting a family seems very involved and time consuming, yet her parents are happy for you to do all of this for THEIR daughter?! What are THEY doing?

@SunnyDaysAndCoolNights said they were working on a "solution " with their tennant ...so ?
@SunnyDaysAndCoolNights shouldn't be asking for opinions if they don't want to hear them.

I’m pretty sure this is made up just to get a reaction. No one would evict a family to house a student no matter who they are.
And if it is real, the OP can’t have ever been in a position where they are this vulnerable to understand the upheaval it will cause the whole family. I really feel for them.
It’s not that she doesn’t have the right to choose who lives in her house but to know you have to pack up your life, possibly find new schools and suffer a lot of anxiety just so a student can have a convenient living arrangement for 2 years would feel like such a punch to the stomach.

Yeah I think it was a bit of a shit thing to do.

Let's hope your niece pays the rent (if she IS paying you anything) and doesn't trash the place.
I personally wouldn't have given notice on good, reliable, long-term tenants.,

The post after mine is calling her an arsehole

Hopefully it gets deleted

Is that an 'opinion'? No, its just nasty name calling

I know OP said she was working on a solution, I simply said landlords dont have to to your suggestion.

This is someone's HOME!!! You have entered into a legal obligation with these people. You can't kick people out just because it suits you! What on earth were you thinking? Shame on your niece for being so f***g entitled, but I'll blame that on her age! Good tenants are hard to find, you should be thankful they treat your property AS a home, and pay their rent on time.

Yes, lack of supply of social housing is the crucial aspect. Of course the OP’s tenants aren’t going to want to move from her property if the state of property available for rent in the OP’s city is as terrible as she describes (and I’m not saying she’s wrong, this is exactly why these new laws have been enacted). And it is really not as simple as telling people to get a mortgage rather than rent.

I suspect the new laws around renting will mean your current tenants are fighting to find somewhere as lots of owners are getting out of the market. And they will be frustrated.

That isn't your monkey to carry. You have already said you are thinking of selling anyway. Something was always going to change.

Your niece is beyond lucky to have your support.

Your tenants have my best wishes for finding somewhere ...

Absolutely up to you what you do

However what a waste of money. You’re going to have to taken them to Court, then probably get a bailiff because the council will tell them to stay put until the very end. This is going to be £1k plus in costs for you. All for another tenant.

if it was because you wanted to sell then fine. But incurring a load of cost is silly

£3,000 at the very least, I’d guess.