Simply don't know what to do.

[Cantgiveitaway]

4 years ago we inherited a house. It has been on the market for the entirety of that time. It is on sale for approx 25% of market value. Reasons below:

The property is non-standard construction and therefore unmortgagable (we have explored this extensively).

It has a sitting lifetime tenancy on a peppercorn rent. Tenant is in their 70s and in good health.

We cannot sell it due to the above.

For those unaware, lifetime tenants cannot be evicted and the rent is very tightly controlled. We have increased it to the maximum allowed every year for the 4 years we've owned it. It still doesn't constitute £1000 a year.

We do not have any more money to put in to the property. We've done the legal required stuff. We've explored legal avenues for eviction ABD offered to give (gift) the property to the sitting tenant.

We basically need someone to come along with enough money to keep the property legally for 20+ years before they can do anything with it.

The most recent gas and electricity safety checks and the EPC have shown significant work needed in the next 12 months to keep it legal. We can't do it. Our only option is to sell our home that we, move in to a much smaller property in a different area (moving children's schools and away from family) and renting ourselves.

We have 0 savings because of the house and cannot afford basic things for our own home.

I just don't know what to do.

WWYD? We literally cannot give it away - we offered it to the LA and to a social landlord and a landlord with an extensive portfolio in the area and all said no.

In 20years, when the tenant dies or moves in to care the land might be worth something (and therefore sellable) but we can't wait that long. We had absolutely no idea the property existed until we inherited it and I've no idea why we did.

Any out of the box thinking here from the hive mind?

Hi Op, I've lifted this from AI, sorry so long and I've no idea if correct or maybe you have already tried this avenue:

Shift the Costs via Government Eco-Grants (ECO4)
If the tenant is a vulnerable individual, elderly, or on a low income (which is highly common with 30-year regulated tenancies), the property may qualify for 100% free upgrades funded by energy companies.

• The Mechanism: Under the UK government's ECO4 scheme, if the tenant receives certain benefits (like Pension Credit, Universal Credit, or Housing Benefit), energy suppliers are legally mandated to upgrade the home's energy efficiency.
• What it covers: This can fund a brand-new boiler, modern electric storage heaters, or a heat pump completely free of charge to you.
• How to apply: Check with the local local authority or use an ECO4 grant assessment tool online using the tenant's eligibility status.
• the tenant's status, not yours. If the tenant is elderly, on a pension, or receives qualifying low-income benefits (like Universal Credit or Pension Credit), the funding is typically 100% covered for your first rental property. 1, 2]

1. Discretionary Local Council Assistance

Under the Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) Order 2002, local authorities across the UK have the power to offer discretionary grants or low-interest loans for essential, urgent home repairs. 1]

• How it works: Because faulty wiring is a severe fire hazard and a breach of the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), you can approach the local council's private housing or environmental health team.
• The outcome: Many councils run "Home Improvement Loans" or "Vulnerable Landlord Grants." These often come as 0% interest loans that are secured against the property as a charge. You do not pay anything upfront or monthly; instead, the loan is paid off automatically from the proceeds of the house whenever it is eventually sold or passed on in the future.

1. The Statutory Notice "Force"

In some regions of the UK (such as Northern Ireland or specific councils in England), if a property falls into severe disrepair, a landlord can apply for a Mandatory Repair Grant.

• The catch: This grant is usually only unlocked if the local council serves you with an official statutory Repair or Improvement Notice stating that the property is unsafe to live in.
• The outcome: Once a formal notice is issued, the housing authority may step in to subsidise a portion of the urgent structural works (including rewiring) to prevent the tenant from becoming homeless.

1. Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)

If your tenant does not qualify for low-income grants, you can still access the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which is not means-tested.

• The offer: This provides a £7,500 grant towards replacing a broken fossil-fuel heating system with an energy-efficient air-source heat pump.
• The outcome: Again, any electrical infrastructure adjustments required to connect and safely run the new heat pump system are wrapped entirely into the grant funding, taking the pressure off your out-of-pocket costs for that zone of the property.

Strategic Advice
Do not ask an electrician for a "rewire quote" yet. Instead, start with a free grant check tool online (searching for "Warm Homes Local Grant checker") or contact the tenant's energy supplier. Apply for the broken boiler replacement first based on the tenant's low-income or pensioner status, and allow the grant installers to absorb the core electrical safety costs as part of the heating installation

What a situation.

Sounds as if the uncle who bequeathed it hadn't been keeping it up to standard.

