My tennant... what do you think???

Q7_st

socrates wrote: »

Is the property in a good catchment area for a school - I have heard of people renting a property just so they can get their child into a particular school.

Besides that most of what is said above is good advice.

Dont know about the dead in a ditch bit though!

Can't be that her parents live in the same area literally 5 mins walk same schools!

Its so strange I'd love to get to the bottom of it

1984ReturnsForReal_2

princeofpounds wrote: »

Odd. I cannot think why someone would do this..

So, boyfriend & girlfriend have shared house. They go through a rough patch & split up (one or the other had an affair).

The girl rents a house. In the meantime they kind of get back together (or she gets together with the 3rd party).

She needs to have somewhere to go should things not work out. She has a contract & honours it.....


Whats the problem??!!


Hardly growing canabis is it?!!

Q7_st

1984ReturnsForReal wrote: »

So, boyfriend & girlfriend have shared house. They go through a rough patch & split up (one or the other had an affair).

The girl rents a house. In the meantime they kind of get back together (or she gets together with the 3rd party).

She needs to have somewhere to go should things not work out. She has a contract & honours it.....


Whats the problem??!!


Hardly growing canabis is it?!!

Yeah thanks for that but I have explored your theory before and it's a load of rubbish. I have also previouly asked her if she wants to leave out of contract due to me worrying over the heating sytem given the harsh winter and she wanted to stay.

Like I've said I have no problem with her payments but its going to cost a couple of grand if the heating blows after a year of not being fired up and then extra money on top of that if there's any damp.

clutton_2

if she is paying the rent and there is no damage to the house - what is the problem ?

Q7_st

clutton wrote: »

if she is paying the rent and there is no damage to the house - what is the problem ?

Yeah I appreciate this and this is my OH's point of view. I'm concerned at the fact the house is stood empty making it more prone to vandalism/ burgalry and the fact the boiler isn't being used which could cause it to seize up.

HockeyDuo8083

We are not allowed to leave our flat unoccupied for any period longer then 2 weeks and this is a clause in out Lease. We went on holiday last year for 3 weeks and notified our Letting Agent who was happy to keep an eye on flat while we were away.
I would just check the place over, our Letting Agent does an inspection every other month using access keys if we are not there.
If there is nothing untoward going on then let her carry on as long as rent etc is paid.

We also had a reminder letter about leaving the heatong on low during winter it was condescending really as we are both sensible responsible tenants but it shows that the letting agent has a duty of care to the owner to keep the property in order.

I take it you lease your flat yourself instead of using an Agent?

tbs624

Q7_st wrote: »

.. I am genuinely a really good landlord it's not as if I'm nasty or intrusive!!

but then ......

Q7_st wrote: »

....I keep popping round and there' definitely no-one living in it- all the packing boxes are still in the middle of the room! I have asked her about it (prob 2 mths ago) and she said that she would be moving in within the next few weeks but she's still not in.

You're probably too attached to this house, with it having been your own home originally. Your T may simply be honouring her AST , despite things altering in her own life ( and there are a lot of LLs who'd be delighted to have such a T) but perhaps because your original tenant "vanished" you're quick to be suspicious of this one? Even if a T does live at the property permanently there is no guarantee that they'll keep it ventilated/heated adequately throughout the winter months.

You say that the FT is due to end, so if you want her and her boxes to go simply make sure that your S21 has been properly dated & served and set about finding youself a new T but you'll probably have to budget for a month or two's void whilst you find someone else.

SingleSue

It does happen...as an example, a friend of mine purchased a property - 2 years later and despite having to pay his mortgage, he still hadn't moved in!

He was just too comfortable at home living with his parents and couldn't quite face moving out...he did in the end when his parents gave him a good talking to about wasting his money on a property he wasn't living in.

mlz1413

Do the normal process when the AST is nearly up, send a letter to the house asking if they wish to re-new the contract at the end of the term and request an inspection at a convinent time to them before the end of the tenancy.

If you don't get a reply then email a copy of the letter saying you have not received a reply to the posted one please can she advise.

Ensure you get the inspection done so that you can see the state of the house and advise of any things that need to be put right to get her deposit back, if she is leaving.

If she wishes to stay you can always discuss the insurance aspect, I think you can get buildings insurance to cover an empty property but the cost may need to be passed on with a rent increase.

I'm not sure why you need to contact a tenant who is paying the rent during the tenancy. I would consider an inspection at the 3 or 4 month point to be adequate unless the tenant is late paying rent, causing a problem or reporting problems that need repairing.

As said before you are probably too attached to the property, maybe you would be better letting it through an agent so that you can stand back a little?

tbs624

HockeyDuo8083 wrote: »

We are not allowed to leave our flat unoccupied for any period longer then 2 weeks and this is a clause in out Lease. We went on holiday last year for 3 weeks and notified our Letting Agent who was happy to keep an eye on flat while we were away.
I would just check the place over, our Letting Agent does an inspection every other month using access keys if we are not there...

Slight diversion from OP's query but your LA is extreme - tenants being expected to notify absences of just a fortnight is over prescriptive IMO and conducting inspections every other month is far too intrusive. (The LA also does not have a right to let themselves in "with an access key" for any inspections unless a T is happy for them to do so.)