Renting between sale and purchase (with cat)

[Caliat]

How easy is it to get short term (2 - 12 months) rentals these days?

We are planning to move next year and relocate from north to south. DH is assuming we will rent somewhere between sale and purchase, but I'm not sure how easy this will be (especially as we have a cat).

Obviously it will be lovely if we can move out and in at the same time, but it's possible we will buy somewhere that needs a bit of work. And we wouldn't want to lose our buyers if our purchase fell through.

Last time we did this, we camped out at my mother's for 6 weeks. That won't be feasible this time. And airbnb's look extortionate for anything more than a couple of weeks.

Would love to hear from anyone that's done something similar and how you managed it.

Not.

i wound up trying to do this and it’s very, very hard.

the rental market in most places has a shortage of places and too many people trying to get them.

We are facing a gap between our sale and purchase, and with two dogs and two cats, we’re literally looking at camping as there’s fat chance we will find anything else. Hoping the gap is short!

I’m planning to do that. I’m going to try and go into a ‘built for renters’ apartment as they are geared up for short contracts and pets. Expensive though. They seem to be in most cities.

Very difficult indeed.

The rental market is phenomenally blocked with bugger all coming up for rent in most places and hundreds applying for each one. Lots of landlords are selling up.

AirBnB will be a problem as well, because of the RRA, so landlords will be reluctant to rent to you.

Have a look at things like static caravans perhaps?

We're in a similar situation so will watch this thread with interest.

although Airbnb are expensive based on the prices for holiday lets, we've thought of contacting the owner to see if they'd agree a rate for longer term, as it would give them continuity of income for several months.

i think it depends where you will be rent, whether there is a lot of demand and whether the landlord will be willing to do a shorter term let than a year. That's the trouble with being in between properties, it's difficult to say exactly how long you want to rent for.

its still definitely worth going the rental route because it makes you chain free and much better for bargaining on your next place.

ive now looked it up and under the new RRA, even though a rental property may be advertised as long term, the renter is within their rights to give two months notice if for example they want to move to their new property after 9 months. I guess it depends how honest you want to be as to whether you say we want to be in this rental property long term, but then leave sooner,

Have a look at what’s for sale and if empty / no chain it might be worth seeing if you can get in touch with sellers and asking about a few months of rental. Or ask on local FB site about somewhere available for a few months. I’ve done this twice whilst doing building work quite successfully. People with limited prospects of immediately selling may be interested in an informal rental arrangement.

Was just about to post the same and also landlords cannot unreasonably refuse pets

No they can't, but if they don't want pets they can just choose another applicant who doesn't have any.

This, but almost noone wants renters with pets.

We did this with two dogs, twice. Not a problem either time, 18months and one a year.

id never move house without doing this now, and particularly changing area.

You can literally give your two months' notice on the day you move in if you want.

We have had no problem renting with pets. I think it's more of an issue if you want furnished but unfurnished it doesn't make that much difference.

Thanks everyone. Lots to think about.

I guess we'll have to see what the situation is when the time comes - but might need to budget for a year of rental.

Nowadays you don't commit to staying a particular length of time so in theory you could give 2 months notice as soon as you like. Many landlords might be less keen to take on someone who has sold their home and is looking for another to buy. But some might be pleased if they don't want a long commitment, because you are unlikely to be there for more than a year or so, and it's hard to get tenants out since the new Act.

I would be more worried about the poor cat having to move twice. They really don't like it!

If it’s in an area with a distinct off season, contact Airbnb owners to see if you can get a longer term letter a lower price for a stop gap but for more than a few weeks you need to rent. Whilst it’s not easy you may find someone who genuinely wants a mid term let tenant eg when we go off travelling I’d be happy to rent to someone in your circumstances as long as you pay a deposit to cover cat damage, and promise not to stay more than a year … I know not easy to find but but I’m already in discussions to see what our options are, the alternative is managed Airbnb for us and I’d rather not have so many in and out

We’re about to do this. We don’t have pets but our rental would have allowed it. It’s all been fairly straightforward.

She will hate us - it'll be our revenge for all those 5am wake up calls.

But seriously, we have moved in the past with cats and although they haven't been pleased, they have settled down pretty quickly. Even our very neurotic previous cat coped with being moved from Yorkshire to Lancashire via 6 weeks in Scotland.

I will remind my two very temperamental cats of that when we move soon. You WILL settle down, it WILL all be fine. I hate doing it to them though! Good luck with finding somewhere lovely to live.