The Risks of leaving a house on market unoccupied?

tbs624

Pumpkin7 wrote: »

Also is it possible to rent a house out whilst it being on the market by an chance? It would cover the insurance/ council tax issues and give us a little extra income.

But it also has majot issues- can you get short notice contracts? Can the tenant refuse viewing ect? Will it pose problems for potential buyer?

1. You'd probably find by the time you had complied with all LL obligations ( gas safety, LL insurance, permission from your lender etc) you would not have any extra income

2. Yes, you can sign a short term contract say for 3 months, but the fact remains that you cannot kick the T out before an initial 6 months has passed and even then you need a court order if /she decides to stay put.

3. Yes - if you rent the property out , the T has "exclusive occupation" of the property and does not have to permit viewings by potential buyers

4. Most Ts do not want to rent a property that is also up for sale.

5. You need to be able to offer the property with "vacant possession" if the vendor wants to live in it rather than take on the role of a LL.

Pumpkin7

Hi thanks for you reply. Hmm it really doesnt seem worth it at all to rent it out! I really cannot be bothered with the headaches it may bring. Its good to now that now though so thank you

dboswell

dont worry about the council. that is only very very extreme cases where rubbish is piling up. if this was strictly enforced the council themselves would have much of their stock seized.

milliebear00001

I sold my last house unoccupied. We moved out in December for work and family reasons (to Manchester - in with my parents) and left our house in Kent in the hands of the agent. It sold in the March. We put our furniture in storage, but the house was in a low-crime, sleepy village and we were reasonably confident we'd be OK. It was a gamble that paid off for us, but less so for you as you can still keep an eye on your place.

We didn't pay council taxes it was unoccupied, but did pay the nominal fees for utilities just to keep it ticking over.

Pumpkin7

Thanks Millie thats good to know. What did you do about the house insurance?

jockosjungle

Surely if the council want to compulsory purchase your house that'd be a good thingn since you are trying to sell it?

In reality its for things like a house that has been inherited to someone in Australia in the 1970's and its just a shell of a house with no windows.

R

poppysarah

Lower the price and it'll sell quicker?

You may find an unoccupied house stressful.

getmore4less

If living with father and just 30mins mins then sleep there on a regular basis(weekends to give the father some free time) and consider a short term weekday lodger if you want to help cover some costs.

What about a temporary swap with your father?

tbs624

getmore4less wrote: »

If living with father and just 30mins mins then sleep there on a regular basis(weekends to give the father some free time) and consider a short term weekday lodger if you want to help cover some costs.

If sleeping there on a regular basis then cannot claim CTax reduction/exemption.

Another occupant can't be a "lodger" if LL not resident/ occupying as "only or principal home".

If it's the OP's "only or principal home" then they won't be able to use Grandad's address as their own to get daughter into school

OP - call an insurance broker and get their suggestions, (Edit) or if you Google "insurance for unoccupied property" there are plenty of companies that pop up.

milliebear00001

Pumpkin7 wrote: »

Thanks Millie thats good to know. What did you do about the house insurance?

We had paid for ours annually and just left it. We didn't inform anybody we'd moved out - as I say, it was a risk, but a fairly small one. Do you have a good neighbour/friend who could pop in from time to time to keep an eye on it?