I can't help but think a developer who is young and a risk taker would do well to invest in this as they could get it for close to free now and once the tenant is dead demolish and build a new house & sell for a decent price (if 1 bed flats are usually 250k in your area).

Is there room on the land to build next to it?

Someone will buy it with the intention of demolishing it and rebuilding on the plot in 30 years time.

I live rurally and people with spare cash buy all types of plots of land in the hope they can get PP in the future to build on it.

I can see someone young ish with cash who will buy it as a development plot.

No charity is going to take on the cost of maintaining a house for 20 years before having any control over it.

They already have a contract - an assured lifetime tenancy! Have you read the thread?

Could you offer to sell to the tenant for the equivalent of say 15 years of rent?

Exactly, There’s no incentive for the tenant to buy it the upkeep exceeds their rent, they have an amazing deal

What kind of area is it? Local to anywhere nice?

Could you rent out the (I know you said it's small) garden or any kind of greenland as some form of parking for a trailer long term, not comfortable for the tenant but this is a tricky situation.

Lots of people live in vans these days and still need to park up suitably. You can connect the electricity and water for them and then charge ground rent and utilities to try offset the costs of the repairs?

Also, are you entitled to any grants for the boiler?

why would the tenant do that, the upkeep exceeds their rent?

What is actually wrong with you?

The harsh reality is man of 70+ is likely to live to mid 80s, (90 as an exception.)

You need a firm valuation of the land and someone could buy it as a building plot. Think of the rent they'd earn as interest on their investment. £600 a year.

Growth on shares is anything from 5% - 10% growth pa. So if it sold for £6K, they might accrue £600pa ( rental income.) But then they might have to pay tax on that.

Meanwhile, explore grants for the work that needs doing.

This sounds awful op, wishing you the best of luck

They’ve tried to give it to the tenant for free and they don’t want it, I’m not sure they’ll have more luck selling it to them for money!

Take this with a pinch of salt OP but I'd spend a bit of time asking AI/ chatgpt to iron out some issues. It's not always right but might give you a heads up before you speak to a lawyer on your options.

There is no incentive at all for the tenant to accept the property...they would be giving themselves responsibility for repairs and maintenance, when currently all the property costs them is around £600 a year. They wouldn't benefit from owning the property, in fact, anyone working on behalf of the tenant (or friends/family of theirs) would likely advise against them taking it on, even if for free. The tenant is currently in a total win win situation, and wouldn't benefit from changing that

I really hope op is able to come up with something legal to get out of this situation, as it feels totally ridiculous her family have been put in this position by recieving inheritance, which most would assume benefits the recipient, not makes life financially harder.

I would sell it at auction for an absolute song. Someone could buy it as an investment for a child to inherit when they become an adult... It does sound like an absolute poison chalice though...

You need a solicitor experienced in Wills to work out if you have options. You may be able to evict the tenant by going through the courts but need legal advice. They could the be housed by the local authority.

Jesus H Christ

There are some horrible attitudes coming out towards renters on this thread. Nothing the OP has mentioned about the tenant gives the impression there is an issue with their behaviour and they deserve a secure home for as long as they are able to/ want to live there.

OP, how large is the plot of land and is the property detached? You mention the tenant may have some form of learning difficulty; do you know who, if anyone, is advising them? Do they have family or are social services / a social worker involved? If they have trusted family members, perhaps you could work together with the tenant / family to get planning consent and sell / gift the property. This would only work if they can afford to build a new home on the plot, but it would be a way the tenant lives in a better quality home and they have something to pass onto their family.

I think the suggestion up thread about approaching neighbours is a good one, certainly I would seriously consider buying it if I liked the tenant / neighbour and it would help prevent unsuitable development in the future.

Check out any grants to upgrade the property.

If you get stuck, write out an overview of everything you have tried and seek advice from the MP for the tenant who may be able to advise on help to upgrade the property - put the postcode into They work for you to find out who the name and details of their MP. If all else fails, seek advice from your MP if the situation is forcing you into poverty.

What an awful position you’re in, OP. I can’t offer any suggestions but wanted to wish you luck finding a solution.

it absolutely is https://www.kctrust.co.uk/help/can-a-beneficiary-refuse-something-left-to-them-in-a-will

You can apply for planning permission on land you don't own. So people buying up land will already have pp sorted if they've any sense.

Have you considered taking further legal advice from someone else about the situation. I would also consider getting advice on whether you were properly advised about the possibility of refusing the bequest.

Also have you considered one of these we buy any property companies? They pay a pittance but are investors so may see it as an opportunity to buy land. If you don't care what you sell it for this might be a solution.