Renting while getting an extension done - top tips?

[PeterPomegranate]

We are hoping to start an extension on our house in May. There will be a lot of disruption and we have decided to move out so that the builders can go for it.

I have never rented before and my husband was a lodger in someone else’s flat when I met him.

We want cheap but liveable. And only for 6 - 9 months. For us and our 2 boys (aged 10 and 5). So I think 2 beds. I’m assuming a flat as that will be cheaper but husband thinks if we rent a house maybe we can store our stuff there too. We may be able to use my parents’ garage for storage.

I literally don’t know where to start - do I just call local agencies?

Any advice very welcome. Thank you.

look on rightmove.

but before you do that: read the how to rent guide on gov.uk for your part of the UK. There are rights for tenants and responsibilities for landlords. Even for this short time, don't rent a dump assuming it will be fixed, because it won't.

be aware that there is a rental property shortage and that as tenants now don't pay fees, landlords may not want short termers. I hope you don't have pets as that will further cut down the possibilities.

Thank you. No pets.

That’s interesting that there’s a rental property shortage. I didn’t know that.

We are in suburban outskirts of London.

Just one thought - will you be applying for schools whilst you're renting if you have a 10yr old? Just be careful to make sure you don't fall foul of admissions policies for the schools you want if so.

Yes, just ring round various letting agents - see what they have and the costs involved (you have to pay to go through a referencing process, usually a month's deposit upfront with a month's rent etc). Also, think about the flexibility you need - if you sign up for a 6 month tenancy, the landlord can give you notice so you have to leave at the end of the 6 months (which might be awkward if you actually need it for 9 months). Similarly, you don't want to sign up for a 12 month tenancy if you only need it for 9 months. Talk to the agents.

Rightmove will have all the listings. I'm in a similar position - I'm moving to London and it looks like my seller is not going to find a house in time for is yo live there once my own house has completed, plus I want to do considerable work. While renting will be incredibly expensive there (plus I have dogs) i can't see an alternative. My daughter is starting a new school so we have to be there by August.

Good point about the schools but he’s in year 6 so we already have his secondary school place.

We are hoping to stay walking distance from their primary school so in the same local area. Also so we can check on the work at our house.

Ah, London ( I just meant England, Scotland or Wales as rental laws vary) - More choice there if you have the money.

Read how to rent as lots of wrong info on here, standard for this subject on mn. As I said, tenant fees are outlawed now, and you don't have to leave at the end of a notice which is min six months now. If you as tenant give notice, you do have to go.

We are currently having an extention done and we were looking for a house to rent. It is very difficult to find a place to rent at the moment. We have given up now and will be staying in the house as long as we can. Then going to stay with family when kitchen and bathroom are ripped out.

We are in the London suburbs and planning to extend the house we have just bought so have been vaguely looking into the rental market - it's really slim pickings and landlords seem to be asking for 12 months minimum. We are planning to stay with family when the time comes now instead. Someone did suggest to us to look into an airbnb rental for a couple of months though - have you considered that OP? It might be more expensive week by week than a 'normal' rental but you won't be tied into a year long contract so will be cheaper in the long run.

Start finding a place now as there is often a wait to move in (months not weeks), but yes just call the agents in the area. Most places will want a 12 month minimum but everything is negotiable. If you get a 6 month break clause then make sure it's worded so that it's at any point after 6 months, not just a 6 month point option.

Storage and flat rent costs may add up to the equivalent of a renting a house, so I'd work out your budget and see what you can find.

We’re in the same position but for 4 months so are going air bnb

We found a loca b&b that had a 2 bed annex. It was great. It is very hard to find a short term let from an estate agent that isn’t priced extortionately. Airbnb is also a good option

We had a flat in London which we twice let to people doing up their houses. We had it advertised on Open Rent as we were managing it ourselves - not sure how widespread they are. At first when we had an enquiry from someone with children as previously we had only let to two single girls but when we met them and realised that their children were going to the same primary as our kids had gone we decided they would be fine and they were amongst our best tenants.

Thank you everyone. I am feeling a bit alarmed. Better start looking properly!

Would you mind sharing the prices you negotiated. I'm hoping to find somewhere for a thousand a month Airbnb so no council tax. I'm down south though. Wondering if this is realistic...

What do you mean by cheap? Have you looked local prices?

I think you may struggle so start doing the groundwork now. My son just got evicted (no fault) and it took him 3.5 months to find a new place, he said renting is like Squid Game at the mo. Few properties, loads of applicants, landlords can pick and choose. He offered on 8 before finally getting something not ideal through a friend of a friend. Your main problem, assuming you are realistic on budget, is getting a landlord to agree to the faff of a short term let. You might have to get a bit creative - holiday caravan, airb&b, posting on local social media to see if anyone's got an empty annex/granny flat.

My house needed a lot of work doing. I had an extension conservatory built and we needed a new kitchen, new flooring, work on the electrics, new bathroom ceiling and lights, replastering in some rooms, new tiles in toilet, and lots of other stuff.

We moved out to a rental and took furniture and beds etc with us but left some things covered up as we could not take everything.

I visited the property as much as I could but because we were not there they time wasted a lot and things got pinched (found out later)

Plus the house was not lived in and some youths broke in and damaged the back door badly and also stole some bikes I had left behind covered up.
Renting was not a problem but keeping an eye on the house became a full time job and caused a lot of stress.

We stayed in the house while extension was built. Lucky I. That could keep original kitchen and for most of the time work went on behind a boarded off bit, they didn’t break through till late on.

Good points were we were on sight to make decisions immediately, and could also intervene when things weren’t being done right.( Just misunderstandings as the builders were good. )Also you build a relationship with them which I think helps. Also able to change things more easily.

Bad points, it did take them longer, the dust, the getting up early every work day to be out of their way, no days off at home. But husband did work from home through most of it.

Our extension started in February and we moved out on Wednesday for a fortnight while they knock down internal walls. The dust is terrible and all our "stuff" is in the house however we have saved a fortune in storage and rent as there is only the 2 of us and we have be very tolerant plus worked from home! It would be very difficult with children.

Personally I would just walk into local agents & speak face to face rather than Rightmove - also as short term be prepared for less space than you think is ideal. It is manageable for a defined amount of time. Also if you are near to the house - you can walk round very often to check on work & speak to builders etc.

We had to rent for 6 months last year. It was VERY hard to find a short term lease. We eventually got a place by offering to pay over the amount advertised.
We also advertised on marketplace and on all the parent WhatsApp groups.
Top tip- if you need to relinquish the lease early, check if there's a redemption clause. We had to pay about £180 but it was worth it- AND make sure there was someone else to take over the lease. And the estate agents don't try very hard- to find new tenants straight away- why should they? You have to pay if there's no new tenant! So again we put it on FB etc and found a new tenant ourselves! Obv we directed them to the estate agent but we actually found them!