Tenant doesn't want furniture

[Willow33]

We rent out dh's old flat. The tenants are nice people. They took the flat furnished two years and now are saying they don't want the furniture and want to buy their own stuff. However we have nowhere to store it and couldn't afford to put it in storage and don't want to get rid of it as would have to buy more if new tenants wanted furniture. I very much doubt the tenants will want to spend the money on storage. Any ideas for a way forward?

I've lived with storage heaters; with the right tariff and using them correctly it is fine.

if they knew what the heating system was when they viewed it and signed up, tough.

with no gas what are you supposed to do anyway? A flat can't be fitted with oil heating, where would you put the tank?

well yes, the heaters depend entirely on how well the current heating is functioning.

If they just aren't keen on storage heaters or insist on 23 degrees all the time then that's their lookout, but if they say the heaters aren't working properly that's different. I just can't imagine demanding extra heaters be provided rather than saying the heating needs fixing, if they are cold.

How did your DH get on, OP?

storage heaters are just bricks and either work or don't work. If they don't work they either aren't connected or the overheat fuse has blown - usually from someone covering them. Fixable.

if people don't know HOW to use them or are on the wrong tariff, that is finger trouble and is also fixable.

If a tenancy has ended up rolling on, when can the rent be increased?

If it is statutory periodic tenancy then in order to increase the rent a new AST has to be signed for a minimum term of six months Pico. That can then rollover after the six months are up.

Looks like it is worth giving this a lot of thought and some discussion with the tenants. Are they buying stuff as they plan to buy a property of their own? They might not admit this. On the other hand they might want to buy as they intend to stay long term? Whcih would be good for you and possibly worth getting rid of some furniture.

Would they pay towards the Double glazing, perhaps, if they want to stay long term? They can buy plug in electric heaters quite cheaply but it will bump up the heating costs, can't see another option.

They sound more trouble than they are worth. Just say no and if they leave get more tenants.

Our tenants didn't want some of the furniture so we allow them to store it in the garage.

Quick update - they are going to buy some portable heaters. Will ask DH about how they use the heaters but I believe it lets out the heat in the daytime when they are not there.
They will also store some of the furniture. We are going to get a lodger hopefully soon in our house and so can take a couple of items.
The big thing is the double glazing cost. There is a big bay window and the frames are not looking great. We are going to get some quotes but ad an example the tenant a friend in the business who said it could cost £1k
I said to DH that if we do this, then they will have to agree to a mid contract rent increase of £100 pcm.
DH said that the rent was cheaper than average and they agreed it was. Oh tenant is going to fill in some gaps in the window frame himself.
So thank you for the good advice MNers.

They sound like total chances. They saw what heating system was there when they signed the lease. If they want heaters that's up to them to buy. It would be different if the heating packed in or something then maybe it would be down to you.

You can't impose a mid-contract rent increase - this can only be done by mutual agreement and must've documented. Far better to sign a new AST if SPT or at the end of the current one.

Depending on the set up of the flat and management company, etc you may not be able to just fit a new window either. You should check this element.

The flat is share of freehold - one other flat upstairs and am sure he will be fine with a new window. It will improve the look of the building.
So rent increases can be done mid contract by mutual agreement?

Just get them to sign another AST. If you're going to the bother of replacing windows for their benefit, they can sign on for another 6 months, can't they?

Don't forget to get a FENSA certificate if you replace a window like I did or when you come to sell it will bite you!

The current contract runs til July.

you can do anything to a contract if both parties agree. If one doesn't, the contract holds. That's the point.

they need to turn down the output on the storage heaters overnight when they are charging, turn it up again in the evening. If they can find a tariff with a midday boost (not easy) that will also help.

re the window; well, if it needs replacing anyway (as it sounds like it does) that is part and parcel of owning a property and it is not really justification for a big rent increase. Especially if there are gaps in it!! I've just replaced some outdoor stuff and gutters on my rental, the rent won't be going up. It's what you have to do and budget for.

Ok thank you Squirrels.

As a previous thread on 'room temperature' showed, people have different ideas on what is a reasonable heat. My brother-in-law expects to be able to wander around the house in a T-shirt in the middle of winter: I'll be in 4 layers before I even consider turning the heating on.

If the house is safe and can be heated as-is, it's not your responsibility to keep them in the manner they prefer. If they want heaters because they like it warm, that's up to them. I assume they are paying the energy bills!

I'd consider the furniture request, if you are willing to re-let unfurnished next time. I wouldn't have though this would disadvantage you. People who already have furniture won't consider furnished properties, but people without will often consider unfurnished. We've all done the IKEA / Argos trip to get a mattress for the first night! That is, unless you are aiming for a particular type of tenant who may not be able to afford this e.g. student.

Plus, the government are changing the tax rules from April 2016, so there is no longer a difference between unfurnished and furnished in that respect. You get a deduction for actual spend, not the 10% allowance you used to get with furnished. Letting furnished commits you to replacing furniture when it breaks.

All the unfurnished places I have rented have had white goods.

" I wouldn't have though this would disadvantage you"

Wouldn't have thoughT this would disadvantage you i.e. I think it might be an advantage!

Is the property single glazed? Have you lived in the flat?
If you've not, don't dismiss their issues so quickly.

Mine is single glazed with storage heaters, it's cold. I mean fucking cold. The breeze whistles through my hair, even with portable heaters (in the few hours between school and kids bed) I can only get it to be about 9 degrees above the outside temperature. My electric bill is £300 a month and last year it sat at about 12 degrees in the evening!!! The mould because of this is another issue.

There's new regulations coming in (can't remember the exacts) about ensuring tenanted properties are a certain environmental rating. So there's potential the work will need doing in the near future anyway.
Green deal was set out to help this (the work gets done and the tenant pays it back on their electric bill) but the government stopped the money early.

I have heard the new storage heaters are ALOT better, so maybe if yours are old that's a good compromise? Another thing id consider is underfloor heating. I'm looking at getting and fitting it in mine myself as my storage heater packed up over summer and I'm fearful!!! The theory being it should be more efficient then portable heaters.

green deal was useless and had tiny take up because it was an incredibly expensive way of doing things. And why should the tenant pay?

as of 2018 it will be very difficult to rent out a property with an EPC rating below E. The property must have an EPC now or it would be illegal to rent it, so both tenant and landlord can see the situation.

I agree with you special subject, its the way my Landlord tried to fix our problems. The idea was the monthly payment would be the same but at least we would have been warm for that £300 a month! not having children sleep in my bed as their rooms too cold.