A question to all you tenants

Milliewilly

I still disagree that if you are upfront with someone at the outset that they are getting a reduced rent because they will be inconvenienced with viewers and the necessary tidying etc that a tenant can basically do what they like once they accept the tenancy. That is sufficient to put me off.

My reference to 'Hysterical' relates to some posts over the last few weeks about an agent taking photos, the tenant wanting to complain even though they know the house is on the market , a tenant being shouted at by the Landlord for being behind on her rent followed by rallying posts of 'call the Police for harrasment', any Landlord wanting to call at the property for whatever reason (and I am not referring to just turning up etc) being met with posts of 'change the locks' 'quiet enjoyment', criminal offence etc - I mean tenants come onto this board to complain about even being phoned up for an inspection at a later date!!

I don't see why people can't just be reasonable.

Thanks for all the replies I am NOT going to let my house out.

PayDay

Milliewilly wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies I am NOT going to let my house out.

A good decision. It was clear from your opening post that you didn't know that being a landlord is a business

Milliewilly

PayDay wrote: »

A good decision. It was clear from your opening post that you didn't know that being a landlord is a business

Actually I take offence to that. A close family member owns 10 university approved student properties as his full time job and has done for the last 25 years so I do know about being a Landlord.

I am naive in thinking though that there are some decent people who would be co-operative in renting a house short term thats for sale below market rental value in return for putting up with viewings.

This board has really opened my eyes to how Tenants minds work.

DrScotsman

pinkshoes wrote: »

Perhaps you could offer a rental agreement where the tenants are paid say £25 for every viewing they tolerate, on the basis they tidy up a bit?

How come no one noticed this excellent point while you were all arguing about a reduction in rent?

You cannot override a tenant's statutory rights by reducing rent, even if they agree to it. However pinkshoes' method would work just fine, as it is an arrangement that is nothing to do with the tenancy agreement and that they can freely deny, but probably wouldn't because they'd like the money.

becky170

Hi Milliewilly, do you know any family members or work colleagues that you could possibly rent your house out to for a short while? They may be more likely to agree to an arrangement that you are suggesting and at least you'll know they are trustworthy.

A house I was renting was put up on the market whilst I was living in it and I really didn't enjoy the experience. The estate agent would send us a letter which would normally arrive on the day of the viewing, which meant we didn't get time to clean up. I hated people coming round when the place was untidy, but there wasn't much choice. I also prefer to be in the house when viewings are conducted and having such short notice did not enable me to do that. Because of that experience I would never rent a house that was up for sale, but other people probably won't be so bothered. You'll just have to accept that the house may not been shown in the best light as you can't expect a tenant to have the place spotless if you don't give them notice, even if you do let them have money off their rent as they have their lives to lead.

Milliewilly

I've decided I would rather it stood empty but clean than get a couple of hundred pounds a month after the taxman has had a go for the risk of a Tenant with their furniture and belongings who wouldn't present my house in its current 'show standard'.

With the severe lack of decent property for sale for me to buy, mine will probably have sold before I have found something to buy anyway.

I was just posing the question its been an interesting two pages.

hugheskevi

To give a positive story...one of the best places I've ever rented was with an amateur landlord who lived in another country. The landlord was great - if something needed fixing he had a handyman who fixed it as soon as we e-mailed, the rent was low and included all bills.

There were 4 of us in the house, with no contracts, and no deposits protected. The kind of arrangement where a professional tenant could give him no end of problems. The landlord decided to sell the house, he was very nice about it, telling us well in advance of putting it on the market. It took about 9 months to sell, during which time most viewings went just fine. It sold, and we all moved out without problem.

But even if landlords are great, there can still be problem estate agents. The agents were always slack about telling us if someone was coming round to view, and sometimes didn't tell us at all. The worst occasion was when they showed someone round without notice, and were shouting through the bathroom door to the guy having a bath, asking how long he would be as they wanted to view the bathroom.

