Landlord selling our apartment - can we ask for subsidised rent

tonynz

The agent would organise about three viewings a day whilst we are at work. Nearly everyday.

It is really taking taking away our enjoyment of our property as I don't want to be putting away my laptop all the time; making sure all the dishes are clean; making sure everything is put away properly etc etc

Is it unreasonable to only give them one slot in the weekends, and ask for a subsidised rent?

BitterAndTwisted

You can ask for anything you like but I would be very surprised indeed if your landlord agreed to reduce your rent while they were trying to sell it.

It would be entirely reasonable for you to WRITE to the agent and the landlord giving them limited time-slots when you are happy for viewings to be conducted. Or to withdraw permission for any viewings to occur whatsoever. This may not necessarily go down well, however. And they may ignore you completely if they have their own set of keys. The answer to that would be to change the barrel of the lock and replace it when you surrender the property.

tonynz

The agent could easily subsidies our rent - at the end of the day, I am preparing the flat for their commercial gain.

Procrastinator333

If it were me. Knowing at some point I was going to be leaving anyway. I would try and fob them off until the day after rent day. Then tell them either a) you want 50% off your rent - in which case you willbe as helpful and flexible as it is possible to be. Or b) they are not allowed to do any viewings- ever.

Your ll then has a choice. 50% rent while trying to sell. Or they need to serve you notice, but as it is the day after rent day, that is then 3 months until you will have to leve. During which time they can't do any viewings. Then when you are gone they won't be able to get another tenant (who will rent if it is being sold) and it will stay empty while they try and sell.

Personally I think a 50% rent is fair to both sides. You get cheap rent but fce an uncertain tenure. The ll still gets some income, the place should be well looked after for viewings and will be lived in while they try to sell.

But, that is just me... Good puck with it all.

hazyjo

You don't have to let anyone view at all.

And, if you do let them view, you're under no obligation to tidy it up.

If they want to sell it without people living in it as they choose to live, they'll just have to wait until you've left the property completely.

Jx

theartfullodger

You can ask for reduction in rent, a good reference (ah, goof idea??) and the times/dates that suit you in exchange for either allowing any visits of any nature (by agents, prospective tenants, buyers, surveyors - whatever..) or keeping the place tidy..

Maybe a suggestion that one would refrain from mentioning all the problems and issues would be immoral... or not..

Cheers!

pinkshoes

I would either ask for a 25% rent reduction and allow them to do the viewings, OR give them one viewing slot for 2 hours on Saturdays, and 1 hour on one evening for a 10% reduction.

Oh, and change the locks on the door immediately to stop them coming round. Regardless of what they write in your contract, it is null and void over your right to quiet enjoyment, which means NO viewings.

Ultimately, if they want to do the viewings, they should be nice to you.

(although if you want a reference, be nice to them!)

pmlindyloo

How you decide what to do is really, in my opinion, dependent on whether you have been given notice/require a reference etc etc.

It amazes me that landlords want their cake and eat it. Why should you act as their agent for free? You are paying the rent and it is your home.

You could be 'nice' and allow them certain time slots (plus a rent reduction) or you could go for the 's*d them' approach and batter down the hatches.

You just need to be aware of the pros and cons of each approach.

I always think this is a blooming cheek!

theartfullodger

Indeed...

You can of course live with the bath full of coal, the sink full of filthy mouldy dishes, the hard-floors grimy & festering & the curtains drawn all day with QVC blaring out 24/7.. as long as when you leave it it is as-was less fair-wear-'n-tear...

Cheers!

tonynz

I've asked for 20% for a single visit during Sat mornings and a 40% - all-you-can-eat visits.

No answer yet, but with the amount we are paying (£1650 pm), we deserve more than people coming into our place with their shoes on. (We don't like wearing shoes indoors)

Eton_Rifle

Try paying $11K a month and having to suffer viewings without the right to refuse them, averaging every three days for an entire year as we did!

If you do allow the viewings, I think it's ultimately counter-productive to deliberately sabotage them (speaking from personal experience) as you're just prolonging the agony. Sooner or later someone will buy the place and you'll have to move.