Landlord selling ... tenants rights re viewings?

angel.cake_2

Shakethedisease wrote: »

I honestly don't get why there there is such consternation here about going out of your way to keep someone you're never going to meet again 'happy'..

That they've decided to sell during that tenancy, and furthermore, want to put their paying tenants to great inconvienience in 'speeding up' this process is just tough.

I never said anything about keeping the LL happy. The OP does not seem to have a problem with the LL anyway.

How do you know that the LL isn't planning the sale for the end of the tenancy?

Tenants are not all innocent and trouble-free but this whole post is implying 'landlord = greedy and evil', 'tenant = innocent and hard done by.

Soot2006

angel.cake wrote: »

How do you know that the LL isn't planning the sale for the end of the tenancy?

Tenants are not all innocent and trouble-free but this whole post is implying 'landlord = greedy and evil', 'tenant = innocent and hard done by.

I'm sure he is planning to sell at the end of the tenancy. And if he grovels a bit maybe he'll even be allowed to let some prospective buyers in before that date. If not .... tough.

Landlord = business.
Tenant = client.

lizzielondon

angel.cake wrote: »

This is not strictly true. You do not own the property so this is not your decision.

i don't really understand your point? of course it's the tenant's decision whether or not to allow people in their home....

Shakethedisease

I never said anything about keeping the LL happy. The OP does not seem to have a problem with the LL anyway.

Nooo, of course not... until now.

However, there's just the 'little' matter of having strangers traipsing about their home, endless tidying up for 'viewings' after a hard days work, folks noseying in their cupboards/knicker drawers and having to keep their dogs from barking their heads off (or worse)....'just' 3 times a week so the landlord might get a 'quick sale'. Great !!!.. and their 'thanks' being a section 21 notice ?

Might have swung things a bit there eh ?? Get real...

How do you know that the LL isn't planning the sale for the end of the tenancy?

Viewings should co-incide with this. Ie :- once the tenancy is ended. Fill their boots with viewings then can't they !!

Tenants are not all innocent and trouble-free but this whole post is implying 'landlord = greedy and evil', 'tenant = innocent and hard done by.

So ? If someone RENTS a house out for a period of time to paying customers, what's the deal with trying to SELL at the same time. If they want to sell at the end of tenancy then that's absolutely fine obviously.. trying to sell while in a period of contracted rental isn't.

People crapping on about 'having to keep the landlord happy' and allowing these viewings is all a crock. I have no idea at ALL why there's such a 'oh just let them do it 4 times a week at a convienient time to you just to be polite..' stuff that keeps getting trotted out here time after time. All the tenant can ulitmately hope for is a notice to leave ? Why put yourself out and all the the hassles of 'viewings' for that ??

Bet I get loads of responses to that question. NOT !

Fire_Fox

angel.cake wrote: »

This is not strictly true. You do not own the property so this is not your decision.

The landlord signed away most of his rights to enter and use the property for the duration of the fixed term when he signed the AST. The tenant has the right to use the property as his home, even if he has unwittingly given the landlord consent to undertake viewings that permission can be withdrawn at any time.

If you lease a car the hire company do not allow other people to test drive it - that is YOUR car for the duration of the rental period. If you purchase a leasehold flat, the freeholder does not simply let workmen in when the windows need fixing - that is YOUR flat for 99 years. If a landlord wishes to sell his BTL he can do so once his paying customers have vacated.

ivan_the_not-so-terrible

Hi,

Well we're about to have the first three veiwers round. The EA's kept ringing with more, but so far have managed to keep the viewings to the same day (today at 11.30,12.00 and 12.30).

It seems (from what the EA rep has said) that they haven't been stirring things with the LL, so all I can assume is that it is the LL's who are being pushy and ignorant? The letting agent has said they are constantly getting emails from the LL's asking for more info about all sorts of things. The Letting agents have even been around and photographed everything, but still they are not happy!!! Even the EA has said the house is all in good order (including the garden where the dogs are).

