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.

Thank you, some useful advice at last 🤣🤣

None of those ^ things would put me off as a serious buyer, and nor would removing cushions (!)

Thanks, I was wondering if a blank canvas could actually look more attractive to buyers

That's a joke right? You seriously think cushions and homely touches make a difference, a new tenant would bring their own anyway.

If they can afford to buy another flat surely that’s the better option long term. It sounds like they can’t afford to buy the one they live in. If they have a fixed tenancy the landlord may sell with a tenant in situ. Maybe they should approach the landlord for a discussion. If it’s a lovely flat people will see past the currrent tenants living arrangements.

If they are interested in buying the property I would recommend they keep the LL onside. Refusing viewings won’t endear them to him.

Sensible approach would be to tell LL they are interested and try to get to the point where they can proceed asap.

I think most landlords find flats tricky to sell when they’ve got tenants in situ anyway- the usual advice is to wait until after the tenants have moved out, so you son’s landlord is trying to have his cake and eat it. I bought a flat years ago that a landlord was trying to sell with the tenant still living there; the landlord had been trying to sell it on and off for years. The tenant clearly didn’t want to move, and I only persisted because I could see what a bargain it had become. The tenant was on the surface very agreeable, but didn’t make any extra effort to tidy before viewings, generally weekends weren’t good for viewings because he had family staying, little things like that which I’m sure put most buyers off. This would probably apply even more now that flats have become trickier to sell. Would they consider buying it themselves? A sensible landlord would give them a discount of the estate agent fees they would have paid, meaning a good deal for your son and less hassle for everyone.

Actually OP I can't tell if you're being serious or on a wind up with your laughing emojis and stupid suggestions.

There's a housing crisis in this country, lots of people don't have a roof over their heads. I'll save my sympathy for them. I'm out.

Why so rude?!
Not tenant, a purchaser. I thought it could highlight the shabby areas more than if the eye is distracted by colourful soft furnishings.

No point, it's hard to sell flats anyway. If they make it less appealing to buyers, LL might give them notice earlier in order to sell it empty.

I’m asking the question. Hence this thread. There is really no need for such vitriolic comments

It's the opposite of it being hard to find flats in my area. LL are selling as they don't want the hassle due to new legislation. Estate agents cannot get sales of flats

It’s bizarre isn’t it. The LL makes the decisions.

Actively trying to stop the landlord from selling is pretty nasty behaviour tbh. Presumably they don’t know the landlord's personal circumstances or why they want to sell. A lot of landlords are just ordinary people who invested their savings in a property, not somebody super wealthy who doesn’t need the money. I don’t think anybody should be giving you advice on this tbh.

I mean, given the way you’ve raised them to this point and that you are asking for ways to potentially cause financial hardship to their landlord for the crime of simply not wanting to be a landlord anymore, I would say they do sound exactly like the type that would stop paying their rent and wait for an eviction notice.

I suspect the only thing stopping them from doing that is the potential impact to their credit file that would prevent them getting a property of their own.

You should not be encouraging this poor behaviour

Yes, we realise that and it won’t be easy for my son and his GF to find another place to rent so they would prefer it if their current one doesn’t get sold!

Good grief...

Flats are difficult to sell in many areas right now, as landlords are getting out of the market, fears about cladding, service charges, a lot are in negative equity.

The knock-on effect of all the turmoil is rentals are quite hard to come by, so your son may not want to effectively make himself a 'bad tenant' in this way.

I think suggesting they might buy, getting a proper mortgage conversation with a broker is a much better way to deal with this.

There are flats with sitting tenants available, usually they do allow viewers but they don't have to but that will force the hand of the landlord to evict them so viewings can take place or he/she could sell cheap with them as sitting tenants.

I'm not worried about morality, I'm worried about you thinking cushions and rugs are relevant! I sold a house with tenants that was very messy, this is not what buyers are looking for.

The market is slow, OP, it may be the landlord would like to sell but won't be able to and might just give up and let them stay. If they behave badly, they may just decide to get them out (I would, I hate bad tenants and would rather take the money hit up front).

no idea if this is genuine as it has the hallmarks of a wind up but …

if I was flat hunting and viewed a property with tenants in situ I would find it harder to put an offer in if they had all their nice things out and were obviously happily settled there than if it looked cold and unloved as I would assume they weren’t arsed about it.

It’s hard to find flats to rent though as LL are selling

Ok what are their long term plans.
You say they are looking to buy in the future.On what timescale is that.They obviously don’t want to over pay as prices are now coming down.

So your thinking is to attempt to get it down to a rock bottom price so they can perhaps afford it? As a previous poster said you have absolutely no idea why the LL needs to sell. Is this kind of underhand behaviour how you've always raised your child?