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.

Where on earth do you live that every single student let is a mouldy, dangerous pit? 🤣 Your niece would have given up her degree?? Did she and/or her parents not think things through before she enrolled? Or perhaps the plan was always to be bankrolled by the rich aunty and her tenants be damned? Honestly!!

I agree with your brother and if you were a person I knew IRL and asked my opinion I would lie to you face because I'm not about to get dragged into drama. I like a quiet life ;)

What's the rent you were charging the tenants OP compared to what your niece is going to be paying?

If you have multiple properties, are comfortable, aren't fussed about your income (happy for niece to pay less) and are happy to do renovations.

Why not just buy a small flat and do it up to let to your niece instead of turning your good tenants lives upside down? I understand why your tenants wouldn't trust you enough to move to another property of yours if you turf them out of this one.

What about the neighbours, are they friends of your tenants, would they be welcoming to your niece given the backstory.

I agree with this. I rented one house with friends for a few years, we had to leave as the landlord wanted to sell up. He was a lovely man and a really nice landlord, his circumstances had changed. A friend has been renting a house for ten years and will have to move soon as the Landlady wants the house back.
Surely if you rent something out you are not duty bound to keep on doing that forever, even if things change and you want to use your property yourself/ let a family member live there/sell up.
Of course it’s hard renting when it isn’t secure, but the owner of the house can decide to do something else with it, and that isn’t wrong, it’s their property.
In your place OP, I probably would have tried to help fund my niece’s accommodation if possible, to avoid the eviction, but if that wasn’t workable then I don’t think it’s unreasonable, it’s your house.
Tenants can also decide to leave, and that may be hugely inconvenient, but it’s their right.
As long as you, as the Landlord charged a fair rent and were a good landlord, then I don’t think it’s so terrible to change your mind as to what to do with your own property.

God knows. I live 20 miles from Glasgow and even in the less posh areas of town students can a room in a student flat that's not a stink pit

Disgusting you should be ashamed of yourself.

And if you read that 'update' all the way through. the 'other house' is not suitable for the tenants, and they do not want it. They should not have to move out of the place they know as home, purely for the OP's convenience. Moving house is one of the most stressful experiences anyone can experience.... particularly a family with children The niece can move into this other house. It will be much easier for her, much less of an upheaval, and less stressful.

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The difference now is that the new laws (coming into force in a few days) heavily restrict what the landlord can and can"t do, it is a very different scenario to the old way of doing business with landlords.

There was also a comment saying she's not going to damage the house because she's got autism? I really don't know what to say to that. The previous tenants haven't either.

And funny isn't it. Some people don't like the way the OP has been spoken to but other people are crazy. Nutters. Stark raving bonkers. I don't agree with with the Op but I've not abused her either. On here or privately

Good. Tenants will have more rights.

No, they have been there 7 years, that is longer than some people stay in homes they have a mortgage on!

I absolutely do not agree with those saying that they hope bad things happen to you, but you cannot disagree that a young single woman can find a suitable place to live without you personally putting this family into difficulties surely?

Of my six DC, 3 have autism. Life is not easy for them but they find a way, I suspect I am on the spectrum too. Many people are similarly affected and they find a way. Sometimes it isnt ideal but we make it work and it seems that your niece would have done the same, and if that meant her giving up her course, that would not necessarily be a negative thing. Finding a way to make life work for her is part of her learning how to exist, without having the way smoothed for her. At some point she will need to live without this help, so pre smoothing her path is not going to help.

Yes. Can't wait for these rules to come in. More protection is needed for tenants to stop private landlords doing whatever they want, and turfing the tenants out for their own convenience.

The fact they have been there 7 YEARS makes what the OP is doing even worse! This is their home. The only home the children have known.

Have some compassion.

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Logging off for the night now and I think the thread will be full by the time I come back to it. Thanks for everyone’s opinions who either saw my point of view or who remained respectful despite disagreeing.

I still remain of the view that my own family come before people that aren’t family. I will always do whatever I can to make my families and friends lives easier over and above anyone else. I’m surprised that is so controversial but accept it is on here.

You've fucked over a decent set of tenants for your niece Op and you haven't bothered to tell your niece that there are kids involved here - why not. Why not just tell her the truth.

I just find it hilarious that the tenant actually has the choice of two more properties nearby via the same landlord as opposed to all the doom mongers shouting about how hard it is to find private rental and avoid sleeping in the bus shelter.

I said she has autism which for her means she likes a quiet life, doesn’t like crowds, parties etc. She likes things to be tidy, in their place, so no she won’t be trashing the place.

Night.

Nothing to do with with mumsnet. It's what you've done to these people that's the issue here - you've screwed over your tenants when your niece could easily have found other accommodation

If she hadn't asked you would they still have been there in two years time?

Surely it’s normal to put the needs of someone who you love and care about, a close family member, above people not connected to you ? I am not a Landlord but I would definitely put my children and my close family members needs as a priority.
If, for instance my brother was struggling and needed help, and I had a house, I would let him live there if that was possible.
The OP has explained that her niece is struggling, it was a difficult decision but she wants to help this young woman who she loves and cares about. I don’t think this deserves all the criticism. It isn’t as though she is evicting her tenants because she can charge someone else more money.

Why keep repeating something that isn"t the case? It is obvious from reading the thread that this didn"t happen.

Why don't you give it a rest. Laughing at this situation?

It is the case. Have you read all the posts

And there is no guarantee the house won't end up trashed. As soon as people get wind that she has a house - it's going to be party Central

I still think that a place in University accommodation under the Exception rules would have been much better for her. There would be support there and she would not be so isolated.

I suspect that she might be offered a place in a PostGrad building.