In other places I've rented there were viewings arranged for the next set of tenants. One place was really annoying as the landlord/agent were completely unrealistic about the price. The place was in a very popular letting area, so it got lots of viewings, but no-one took it. Once we were up to something like the 10th viewing in a couple of weeks it gets quite annoying. In that situation, whilst we tidied up for the first few viewings, the novelty soon wore off and we didn't make much if any effort for viewings.

When viewing a house to buy, I'd consider tenants as a distinct drawback. Always the potential of problems with tenants not being willing to move, and I'd have a general expectation that the standard of any property that has been rented would be lower than an owner-occupied place. Which may not be true in all cases of course. But having recently viewed some places which reeked of smoke and were generally untidy and not well maintained, the price is would have had to be a lot lower than a comparable property which has been cleaned immaculately and is in showroom condition and had no occupancy issues.

Just some perspectives and stories which might be informative

clutton_2

hugh - thanks for bringing some balance to this thread.... i dont think its possible to make statements about "landlord" or "tenants"

they are as different as butchers and police-officers and social workers and dinner ladies..

folks come in all shapes and sizes and they will behave in the most unpredictable way

i have had middle class very rich tenants rip me off something chronic and laugh in my face while doing it...

i have had tenants on benefits as poor as church mice make a wonderfully beautiful home with a lot of effort and very little money

you just cant judge ahead of time.....

folks get very frightened when they see they are about to lose their home and they then get defensive, angry and unpredictable

it is my experience that if you talk decently and honest to tenant, and tell them what the bottom line is, they will know where they stand the vast majority of them will cooperate..

the odd cheating tenant will get their come uppance further down life's highways

every business has its bad payers, its problems, as a LL you have to deal with that..

but i have done a lot, a very lot, of different jobs in my time, but being a LL is surely the MOST people-orientated business there is... you need a lot of negotiating skills to be a good LL


being a LL - its not for the faint hearted but it is very satisfying providing decent homes for folks in need...

having become a tenant again myself last year, i realise, yet again, how vulnerable folks feel when in the hands of someone else who has control over my home and my roof...

Consequently i have made it my business to develop an excellent relationship with my LL and i generally ignore the LA who could "toss the caber" and lose anyday of the week......

PasturesNew

Monday I come home from work at 6.30, rip my clothes off, drag some others on and rush out to an evening activity, come home at 11.30 rip my clothes off and drop them on the floor. I've picked up a takeaway on the way home (too late to cook) and put the chip papers on the kitchen surface and plate in to soak. I go to bed. I've received mail, no time to open it - I can see it's nothing important, so I chuck it on the table for "later ...."

Tuesday morning I wake up, drag work clothes on and dash off to work at 6.45, I come home from work at 6.30 and rip my day clothes off and chuck them in the corner for washing, drag on the evening activity clothes and dash out. I come home with a kebab, leave the wrapper on the top, put the plate in to soak, put my empty coke can on the kitchen top.

Repeat Wed, Thu, Fri.

Get up Saturday morning and go out to do all the stuff I have to do: pick up parcel from the Post Office, drop car in at garage as there's an odd noise, dash to hairdressers and get a trim, pick up car, go food shopping, back home I get all the bags inside and the stuff for the fridge into the fridge, but time's getting on and I have to be somewhere, so I rip off today's clothes, complete with odd hair clippings, chuck them in the corner for washing and dash out .... big shopping bags of tins/packets still on the floor in the hallway or maybe the kitchen.

Now, none of the above is "dirty" ... but it is a bit messy as I'm out at work all day and happen to have a lot on that week. Which day would you like your potential viewers to come round?

clutton_2

:rotfl:PN - i have not laughed so much at a post on here as this one of yours !!!!

it reminds me of myself a few years back.. and how being organised and tidy was the last thing on my mind at that time.....

long may your busy and interesting life continue !!!