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 think this was a very silly thing to do from your income point of view, awful for the current tenants and generally not in anyone's best interest

There is no end of student accommodation in student towns. If she wanted to be on her own she could get a studio, why does she need a whole house?

Very unpleasant OP. I have inherited a house from my late parents (one of my dad’s various properties), lived in by tenants with children who have been there for 10 years and pay below market rate.

Various relatives have put pressure on me to live in the house as it’s ‘unfair’ of me to allow strangers to live there whilst my own flesh and blood are struggling. An Estate Agent advised me I should be charging £££ more. I’m not changing anything. The family has been good tenants for a decade, they have kids and DF was a crap landlord so I know they have spent their own money carrying out repairs. I don’t want to be a landlord and honestly would rather sell up but I’m not putting a family on the street.

I don’t purport to be an especially good, noble person for doing this (I’m not). Just a decent human being trying not to be a dick in my day to day life.

My DC found a student flat that was self contained for final year. So had own kitchen and bathroom. It was in a converted house. Doesn’t have to interact with any of the other students in the house if doesn’t want to

I would not have done what you did and I am a landlord. I would like to sell a property i have now, but an old woman lived in it and I know she won’t be able to find anything she can afford and she will be uprooted from her community. I cannot put her through that and so I just accept that money is not liquid at the moment. Capitalism has sharp edges and I think we need to make better decisions within it. Your niece was not in desperate need.

It will all be done legally. We are likely selling the property in the next few years as I’ve already said.

I think what you have done is awful. Your niece is probably too young to understand the impact of being evicted like this on a family, but you’re not. You could have said no and explained that it is important for a family to have a stable home - in time I think she’d have really respected you for that. Your actions demonstrate how landlords can sometimes really not take seriously the impact of their decisions and the trauma it can cause. How I wish more landlords had a sense of moral responsibility - some do, and it’s appreciated so much when they do.

On the practical side of this.. Sounds like your tenants won’t just leave so this will mean taking them to court. This might happen quickly .. and it might not. You might then need bailiffs to finally get them to leave, which will be a further court hearing and add months on. The property may not be available in September, could well be the end of the year. In which case, would your niece wait?
If the existing family are good tenants you risk them not being quite so good for the next few months and maybe not cleaning or leaving rubbish for you to dispose of - all the goodwill from their side is probably gone now.
And then there is the fact that your niece probably only wants the property until June 2027 or June 2028, after which you’ll need to find new tenants all over again. This might go well and might not.

Removing all of the sentimental considerations from both sides I think I would just have said no because the arrangement is unpractical and you cannot guarantee a vacant property by early September.

With the responses you have made to your post OP, it seems you have already fully justified your reasoning in many contexts.
I do not understand why you bothered posting unless you are having a boring day and wanted to create some click bait.
Perhaps you are hoping this post will feature in the Daily Fail?

I feel very sorry for your tenants. It will be so hard for them to find somewhere that fits well with school/nursery/ work, especially in this COL and housing crisis. A student will have far more choice of accommodation than a family of four, especially in a university city.
I really wouldn’t do this.

Especially if you're thinking of selling / stopping being a landlord now that the new rules are in place, which I know so many landlords are, and therefore wouldn't be renting to someone new after your niece leaves.

IF the niece leaves. They can't evict her.

Oh hope you're ashamed of the way you have treated the tenants.
Terrible thing to do

God, I can't believe the entitlement of asking a family to be evicted from their home so I could have it! Who does that?!

It’s your house, you can do what you want with it. It’s decent of you to give tenants notice.

I would love to have family who looked out for their nieces and nephews that way. It’s really not your brothers business what you do with your property. He sounds jealous.

OP if you had said you prioritised profit over family you would have been called selfish and evil by people. Mainly becauuse Landlord is automatically evil.

Incidentally... needing the property for family will still be allowed in the future as well.

Yes, they can.

Why does your niece need a family-sized home just to live in while she studies?!

If you can afford to lose the money, why don't you use it to house your niece somewhere more appropriate, like a room in a shared house? That what most students have. She doesn't need 2+ bedrooms and your brother is right that she's selfish for asking.

This ^. It's your property to do with as you like, but it's their home. The impact on them could potentially be devastating, for example if they can't find another property near enough to their DC's school.

But you crack on, letting a family-sized house be occupied by just one person.

Only if they are repossessing for themselves.

What happens if they’re not out in time for September? What if your niece doesn’t look after the place? What if she doesn’t pay rent? What then?

I would definitely not have evicted the tenants. It looks as though your niece is fussy about her accommodation. Why should she be entitled to a place big enough for a family? OK she's autistic and very quiet, finding socailising very hard etc. And presumably can't cope with shared accomodation. I have direct experience of that since both my husband and stepson are on the spectrum.

BUT you are evicting a family who have been good tenants, whose children must be settled in local schools and who would find it extremely difficult to find anywhere else. The stress on them must be colossal. I have a friend who has been given notice prior to the 1st May deadline and he and his partner are struggling to find anywhere to live. With children it must be so much harder.

Couldn't you help your niece find somewhere suitable for a single person rather than evict the family? Doesn't she feel at least uncomfortable about shoving them out? Can you rescind the eviction notice?

If it’s not done by September, she can live with us as we are not too far away from her uni.

I think this was really awful to be honest, even with the info about your niece being autistic and you selling in a few years. You have made a family with small children homeless. I couldn't live with myself doing that. You know they may have to go into temporary accomodation? A family of 4 in a BnB? Maybe miles from the kids schools? And the taxpayer will be helping to pay for that. If the rent you offered was affordable, they are unlikely to find rent similar. Their money will now be stretched further. If you planned to sell in a couple of years anyway, you could have told your tenants, allowed them to prepare and save.

This thread is very eye opening.

Genuine question, do people on here think when you rent somewhere out you have a moral obligation to continue providing that house indefinitely until if and when the tenant choose to leave?

And that it doesn't matter if the landlord's family circumstances change or if you decide you want to sell the property etc.?

I'm just trying to understand what circumstances it would be ok for the OP to end the tenancy agreement in most posters' eyes.

Well, you and your niece are just the same aren't you? Totally lacking in thought for a family who have been good tenants. You don't know how lucky you were.

Also, you can't claim housing benefit/housing element of UC if you are renting from a family member so I hope she has the means to pay you from her own pocket while studying.

Actually sorry, what am I saying? I hope she's doesn't and you lose out. Serves you right.