Struggling to rent - worth speaking direct to the landlord?

[northernlass81]

We're due to complete a house sale early next month but having great difficulty finding a rental property to move into until we find a house to buy. Rentals are in incredible demand around here and it seems like unless you get a phone call made to book a viewing within a couple of hours of a house appearing online, there is no chance. That's just getting a viewing! An ideal property has come up and we're booked in for a viewing next week through the letting agents. Through some friends of a friend I have been given the contact details for the landlord so was wondering if I should phone them directly before the viewing to outline our position or just wait and apply after the viewing. I tend to over think things. Would it annoy the land-lord? Would it be a sensible idea. Thoughts welcome.

It would annoy me. I pay an agent to deal with my tenants- I don't want to.
Offer to pay six months or whatever up front, that may help. The issue is most landlords want a longer tenant than that, so saying you only want it for the minimum time may not be a good idea.

We've gone directly to landlords before in the past, both time because the letting agents were utterly shit, we were experienced renters and confidently told both they were wasting their money. Both landlords appreciated it, first time we stayed 2 years and with the second one 4 years, still did all the paperwork, the cleaning, got things fixed, just directly, no problems.

I think you need to look specifically for a short term let, tbh, or approach agents outline your situation and asking for details of landlords they know who’d be accepting of that. As Changingwiththetimes says, most landlords are looking for reliable long term tenants. In this case you would be contacting the landlord directly, only to essentially say, “I want to rent your property but move out shortly afterwards when it suits me, leaving you with the stress and estate agent fees for reletting again to somebody else.” It’s not exactly an attractive proposition.

I'm a LL and I wouldn't rent to you because you'd likely be moving out again within 3-6 months and I prefer long term lets.

I feel for you though, I was in the same position last year!

Instead of renting, we stayed in long term AirBnBs for 3 months. This worked out brilliantly, as all utilities were included and I just put my stuff into storage.

We have rented two properties out and used an agent each time, if you contacted me directly honestly I’d probably have taken you out the picture and not rented to you. I’d find it incredibly instructive and I paid an agent because I wanted them to deal with the tenants. I’d wonder what you found difficult to understand about this and would be concerned you’d always try to by pass the agents and be a pain in the ass.

Not all landlords are like this, but you run the risk they are.

Most are also looking for long term let’s, so I’d keep quiet or I’d look for a long term Airbnb.

Don’t outline your position. Just sign a 6-month tenancy agreement and give notice at the right time. No residential landlord is normally going to want a tenant they know won’t stay for long because the reletting fees are so high. An Airbnb/serviced apartment might be better but you’ll struggle to find one without summer bookings/a hefty premium for the summer holidays.

Landlords pay letting agents to deal with this stuff, it would annoy me to be contacted like this and I’d just pass you back to the agent, sorry - I know you’re in a tough position but tbh your situation isn’t even ideal for a letting agent/landlord who wants a longer staying tenant.

The idea of a longer stay Airbnb would work out better for you, contact someone like that and see if they’ll do you a discount for a longer stay.

No, landlords pay letting agents to deal with (prospective) tenants. Your friends shouldn’t be giving out their details; that’s really out of line.

You also won’t be an attractive prospect given your short letting term.

Thanks all. You've confirmed what my gut feeling was telling me. Its really tricky. We live rurally, there are no short term lets like air bnb available; believe me we've tried. We'll keep trying. Thanks.

Hi OP, you live rurally but have no local airwhatsits nearby? Unless you live in a very ugly rural area in the UK (and to be honest, I can't think of anywhere like that), I find it hard to believe that within 15 miles of the area you need to be in, there are no "original/old fashioned" holiday lets? I really can't imagine any residential landlord being willing to let out their property to you for one or two months. So either you take on a short let lease for a whole 6 months, and pay for that, even if you move out after 4 weeks, or you find that illusive holiday let cottage/caravan.

You are unlikely to get anything less than a 6 month let and will need to ensure you give notice at 4 months.

I wouldn’t volunteer the info that you are buying and don’t plan to stay. However, any sensible agent or LL will ask. You can be a bit vague or outright lie if you want to and are within your legal rights to then give notice 2 months before the end of the tenancy. It depends if you feel comfortable doing that, but it might be necessary to beat other possible tenants who say they want to be around longer. Either way, think carefully in advance about what you want to say so that you aren’t caught on the hop.

I would t go direct to LL, but perhaps contact the agent again to show how keen you are and ask if there is any paperwork you can get to them in advance which might help your case and show how enthusiastic and ready to proceed you are.

Yes, you need to accept you will be paying rent for 6 months if you go down the standard let route.

Could you offer more? It’s what our friends’ve done and got the house. I never thought about doing this on a rental market but apparently it worked.
I wouldn’t tell LL or EA that you are after short term rental, it’s very off putting. also you can’t be sure it’s only fo 6 months. There might be delays or you might decide to renovate.

Thanks all. We are looking for at least 6 months and probably more. We are more than happy to sign up for 6 months or perhaps even a year but are finding than tennants who want longer are (obviously) favoured. We are rural and in a popular holiday area so all potential short term lets have weeks free here and there. I have contacted loads. It's more tricky with a child at school, one at nursery and commuting times to factor in. Living rurally there is a definite sense of community where we live so my original post I suppose was more from the perspective of already being part of that local community. We dont know the landlord direct but know people who do. We will find somewhere and make it work. Thanks for all the advice.

Good luck - hope you find somewhere.

If you’re prepared to sign a 6 month or year tenancy I think you should be able to get somewhere.

Most LLs don’t want to offer a longer tenancy to start with, because getting nuisance tenants out is just so much harder if they do. Most will go for a 6 month tenancy to start with, but the understanding often is that it will continue on...but that’s not binding on the LL or the tenant. LLs often say they are up for a long let, but will start with a 6 month tenancy and then it’s them who send notice and end it at 6 months because they want to sell or whatever.

The thing is, LLs and tenants can never be certain how long the other person wants to be in the agreement for. You can ask, but no-one is committed for longer than the legal agreement and no-one has to remain in it longer.

They might well ask how long you expect to be around. You could equally ask them. It all means nothing, the term if the tenancy is what counts and gives you your minimum terms. You might need to sound positive about being a long term tenant. They still aren’t going to be offering you a minimum term of longer than 6 months or possibly a year as you could turn out to be nightmares and they will want you out. Obviously if they do suggest a longer term tenancy (totally unlikely to start with...much more likely after a first term has gone well) you couldn’t agree.

If you feel you have to be fully upfront about your position and future, then you might struggle in a competitive market where there are lots of people who want really long term rentals. However, LLs have to accept that tenants move on. If you look like decent people who will pay, you should be able to get somewhere.

It’s hard to imagine you could t get something if you’re happy to go with a standard tenancy agreement.