My Landlord is selling house I rent.

Helen224488

Hi,

I really need some advice. I have recently moved house start of March 2009. The letting agent gave the impression it was a long term let. I have only been here just over 1 month & landlord phoned to say they are putting house on market. I have a 6 month lease. I am gutted as I spent tons of money on agency fees, moving costs etc. I am a single parent with 2 kids & I work full time so I could do without the hassle of moving again.

The landlord wants a person to visit house to do a HIP & have contacted the same letting agent who I let the property from as they also sale houses as well as lettings. My initial contact was thro letting agent but once tenancy was signed I deal with landlord & pay rent via standing order each month.

Does the landlord have the right to send person to do HIP? Do they have the right to let estate agent do viewings etc? I spoke to legal person today at Council who said that landlord does not have the right to send person to do HIP & I don't have to give agent a key.

The lease says tenants obligations: To allow the landlord or anyone with written permission of the landlord to enter the property at a reasonable hour of the day to inspect the property, make repairs to the property or during the last month of the tenancy to show prospective new tenants the property providing reasonable prior notice has been given (minimum of 24 hrs), except in an emergency.

So does that apply to prospective buyers? I don't want to be a pain but it has taken me tons of effort, time & money to move & I have only lived here 7 weeks! & I don't want to spend the next 4 1/2 months having agents showing people around my home! Do I have the right to refuse entry of prospective buyers? My landlord is giving the impression that they will sale to a person who will become my landlord but the buyer might want to live in the house themselves.

:mad: Can anyone give me any advice???????????????????????

poppysarah

Ring shelter for advice.
But you don't have to show people round. Your landlord should have realised this. Ask shelter for the right things to write to him in a letter.
Quite often places with tenants in aren't available to view.

JMW77

I have no idea sorry but as you have a six month lease i assume they cannot ask you to leave until your lease expires, the first house i bought had tenants in and i had to wait till the end of the lease 3 months i think it was .

Good luck i'm sure you will get some better advice !

IlonaRN

or during the last month of the tenancy to show prospective new tenants the property providing reasonable prior notice has been given (minimum of 24 hrs)

This would mean that they cannot let anyone in to show them around until at least the last month of your tenancy, which won't be for another few months yet! They would also need to give a minimum of 24 hours for each viewing, ask them to do that in writing.

You are also entitled to "quiet enjoyment" of the property, so they must not bring too many people round to show it either.

Definitely contact shelter as to the best way for you to proceed. I would not let anyone in until the last month of your tenancy, and then only by prior arrangement of at least 24 hours' notice.

I would even go so far as suggesting the times that it is acceptable to you for someone to come round so that you can be home, as your contents insurance won't cover if something goes missing when someone has been in your house with a key.

A_Nice_Englishman

On the other hand, if you cooperate with your landlord the house could be sold to a new landlord quickly and easily and your uncertainty will be over as soon as possible.

If you come across as an 'awkward' tenant the landlord (old or new) may be less inclined to renew the lease in September.

I write as someone who has been both a landlord and a tenant (at the same time!). But that's another story.

Helen224488

Many thanks to all,

A Nice Englishman- I totally agree with you I think I have the right to refuse entry until last month but then that would !!!! the landlord off & if the new buyer were going to let out property might think I am a difficult tenant also my current landlord might get a bit difficult when it comes to returning security deposit! on the other hand if new landlord has no intention of letting property then I will have to leave at end of 6 months anyway & I would rather live these months in peace without tons of viewings! Decisions, decisions.

I think I am gonna cooperate with landlord & let them carry out HIP & let agent do viewings at a time convenient to me after work no more than once a week. But I don't want to give agent a key to do viewings whilst I'm at work. Do you think that's fair? I'm just a nice, honest person!!!!!!!!!!! Shame everyone else isn't!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SouthCoast

But I don't want to give agent a key to do viewings whilst I'm at work. Do you think that's fair?

If the letting agent for my flat had a key I would change the locks.

Helen224488

Letting agent does not have key. Initial references were done thro agency but property is not managed thro agency, LL manages it. That is why LL phoned me to tell me they were putting house on market & to ask me how many keys I have & if I could give one to Agency. LL obviously has spare keys but they live in a different town.

m_13

You say in your post:

My landlord is giving the impression that they will sale to a person who will become my landlord but the buyer might want to live in the house themselves.

Is it your landlord who has said the buyer might want to live in the house himself or is that you just think that? To sell with vacant possession (so somebody else could live there) then your landlord would have to gain possession of the property or wait to complete until you no longer have a tenancy.

HazelS_2

Hiya
I work in Housing and happy to give advice...

You SHOULD have an assured shorthold tenancy - can you tell me if it's a 6 month tenancy, or a 12 month tenancy?
Nobody except for the courts can make you leave your property until the end of that 6 or 12 month period. You should also receive a Notice 2 months prior to the end of the 6 or 12 month period, telling you that they would like to regain possession at the end of your tenancy. If they don't, SOME courts will err on your side, and suggest to the landlord that by NOT giving you this notice, it is inferred by them that they are happy for you to stay on.

If it were me, I would be as helpful as you can... you never know if the landlord is going to sell it on to an investor who may decide to keep you on as a tenant.... BUT do NOT show people around your property - that's not your job!

By the way - the landlord is perfectly entitled to have a key to your property, but must ALWAYS give you "reasonable" notice to enter... and it's pretty bad practice if they enter when you're not there.

Happy to help where I can - give me a PM or a shout if you need to!

Helen224488

Thanks for everyones advice, I am signing off now, going to my bed, have to get up at 6am for work. Work, eat, sleep, work, eat, sleep - my life is like that film "groundhog day."

Goodnight everyone.