Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Money matters

Find financial and money-saving discussions including debt and pension chat on our Money forum. If you're looking for ways to make your money to go further, sign up to our Moneysaver emails here.

Original poster

I have just discovered that my step sister is moving into the house underneath ourt house which we currently rent out

32 replies

Saltire · 11/02/2009 12:07

Her and I hate each other, she is a nasty vindicitve person. Apprently her and my tennant are quite friendly, now (prepares to be flamed here), am I correct in thinking that I can't tell my tennant who she can and can't have in our house? I really don't want my step sister in my house at all! I know I sound petty, but if you knew the history between us you would understand why

OP posts:
Stayingsunnygirl · 11/02/2009 12:36

I suppose it depends on the terms of the tenancy agreement. Is your tenant sub-letting to your step-sister, and is there a clause banning that in the contract? Or is your sister just moving in with your tenant, either permanently or temporarily?

If she's just staying for a while, I suspect you have no come-back, but if she's going to be contributing towards the rent, then that might change things. If she's contributing to the rent, then either your tenant is subletting, and as I said, your tenancy agreement might ban this; or she's joining your tenant as co-tenant of the property, in which case I would imagine that you do have some say over whether or not this can happen.

I must add that this is just my initial reaction and thoughts on the matter, and I don't know the legal ins and outs. I hope that you do get this sorted out to your satisfaction.

Original poster
Saltire · 11/02/2009 12:39

No sorry, maybe not clear, our house is an upstairs house and underneath (donwstairs) is another house. Its the downstairs house my step sister is moving into - so she will be living underneath ours however, if my tennant is very friendly with her, i can see them getting together for cosy chats, and don't want step sister in ym house at all.

OP posts:
Stayingsunnygirl · 11/02/2009 12:48

Ahhh - sorry for misunderstanding, saltire. I see your problem now, and I wish I knew what to advise. Do you get on well enough with your tenant to explain things to them and ask if they mind not inviting your stepsister into yours?

GossipMonger · 11/02/2009 12:50

No I dont think you have any rights regarding who your tenant can and cannot have in the house.

When I rented I would have been shocked if the Landlord had stipulated such things.

LauriefairycakeeatsCupid · 11/02/2009 12:52

No, you can't which I'm sure you know.

Are you afraid she might cause deliberate, sneaky damage that you will have to fix?

2pt4kids · 11/02/2009 12:53

I dont think you can tbh.
Can you imagine if you had been living in a house for a while, became friends with the new neighbours and then your landlords banned you from having your friends in your own house?
Even if you do say it, theres no guarantee she'll stick to it. She could well tell your step sister about the odd request from her landlord and make your step sister feel even more spiteful towards you.

Best thing to do is disassociate personally from the flat you are renting out. Make sure your tenant keeps it nicely etc but dont think too hard about who she has visiting her there.

As long as you dont have to see your step sister that should be enough. You cant ban your paying tenant from seeing her too. Sorry.

2pt4kids · 11/02/2009 12:55

If you are worried about what your step sister might do in your flat, then arrange regular inspections as per the rental agreement and if your tenant asks why, explain that its not her but you are worried about your step sister based on past experience.

PortAndLemon · 11/02/2009 12:55

There might be a clause about not having people of loose moral character on the premises (there was something similar in our lease on our previous flat, which we found very funny particularly considering some of DH's friends). But probably there isn't, and you'd have trouble enforcing it against anything short of someone running a brothel anyway.

Original poster
Saltire · 12/02/2009 09:25

So, can I ask me tennant not to let people use our garden? A while ago the boundary fence was taken down to make the garden all open plan. We hadn't been consulted on this, and it seems that everyone in the street is now using (the whole garden area, not just ours)it as a large communal area, using the washing lines etc. If my neighoburs wish to do that it's fine, but our fence has been pput back up round our part of the garden.
It seems our tennant has been letting others use it though, again without our permission. SO, if I can't tell her who she can have in the house, surely I have a right to my garden being out of bounds to other people?

OP posts:
bruxeur · 12/02/2009 09:36

Tenant.

Original poster
Saltire · 12/02/2009 09:37

Ok then tenant. You didn't answer my question though did you

OP posts:
Fimbo · 12/02/2009 09:42

Do you manage the property yourself Saltire or do you use a letting agent?

AMumInScotland · 12/02/2009 09:48

I don't think you can stop them from doing "normal" things in the house or garden, or allowing people they know (like neighbours) to make use of the house or garden. It would be different if they or others were causing damage - then they would be responsible for the damage from having allowed other people in to cause it. But if no-one is damaging the property, or using it to run a business or for anything criminal, then I don't think you can reasonably restrict them in that way.

NotQuiteCockney · 12/02/2009 09:49

Is your tenant sharing your part of the house with you, that you live in? Or is this a house you're never really in?

nailpolish · 12/02/2009 10:08

im not sure what this is all about
you own 2 houses - one upstairs one downstairs
the person who rents the lower house from you is going to have your step sister moving in permanently?
did you say she could have a lodger in the house? if not say its something to do with the insurance - you may have to increase the rent to some astronominical amount
thatll put her off
does step sister know its your house?

Fimbo · 12/02/2009 10:08

NQC - Saltire lives in England and rents her house out in Scotland.

nailpolish · 12/02/2009 10:09

is it 2 completely seperate houses? different front doors etc?
does the council know that she will have a lodger? tell her she will have to pay more council tax etc etc etc

nailpolish · 12/02/2009 10:11

OH I GET IT
YOU DONT WANT YOUR STEP SISTER VISITING THE PERSON WHO IS RENTING YOUR HOUSE

there is not way you can say which friends she can have over or not

she could have the kray twins to visit and there is nothing you could do about it

nailpolish · 12/02/2009 10:12

even if your step sister lived 10 miles away these 2 are friends so she would come to visit regardless of whether she lived downstairs or not

NotQuiteCockney · 12/02/2009 10:12

I don't think you can control who your tenant has over to visit, as np says.

Fimbo · 12/02/2009 10:14

From reading Saltire's posts is it not that she owns a house in one of those blocks where one house is upstairs and one house is downstairs. i.e. she owns the upstairs house and someone else owns the downstairs house. Her ss is moving into the downstairs house and is pally with Saltire's tenant who is in the upstairs house.

The ss is friendly with Saltire's tenant and because of the friendship thinks the ss will be invited into the house she owns by the tenant.

Thats the way I see it anyway, I maybe wrong

Fimbo · 12/02/2009 10:15

Bah NP got there in the time it took me to type that out!

AitchTwoOh · 12/02/2009 10:18

nightmare for you, saltire, but there's nothing you can do i'm sure. can't see why your tenant would want 'her' place mucked up though, tbh. unless she's a bit of a nut.

cocolepew · 12/02/2009 10:23

I know it's your house, but you don't live there so none of your personal belongings are in it. I can see why you're not happy though.

lou031205 · 12/02/2009 10:28

The tenant pays you for full use of the house and grounds. In terms of trespass, surely it is only trespass if your tenant hasn't given permission. You can restrict material change to the property, and state that the property must not be used for unlawful activity, but you can't charge rent then control access by friends of the tenant. Cake and eat it springs to mind.

Swipe left for the next trending thread