Please help me rationalise and bring me down from this anxiety

[Wowz]

LL selling house, we tried to purchase but sale feel through as took over a year to exchange due to paper work and our mortgage expired. We found a shared ownership home and awaiting this to be built, hopefully end of August but not guaranteed. Can move in with dad if needs be whilst we wait but that means furniture into storage and a three hour commute daily. I'm so stressed, LL has put house on the market and there are now viewings scheduled, the house is a mess from where I've been decluttering along side working and looking after a 2 year old. It's all just getting too much, I feel sick. I just want it all to stop as I can't cope any more. I want to just throw the towel in and rent somewhere else and stop the stress and anxiety!!! What should I do

Firstly, you don't need to 'prepare' the house in any way for viewings - it's not your responsibility. Second, you could consider only allowing viewings at pre-arranged 'slots' you offer, say for 1 hour twice a week. This is usually your right under tenant law. Also, if your Landlord wants your rent for as long as possible the actual sale even after offer agreed is likely to take several months. Finally, you have options (your Dad) and it sounds like a much brighter future (with the shared ownership, when its ready).

I know all this, I have no idea what's causing me to be so anxious but I've gone I to panic mode. I've convinced myself if the hiuse is not tidy and presentable it will somehow cause consequences for me. I also know a house isn't bought over night, but I keep thinking what if it goes through within a month.

We’re buying a house and there’s a few nice houses on the market at the minute but with tenants in situ, they aren’t selling. The chances of an ordinary buyer wanting a house whilst your still in the house is very low. The house might get sold to another LL who might work with you whilst yours is built, as it would take them a few weeks to get their own tenant in anyway. Even if the house does sell before yours is complete, it still needs to get through to completion. As you know that can take a long time, I think the average house sale is 4 months, which would take us to August. Given you tried to buy this house and it took a year before falling through, it will probably be equally lengthy. So in all honesty, your house is likely to be complete before this sale completes. On the very slim chance it doesn’t, you have options.

It’s not your responsibility to make the house look presentable. That’s the risk your LL takes on putting it on the market with tenants in. We have an 18 month old and trying to declutter with them is just not possible and obviously they have big, bulky stuff. But you know what? A two year old currently lives there and if potential buyers can’t see past that, we’ll it’s the LL loss and again the risk they take.

Moving is stressful but it’ll be worth it when you have your shared ownership house.

Thank you so much, I think that's exactly what I needed to hear.

It can’t ‘go through’ overnight whilst you’re still in it. So actually you’re in a much stronger position than the landlord who’s selling it. Try not to worry about that. Unless it’s being sold to another landlord then any purchaser needs ‘vacant possession’ I.e. you not being there anymore. And if you’ve got nowhere to move to then your landlord would need to evict you, which takes aaaages.

So don’t worry about tidying up, only allow whatever viewings are genuinely reasonable for you - don’t be bullied - and keep your eyes on your shared ownership prize. It’s not too far away.

Obviously it is not your fault your mortgage expired. But if I was your landlord I would be a bit pissed off because he/she has missed the absolutely peak of the market.

As to you are not responsible to make the house presentable. I am not sure about you, forget what your obligation is, I personally still feel uncomfortable when people comes into my house and there’s huge mess as like it or lot people do judge.

Can you suggest the LL pay for a cleaner? Suggest to him what your situation is with young kid(s) and you would like to assist LL to make this house as presentable as possible to facilitate the sale. The LL now has an option pay up 50-70 quid to help you clean up the house which is absolutely nothing in the bigger picture in terms of the fees they pay for sales proceeds.

I am a landlord and I would have definitely paid for the cleaner to make sure I have the maximum success.

Just had estate agents on the phone to book in some viewings. She asked for one this Saturday and turned it down as I need the weekend to sort the mess, she was so rude and was asking why I couldn't do Saturday, she then asked me what I can do and wasn't happy I can't do a couple if days mid week since I work from home. She was so rude and this has just made me more stressed.

Send the estate agents an email.

From the w/c 01 May I can offer you access to the house for viewings on a Weds & Fri between 10-12pm & 4-6pm. I won’t be able to accommodate viewings at other times, so please do let viewers know that.

Change the days/times to whatever you think, obviously.

That's great advice, this is reasonable and should reduce your stress.

Try not to worry difficult I know.As suggested offer a slot or 2 that suits you.Have you been served a section 21 yet? No fault eviction.Spend the weekend sorting out you will feel more in control then.Houses around here are not selling and when they do takes months to complete.Your new house will be great.Good luck.

You don't have to allow viewings. Look up your rights to "quiet enjoyment " .

If she pulls that shit on you again after you have given her slots, I suggest emailing her:

What I think you forget to appreciate is that I am not making money out of this house sale and I am doing my best to accommodate my landlord per the terms of my lease (which will say something about viewings in the event of a sale needing to be reasonable) despite being in the middle of a stressful purchase whilst holding down a job with a young child.

I understand that you are keen to help him, but please be respectful of my time along the way. Why I cannot accommodate a certain slot is really not anyone's business and it's not really on for you to ask; working with my time that I am offering you lots of is how this house will get sold with minimal fuss.

Respectfully,

Your name

If she keeps bullying you, tell the landlord to get on the phone to her and tell her to back the fuck off.

Not only does he have to serve you a section 21 but squatters rights are a very real thing, it could take him a year to get you out of there if you want to be bloody minded!

You don't have to allow ANY viewings by law. Forget what your lease says, that can't override your right in law to quiet enjoyment. I would actually email the agent and say that despite you being willing to offer reasonable access around your convenience their rudeness and attitude has made you reconsider and from now on you do not wish to receive any communication from them concerning the sale until your tenancy expires.
Contact your landlord and reiterate your noncooperation due to the attitude of the agent and tell them you are not willing to be involved in any way in the facilitation of the sale and until your lease ends you will have sole use of the house as you are paying rent.

If you give them an inch they will take a mile so stop it all. Eviction (which is the only way they can legally get you out) will take months so you have plenty of breathing space.

Mo notice given as of yet. LL has said he will keep us in as long as possible, I'm a bit worried though that there are four viewings and the house has only been on the market a week. I am holding my ground, normally om a people pleaser but she made me so angry I just gave a flat out no. Surely she would realise the more she tries to push people, the more they just dig their heels in.

Four viewings on new to market isn't a huge number. That will soon drop off, and quickly, if any offers are not made.

She's not given you notice yet? Don't remind her that she officially has to. If things get messy further down the line, that could work to your advantage.

The moment your landlord accepts an offer he’ll try and evict you.
Make sure anyone viewing knows you intend to stay to September/October.