Trying to Rent an Apartment that is up for Sale

SAVVYSHOPPER

Hi there

Wonder if anybody could give me some advice/info on whether they think this is worth a try. Myself and other half viewed an apartment in Manchester which we really liked but the housing market being as it is are reluctant to make an offer. We wondered if we approach the buyer through a letter asking him if he would be willing to rent to us for say 6 months - this would not be our main residence but merely a crash pad for weekend trips to the city and the occasional midweek night as we are not selling our main residence. We would offer to be flexible if he wanted to show potential buyers around the flat and would move out if he managed to sell with say a weeks notice as we would have very few possessions there. Does anybody think this would work and what would be the pitfalls for both us and the Seller. This could work nicely for the seller as a short term income as we know that he uses it very rarely as every time we go into Manchester we go and have a look if he is there Thanks for any help

xxSS

G_M

Quite how you expect people here to read the owner's mind and anticipate his reaction I have no idea.

Approach and ask and you'll get an answer.

Annisele

As G_M says, we're not mindreaders - ask!

However, I'd be surprised if the seller went for it. The problem for him is that if he gives you a standard assured shorthold tenancy, if you chose not to leave it would be very difficult to get you out within the first six months - and a real pain to get you out after that time. He's supposed to give you two months notice - not a week.

SAVVYSHOPPER

Thanks for your replies guys

I wasn't actually asking if you thought he would go for it as such - just if it was a viable thing to do and if any pitalls sprang to mind - also wondered if anybody else had done a similar thing and thought I might get some advice.

xxSS

Brb

It wouldn't need to be an AST as this wouldn't be OPs primary residence (I believe it can't actually be an AST because of that too).

propertyangel_2

Yes its a good idea. You could even offer to rent it for 6 months at a discount because you'd be willing to show buyers round and/or move out at short notice if he found a buyer. You could point out to the seller that it could work well for you both as the seller would earn income whilst looking for a buyer and have the place occupied and looked after rather than empty. It would be helpful to the seller to know you could move out in a short period of time too if he sold it.

tbs624

Brb makes a valid point which the OP would need to be aware of

The Housing Act 1988 defines several criteria for an Assured Shorthold Tenancy, one of which is that the property must be the tenant’s main or principal home.