My landlord is selling the property

daphne_descends

My landlord is also my step brother and I've lived in the house for 2 years - initially sharing with a (now ex-) friend and now with my partner. He has talked about selling it for a long time, and before we moved in it was on the market, but didn't sell.

Anyway it's just all happening so fast - Sunday I got the call saying they wanted the place valued, first of all, as it might be worth waiting - everyone was guessing it would be worth about 160k. An estate agent visited yesterday afternoon and reckons 175 is realistic - obviously step brother is thrilled and wants to sell, and this morning the agents have left me a message saying SIX viewings have been arranged.

Obviously this is the risk of renting but there goes my evening tonight, most of my weekend, and Monday evening. Not forgetting I now need to find a place to live. I have one viewing today and it's the only one out of five we were interested in where the landlord is pet-friendly. So I'm pinning all my hopes on it a) being decent and b) being able to hold it until Feb 25th as I still have to give notice etc etc.

Does anyone have any advice on how I can make things easier on myself?

Stressed of Berkshire

daphne_descends

Also on an MSE note, my step brother gave us a great deal on the rent - just covering his mortgage on the property, which means we are paying £100 less than the going rate. And the deposit was only one month's rent. Really good of him to do this and has been fantastic paying a relatively low rent.

On the flip side I have to now come up with 1.5 months deposit on a house that has a higher rent to begin with! We are about £400 short and I really don't want to resort to using my (only) credit card. I am meal planning, using food from the freezer and store cupboard until there's nothing left, I don't buy lunches for work, I am signed up for several MS companies, I need a lesson on making £400 from nowhere!

silvercar

Between viewing and completing on a sale will take at least a month, more likely two and possibly longer. I would guess that time periods on rental properties are much shorter. I think you should hold off on signing up to a rental yet. Your landlord is obliged to give you two months notice, ending on a rent day, so time is on your side. Should also give you chance to save some money.

Rick62

It is stressful, but remember even once an offer on the current property is agreed it is usually at least 2 to 3 months before completion so you don't need to panic too much at this stage.

daphne_descends

Thank you both (I'll have to click 'thanks' from home later on, nothing happens when I do it at work).

I think it's just a bit overwhelming to begin with, especially as we have absolutely no interest in the place but have to do some of the leg work e.g. making the place presentable and being there at the EA's whim. We're also a bit surprised that it could be so sale-able (is that a word?) as SO much needs doing to the place. But as ever, it's worth whatever anyone will pay.

Knowing that we'll be leaving sooner or later makes me want to go NOW, as in yesterday, just get out of there and leave them to it. And having two cats does make finding a rental a lot harder... I just need to remember to take it one viewing and one day at a time. I'm not very good at that

silvercar

looking for a place too soon will cause disappointment, either you will find a place and need to start the tenancy sooner than necessary to secure it or you will find a place and someone else will take it because you are not in a position to move.

[Makes mental note that there is demand for rental properties that allow pets.]

daphne_descends

silvercar wrote:

looking for a place too soon will cause disappointment, either you will find a place and need to start the tenancy sooner than necessary to secure it or you will find a place and someone else will take it because you are not in a position to move.

[Makes mental note that there is demand for rental properties that allow pets.]

My notice period is one month - I presume, ending on a rent day. Is it not usual for prospective LL's to wait one month for people to move in? I am worried that the idea of giving our notice on Jan 25th with the idea of moving on Feb 25th might leave us with little choice - where I live, most of the rentals are quite concentrated in one area (where we live now). We want to move about two miles down the road, closer to our parents and my job and rentals are a bit rarer in this area.

We might not have a choice, obviously, I'm just worried about that. Having pets also stipulates it must either be a house or a ground floor flat and again for every ten properties we've looked at details for this week, about 7 have been first or second floor flats. It just narrows our options.

The property I'm looking at today has been vacant for some time - does make me wonder why - but a colleague has just moved out of the road and says the houses there are quite nice. If the LL has been waiting since late November (which is when my colleague remembers the 'to let' sign going up) is it too presumptuous to think they would wait five weeks? Probably, I'm just getting my hopes up. Budget + pets + location = ouch!

Gorgeous_George

Speak to your LL. Ask him if he will release you from the obligation to give notice.

You do not need to show people around - unless your agreement says otherwise. Reasonable notice should be given if you agree to allow access to YOUR home. You may insist that you are present and they need to work around you.



GG

lynzpower

hang on, shouldnt your brother be in doing the viewings? Not you.

I certainly wouldnt do this for my sister without being paid for it!

clutton_2

i think you need to sit down with your family and discuss this properly - if you find somewhere nice to move to - surely he will let you leave earlier ? Similary, if you have not found somewhere by completion (likely to be several months) - surely he will not see you made homeless ? In any case, legally he needs a court order to get out , and also he cannot sell the house until you have moved out anyway - buyers have to have "vacant possession".

Surely an amicable solution can be arrived at round a cup of coffee ?

daphne_descends

Thanks all.

what constitutes 'reasonable notice'? The EA called me at 9.30 as I was on my way to work telling me a viewing 'is booked for 5.45' - they weren't asking me, they were telling me.

My step bro's wife mentioned to the EA that I have to give notice - she said if we find somewhere quick then to get moving asap as she has a mortgage to pay - so I don't think they will let us go, no.

I did say I'd like to be present for viewings, mainly because of our kittens, I'm probably giving animals too many human emotions but I'd just feel better knowing that they weren't freaked out by a bunch of strangers, or that anyone was leaving the front door open or anything stupid and irrational like that.

Perhaps it was all sales patter but the EA seemed to think that (me and my stupid living there aside) he could get FTB's in quickly - he said no onward chain was a selling point in itself.

We may be related by our parents marriage but are by no means close and I think it's money first, family second. I've kept a few gripes to myself because of the 'family' label and feel I'm being made to feel grateful for living in their home.

Lynz I wish I was brave enough but as ever I'm going with the flow - if I am upset it's my own fault!