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.

Same issue though. Friends shouldn't be smoking there either. Basically however, this is why such ideas are ridiculous. Descends into more ridiculous.

You couldn’t possibly be suggesting that it could take more than four months to find a new rental and that things are tough out there for prospective tenants?

You wouldn't allow viewings? Why not?

Wasn't my idea, it was another poster, but actually thought it was one you would go for like a shot, all things considered.

What's the problem? Why can't they look for another property? Millions of people are doing that all the time.

@HugoThatway has already said that his suggestions were tongue in cheek, which was obvious anyway.

Absolutely everyone including on this thread knows how tough the rental market is. Being passive aggressive about it isn't going to help house your son is it? Being sensible might.

Are you maybe a little drunk?

Obviously

Now I would have thought that was obvious! Shame you had to explain it!

Almost as ridiculous as the cushions and the completely untrue claim that your son and his girlfriend could buy if they knocked the price down a bit by being as awkward as possible. Not that they just want to hang on as long as possible then make an ill advised scramble to find somewhere new. Possibly without a good reference depending on how far you advise them to play silly games.

No, I’m stone cold sober. Thanks for asking though

Read my posts

Ok your answers are rsther odd. I’m not sure what you’re trying to achieve, you posted and asked a question, people are giving you good advice to help your child, better advice than you’ve given him and you’re posting really quite bizzare responses.

Not again, thanks. I just wish your son and his girlfriend luck and hope they start getting their advice elsewhere in future. Maybe one of his girlfriend's parents can offer better guidance.

Op there are pros and cons of all your ideas and reasons, nobody can see into the future, finding and keeping a rental home will always be a lottery.
But the problem is attitudinal. All of your suggestions come with the reason "because they want to". Or "they like it there". It's like you're not seeing a bigger picture that eg going with what you like and what you want can impact negatively on yourself later on, and going with something just because you want to can impact negatively and painfully on others. It's as if you don't care about either.
It's hard to read, I honestly don't think I'm alone in that, and a shame for everyone involved.

Yes, not suggesting they should move early. Just that knowing the market is helpful.

They can simply refuse viewings. Of course the landlord can withhold a reference - or give a negative (as long as it's truthful) one which may put them in a trickier position. The landlord can perfectly legally evict them so they can sell their property - and any costs resulting in delaying this can and should be reclaimed from your son. You've not hit upon the genius plan you think you have here.

Honestly, why don’t you and the GF’s parents remortgage your place etc/raid your savings to give them a deposit to buy? That is what the rest of us who can resort to, in some shape or form. Without doing that it is very hard for them to get onto the property ladder and one cannot go blame one’s own failing to save for them on some random landlord. They are probably selling to give their own DC a deposit!

You definitely are finding it hard to read if that is your conclusion from my posts.

I’m not sure what you think all my ideas are, when the only idea which I was asking for opinions on was removing some of the soft furnishings to make the place looker colder and less inviting.

They haven’t been served notice yet and they will not be moving unless and until that happens. If that impacts “negatively and painfully” on the LL then that still doesn’t make it unreasonable behaviour.

Removing soft furnishings makes no difference. Plenty of people buy empty properties.

“and any costs resulting in delaying this can and should be reclaimed from your son”

Is that your professional opinion?

That's the only thing you are going to achieve. Yes they can refuse viewings and make property look less desirable but all they are going to achieve is eviction in x months and bad reference when they try to rent anything else. I don't know any LL with a desirable property who would pick a tenant who was evicted because they were deliberately sabotaging viewings.

And sabotaging the viewings is only going to mean more viewings and more disturbance for them. LL selling the property doesn't end the tenancy and plenty of investors wouldn't mind buying a tenanted property with good tenants. But unnecessary shenanigans would only mean LL has no choice but to evict them so them messing about would be them intentionally making themselves homeless.

The reason you are getting a hard time OP is because you are oozing entitlement yourself, to someone else’s investment. If the property does not return 4-5% in the current market and it is a flat (prices predicted to go down), it is a poor investment and any reasonable landlord is perfectly in their rights to sell, as long as they follow the legal steps required. If the rental market is tight, your offspring will need a reference etc and a deposit to buy down the road. That is where you need to be focussing your efforts, advising accordingly to set them up for the future as professionals.

“one cannot go blame one’s own failing to save for them”

Are you really saying that if parents cannot afford to financially help their children then it is a failing of the parents?!