We have been given notice to leave when the contract ends at the end of October, which is fine by us, but they are now asking us to get rid of our dogs! I'm not prepared to do that as -
a) We're leaving anyway.
b) They were happy to have us as tenants with dogs before they wanted to sell.
c) The dogs haven't caused any problems, as verified by the Letting agents.
d) Why should they dictate the future of our pets, when they wnt us to leave anyway? (If we were staying I could understand it maybe?

I never said anything about keeping the LL happy. The OP does not seem to have a problem with the LL anyway.

How do you know that the LL isn't planning the sale for the end of the tenancy?

Tenants are not all innocent and trouble-free but this whole post is implying 'landlord = greedy and evil', 'tenant = innocent and hard done by.

I don't know that the LL isn't planning the sale for the end of the tenancy, and I guess that has to be the case as I don't see how they can unless the new buyer is happy with sitting tenants for a few months? There's 6 months left until the end of the tenancy, so it "seems" a little early though esp as the house is advertised as "no chain" (ok, I know what that means, but if buying I would take it that the house could be quickly occupied?)

The last bit is a bit insulting, but a fair comment I suppose. All I can say is that we've never missed a rent payment (£1400/mth), get on well with all the neighbours, keep the house cleaner than it was when we moved in (yes really ... "the loo's were black!"), have only moaned once (about the dishwasher "search my other posts if you want details") and the letting agents are trying to find us another house as they consider us perfect tenants. That said, it's not easy to find a house when you have five kids, two dogs and have to claim HB even though working full time (agricultural contractor isn't the highest paid profession even when you work all hours!).

I think what annoys me most is the way the LL's have approached this. If they simply said "please try and find somewhere ASAP as we need to sell", then fine. But stooping to bullying tactics makes you feel like being awkward. Unfortunately for us, that's not in my nature though I'm feeling more and more inclined to change!

Ivan

rentinginlondon

HI - I am in a similar situation however i gave notice to move and the estate agent thinks they can just show up to show people the flat!

I am contact citizens advice on Tuesday to get advice perhaps you should call them to understand your rights.

bitsandpieces

They shouldn't dictate the future of your pets. You've got the place till October, after all.

It does sound like LL could be a pain over the coming months. If they want an immaculate, empty house without sitting tenant to show prospective buyers, it may be worth seeing if LL would pay you to leave early: covering the costs of moving plus something extra. If you don't want to move, though, don't.

ivan_the_not-so-terrible

The contract doesn't specifically say anything about the animals. It's a standard contract that precludes just about everything (including children, aerials ect ect) but then states "permission will not be unreasonably witheld". So I guess you could say they are now enforcing that bit?

However ....

They were perfectly happy when they let us the house and it was the main reason we took it in the first place of course. The letting agents have also told us (off the record) that the LL hasn't given ANY reason for wanting us to get rid of our pets. So as far as they're concerned they're just filling their oblication by informing us of the LL's wishes. They also said that as the LL's have to give a VALID reason to take back permission (not just because they feel like it) we shouldn't worry. So considering the time frame I'm not that worried, and they'd certainly have a legal battle to make me give them up ("pets are for life, not just .... " well, you know what I mean!).

What saddens me is that it's all so unnecessary! Why, when there's only six months left of a tenancy contract, not either just wait, or be nice and try to persaude the tenant to try and find somewhere quickly? After all, we all have to live somewhere, and we should be grown up enough to realise our own interests are not the only ones involved. I'm doing my hardest to find somewhere, but can't just magic my family into a new place. They informed us out of the blue, and had even said at the outset of the contract that they were looking for a long term tenant.

I hope we find somewhere soon and I now hope they struggle to sell. A few months with no rent and no sale would be quite good natural justice I think. Trouble is, I've never found the "what goes around, comes around" saying to ever come true ... Pity!

clutton_2

as a LL i find this unacceptable. Perhaps you could consider writing a polite letter to the LL/LA explaining you understand a sale is required, and that you are already looking for somewhere else to live and if you find a new home sooner than 6 months, will they allow you to leave the contract early with no penalties. ? If they do agree then get their response in writing - then say that you are happy for viewings during the last 2 months of the tenancy.

This gives them access for a while and you a bit of peace of mind for a while as no one can tell how long it will take you to find a new home.....

i know all about quiet enjoyment and all that.. but a bit of compromise makes the world go round a bit easier...