Landlords advice wanted

FannyF

I am just about to exchange on selling my property and have found a rental place that I have verbally and emailly (sp) agreed to move into in a weeks time. I am due to exchange contracts on my house this week and if I do then I am happy to start the tenancy before I complete and move in slowly.

BUT if there is a problem with exchanging and it is delayed past the start date of the tenancy what should I do?

I am worrying over nothing as it might all be okay and we might exchange this week and it will be fine but if we don't I wondered what landlords thought about how they would react?

I was thinking of telling my new LL and asking them if I can pay rent for a week or two without signing the tenancy, and it form the basis of a holding deposit that is non-refundable if we don't sign the lease by a certain point or makes up part of the rent if we do sign the lease in time. This way our landlord doesn't loose out and we still get to have the new place? I don't want them not to trust us and I don't think it is fare that they loose out on the rent as it is not their fault despite it not being our fault either!

??

G_M

Either the landlord grants you a tenancy - or he doesn't.

pay rent for a week or two without signing the tenancy,

will not work unless he's a complete dork.
Sadly no house sale is guaranteed till Exchange, so you have uncertainty. If you sign a tenancy and Exchange is delayed or cancelled, you are stuck with the tenancy.

Best advice is to delay signing the tenancy till Exchange, but have a nice gap between Exchange and Completion so you can sort out a new tenancy if this one falls through.

caeler

I did exactly this, sold my last property and moved into rented whilst I found my next property. I was honest with the LL who understood my position. Thankfully exchange went to plan so I was able to sign the tenancy after exchange as planned however I was fully prepared to walk away from tenancy rather than feeling forced to sign in the hope that I would exchange at some stage and not be left with rent and a mortgage to pay. Good luck and I hope you exchange as planned.