To ask how to make rental flat less likely to sell?

[RainingPasta]

My son and his girlfriend have been renting a nice flat for the past couple of years but the LL now wants to sell it. They haven’t officially been given notice yet so it looks like the agent will be conducting viewings while they still live there.

They will still keep it clean and tidy but they are wondering if there is anything else they could do to make it less appealing. I suggested removing all their homely touches like cushions, rugs and pictures so it looks cold and bare but I’m not sure if that is a good idea?

Any suggestions would be appreciated. They want to delay the sale and might even be able to buy it themselves if it goes down enough in price.

Does their lease actually allow the landlord/agent to conduct viewings whilst they're still renting it? Some leases don't allow it and the landlord/agent has to wait for it to be vacated before viewings etc.

The agent can't automatically conduct viewings while they still live there.
If they want to agree to viewings, that's a different matter.

https://england.shelter.org.uk/professionalresources/legal/renting/changeoflandlord/tenantsrightswhenalandlordsells#when-a-landlord-wants-to-arrange-viewings

Thats actually pretty despicable. You have no idea why the ll wants to sell. They may have major issues in their life and need the cash

Thankfully serious house buyers don't give a fuck about cushions but look at the property as a whole

easy - just say no to viewings

Good point, I’ll get them to check.

Possibly, but it’s not easy to find rentals these days and they could do far worse by stopping paying rent, trashing the property and/or refusing to move out until the LL goes to court for an eviction notice (they wouldn’t do any of those things but plenty do)

So you're trying to get your son evicted?

Is there a way they can buy from the landlord? Some will offer sitting tenants a discount to avoid all the hassle of viewings and evictions. If they can’t afford this then they should cooperate and look for a new place.

No, the opposite

That would be despicable. And it wouldn’t help with references for renting another place.

Agreed

Section 21 doesn't exist any more (for new evictions) so that page is out of date (surprising being Shelter who are usually pretty good).

Sum total of refusing viewings will be that the tenants are likely to be served a section 8 notice sooner rather than later or not at all. Some buyers may be happy to have existing tenants if they are buy to lets. Or it may take some while to sell. But if you don't allow viewings the owner has no choice but to press ahead with eviction proceedings.

A number of letting agents have a clause in the contract that says viewings will be carried out before the tenants have left.

In fact they cannot legally require this. Tenants are allowed by law ‘quiet enjoyment’ of the property, which does not include random strangers and letting agents traipsing around it.

They can refuse viewinga.
The landlord can then iniatiate Section 8 proceedings.

Well, the first thing to do is communicate with LL and let him/her know they would be interested in purchasing, to get an idea of price. S/He may not say anything of course and refer to agents when listed. Have they been given notice to quit?

No need to facilitate viewings if they don't want to as pp said. That might just encourage LL to sell to them to speed up the process.

But maybe they can't afford it right now. I don't know. If that's the case, not allowing viewings will delay things, subject to the notice period.

They should make an offer now. Save landlord and them lots of hassle.

Seriously? That’s your thought process?

You sound vindictive here. It isn’t your child’s flat. If you feel so compelled for them not to move perhaps you can help them with a deposit but the landlord does not owe your child the flat. Imagine the LL are struggling financially and the bank foreclosed on it - your kid will be in a very poor position indeed.

It’s unlikely they could afford it

Calm down, I’m saying they wouldn’t do those things but might make it look less homely by removing their cushions etc. Is that really despicable behaviour?

Them physically being there will put people off. The LL can't compel them to allow viewings.

So if they do just don't make an effort. Sit there in your grotty pants drinking lager, burping, watching really loud heavy metal videos?

Leave loads of rat and mouse traps, cans of various pest control products everywhere, leave buckets full of water randomly around the house?

Put a lock on a chest freezer and loads of air fresheners all around it?

Turn off heating and open windows wide for a while before they come. So it's freezing?

I take it you are joking or haven’t actually read my posts properly

Or they could just speak to the landlord/agent & say they’re interested in buying if the price is right.

TBH, it’s unlikely a buyer would be able to get them out in a hurry. It’ll likely sell to another landlord & their tenancy will continue as is.

Currently their existence is the strongest possible disincentive to anyone wanting to buy the place & move in. Long term tenants who don’t want to leave? I wouldn’t even view it.

No need to make the flat look unattractive. An investment buyer would be planning on renting out a magnolia’d blank canvas anyway. So decluttering would, if anything, help a sale.