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Original poster

Sold to a tenant…

50 replies

good96 · 18/06/2024 23:04

Hi all,

We have recently accepted an offer from a tenant in one of our rented properties. The offer was accepted 4 weeks ago and we aren’t near the stage of exchange yet.

I was made aware by a neighbour that the tenants have started to do building work to the property (this hasn’t been authorised by us) I drove by the property tonight and it is clear to see that it is indeed a building site…. We have not been able to contact the tenants.

The concern that I have is if the sale collapses for whatever reason then we are left with a building site that will have depreciated in the value.

Any advice welcome?

OP posts:
Original poster
good96 · 18/06/2024 23:06

Just to elaborate. The neighbour has mentioned that the conservatory has been demolished and that in the skip outside the property, it is clear to see that they’ve ripped out the bathroom and kitchen too….
Pissed off ain’t the word!!

OP posts:
KievLoverTwo · 19/06/2024 00:02

Did you pay for legal advice as part of your home insurance? Call them.

MooMooI2 · 19/06/2024 00:09

Eeek! They need to stop now before doing any more. They are effectively demolishing your house!

Imambaldi · 19/06/2024 00:14

Sorry, can’t suggest anything but legal advice asap !

nomoretoriesforme · 19/06/2024 00:35

Definitely, legal advice. Where are your tenants from?

soberfabulous · 19/06/2024 01:01

Oh my god this is shocking!! I'd be knocking on the door!

fairymary87 · 19/06/2024 01:03

That's shocking!!!

hulahoopqueen · 19/06/2024 03:37

If your tenancy agreement forbids them making structural changes to the property, go to the police or raise a court case to stop them from doing anything further and take back control of the property

DracoDormiensNumquamTittilandum · 19/06/2024 04:01

hulahoopqueen · 19/06/2024 03:37

If your tenancy agreement forbids them making structural changes to the property, go to the police or raise a court case to stop them from doing anything further and take back control of the property

It's not that easy, they can't just regain control of the property. Best bet now is to hope and pray the sale proceeds.

gindreams · 19/06/2024 05:09

hulahoopqueen · 19/06/2024 03:37

If your tenancy agreement forbids them making structural changes to the property, go to the police or raise a court case to stop them from doing anything further and take back control of the property

I am always confused by people who loose advice that is factually incorrect, why do you do it ?

Spirallingdownwards · 19/06/2024 05:26

Inform your conveyancing solicitor immediately so they can contact the buyer's solicitor and see how far they are off exchange of contracts.

liz4change · 19/06/2024 05:38

As PP has said - inform your solicitor immediately who should contact theirs. Assuming they are buying with a mortgage, at a minimum the lender will insist on a valuation survey to ensure the property is worth more than the loan value.

Apart from the fact that they don't own the property and so should not be making structural changes.

Original poster
good96 · 19/06/2024 08:59

I would need to issue a section 21 notice to evict which would delay the process and most likely jeopardise the sale which right now, I want it to go through asap.

Contacting solicitor this morning.

OP posts:
Lkjhgdsrtgbjjm · 19/06/2024 09:32

That's terrible. How stupid they must be.

thequeenoftarts · 19/06/2024 09:35

I guess you are happy to sell to them, so maybe just give them a call and ask that they don't do anymore work until the sale is gone through, as just on the off chance it doesn't, they will have to make good any damage that they have caused. I totally get where you are coming from, but as your last post says you want the sale to go through asap, maybe don't come down too heavy handed. That's a real mess tho, however lesson learned and if you go to sell anymore, put that into writing from the start. Good luck

deviantfeline · 19/06/2024 09:48

@gindreams it's ridiculous isn't it. What makes someone think 'I know fuck all about the law so I'll post some made up stuff'.

Original poster
good96 · 19/06/2024 09:50

thequeenoftarts · 19/06/2024 09:35

I guess you are happy to sell to them, so maybe just give them a call and ask that they don't do anymore work until the sale is gone through, as just on the off chance it doesn't, they will have to make good any damage that they have caused. I totally get where you are coming from, but as your last post says you want the sale to go through asap, maybe don't come down too heavy handed. That's a real mess tho, however lesson learned and if you go to sell anymore, put that into writing from the start. Good luck

Happy to sell to them because I just want the property sold asap. I just worry that the sale collapses and we are left with a property that is not habitable or mortgageable.
If it does collapse then I will be seeking the costs for ‘damage’ to the property which will definitely be very costly for them.
It is the total cheek of it. I wouldn’t mind if they got quotes for the work ready for it to start after the sale has completed but not before.

It doesn’t look like they’re living in the property at the moment so can’t just knock the door. I’ve asked the neighbours to keep an eye out and let me know when the tenants are at the property so I can speak to them.

OP posts:
caringcarer · 19/06/2024 11:05

Have their lender done the survey for their building society because mortgage lenders won't lend on houses with no kitchen or bathroom?

Tdcp · 19/06/2024 11:23

This is really bizarre, I mean from your angle you're worried that if the sale doesn't go through you're left with a building site but I'm shocked that they haven't thought of this when they're ploughing so much money into a house that they don't even own! Madness.

rwalker · 19/06/2024 11:34

I think I would be looking at this from a practical angle and damage limitation for yourself rather than legal

id be worrying that and legal action could jeopardise the sale

if they have removed conservatory,bathroom and kitchen sounds like they have a plan in place to replace them
the damage is done
the only work your going to stop now is the improvement side of things not the demolition

I’d be fuming but I!d be trying to hurry the sale along

Original poster
good96 · 19/06/2024 12:06

Tdcp · 19/06/2024 11:23

This is really bizarre, I mean from your angle you're worried that if the sale doesn't go through you're left with a building site but I'm shocked that they haven't thought of this when they're ploughing so much money into a house that they don't even own! Madness.

The guy is a builder so would suspect that he has done the work himself.

They have lived there since 2015 and about two years after they moved in. They asked if they could convert the garage into living space and he would do it himself. They wanted to convert it into a ‘play room’ for the DC. Declined that straight away even though they were going to pay for it.

They approached me earlier this year and asked if I would consider selling to them as they’ve been there for 9 years and would like to make it their forever home. We are approaching retirement anyway and we have no mortgage on the property from when we purchased it in 2002 so we thought it made sense to sell it at this opportunity.
Got it valued and offered to sell it with a 5% discount which they accepted in April..

I think they thought because we had agreed a sale that they could start gutting the property…
I mean it wasn’t in a bad condition at all. We refurbished the property in 2010 with a new kitchen and bathroom to a higher spec so still had some life left!

OP posts:
similarminimer · 19/06/2024 18:23

Do you have a mortgage in the property or own it outright?

sweetpickle2 · 19/06/2024 18:30

OP's previous post above yours says there is no mortgage.

I feel for you OP, cheeky bastards! Fingers crossed the sale goes through smoothly and there is no consequences to this. Breathtakingly bold of them though.

beergiggles · 19/06/2024 18:42

OMG, are they thick or arrogant, both?

DrySherry · 20/06/2024 07:41

Crikey, what if they have a problem with getting their mortgage. From the sounds of what they have done its too late for a polite "please hold on" letter.
I think it's cross fingers and toes time whilst trying to push it through asap.
They have you by the short and curly bits if they decide to reduce the offer at the last minute. I hope that's not their plan.