Partner moving in, privately rented.

lindsloo

I have lived in my home for 18 months. My partner is moving in at the end of the month, I've let the estate agent know as the rent will come from his account.

She has responded to say that he is not allowed to move in unless he goes through referencing and added to the tenancy agreement. I don't have a problem with this at the renewal of tenancy in August but first I'd like to see how it goes.

The tenancy says 'not assign, sublet, charge or part with or share possession or occupation of property.'

What gets me is that in his spare time and out of his own pocket he is plastering and redecorating the house, adding a lot to the value of the house when it goes up for sale in 18 months. I've been a good tenant, pay my rent early, take care of the property and don't cause a nuisance to anyone.

Someone please tell me where I stand.

Thanks

shonzyd

sorry to be blunt but you stand nowhere. the letting agents are right.

why does the rent have to now come out of his account if you have been paying this already?

he is paying the rent therfore he affectively will need to be a joint tenant and will have to go thorugh the same checks you do when you did your application.

What he has done to the property makes no odds to the letting agents and is pretty much irrelevant.

Bufger

I take it the improvements have been done with the LandLords knowledge?

Any home improvements are irrelevant to your situation. If for whatever reason he is taking over the payments for the tenancy then of course he will have to be added to the agreement.

RAS

Do you have permission from the LL to plaster and re-decorate the property?

Otherwise, you do realise that the LL is quite within their rights to charge you the cost of returning the property to the state in which it was when you took on the tenancy? Your BF's work is legally damage to the property for which the LL can take money out of your deposit.

And why on earth are you spending time and money refurbishing someone else's property???

hazyjo

Just as a side note, do you have the LL's approval to redecorate and replaster? Would never do that to a rental, you take your chances that the LL won't boot you out and let it out for more! Also, if it's magnolia and you're adding colour, you might well be forced to return it to its original colour when you vacate (even if you're served notice).

If something needs doing, get the LL to do it. Don't waste your/your BF's money on it.

Tread carefully...

Jx

lindsloo

Yes we do have permission, they snatched my hand off, it's a dump.

The old gas fire was condemned and they wanted to rip the surround off and stick an electric heater on the wall. It's all been redone to a high standard. I've never spent money on private but I take pride in where I live and like it to look nice even if I won't be here forever.

And in response to why the payment will come from his is that I receive part housing benefit which when he moves in I won't receive.

Makes me laugh, free online credit check and send a letter to his employer for £100. What a bargain.

longtimelurkersam

Whilst the previous responses are correct, personally I would tell them it isn’t happening anymore and just move him in, let him pay into your account and then you pay as normal. Yes you should go official routes but if you add him the tenancy and in two months it isn’t working, they are not going to easily release him, he probably won’t move out if on the tenancy PLUS they will pull your pants down with referencing fees NOW and all sorts of other made up fees if it doesn’t work out and you want him off the tenancy. If they find his stuff at your place clearly he is just staying over, and anyway they need to give 24 hours notice of any visit and you can always refuse so that has that covered.

I am bound to get shot in flames by others on here but as a real example; my girlfriend moved in with me in December, I doubt she would have passed any referencing as was new to UK from EU and was not in employment whilst seeking work.

She has now secured employment 100 miles away in London and has moved. If I had done the official route I would have paid a nice set of fees (about £300) for diddly squat. I will be leaving the property and moving to London as well and will be securing a tenancy solely in my name even though we will be moving in together.

In August if you sign a new agreement then yes officially get him on it if you want, however you don’t have to sign any agreement you can just roll onto a periodic tenancy and avoid further arrangement fees.

RAS

Plus if the BF is a joint tenant and he moves out, he can give notice and you will have to move out whether you want to or not.

shonzyd

longtimelurkersam wrote: »

Whilst the previous responses are correct, personally I would tell them it isn’t happening anymore and just move him in, let him pay into your account and then you pay as normal. Yes you should go official routes but if you add him the tenancy and in two months it isn’t working, they are not going to easily release him, he probably won’t move out if on the tenancy PLUS they will pull your pants down with referencing fees NOW and all sorts of other made up fees if it doesn’t work out and you want him off the tenancy. If they find his stuff at your place clearly he is just staying over, and anyway they need to give 24 hours notice of any visit and you can always refuse so that has that covered.

I am bound to get shot in flames by others on here but as a real example; my girlfriend moved in with me in December, I doubt she would have passed any referencing as was new to UK from EU and was not in employment whilst seeking work.

She has now secured employment 100 miles away in London and has moved. If I had done the official route I would have paid a nice set of fees (about £300) for diddly squat. I will be leaving the property and moving to London as well and will be securing a tenancy solely in my name even though we will be moving in together.

In August if you sign a new agreement then yes officially get him on it if you want, however you don’t have to sign any agreement you can just roll onto a periodic tenancy and avoid further arrangement fees.

I would normally agree, however the OP has a specific clause in the tenancy so by doing so you a breaching your tenancy, do you really want to take that risk?

longtimelurkersam

shonzyd wrote: »

I would normally agree, however the OP has a specific clause in the tenancy so by doing so you a breaching your tenancy, do you really want to take that risk?

Pretty sure I've got one of those wordings too. They need to prove it, and the only ways are you telling them or 24 surveillance over a proteacted period but of course they might just give a section 21 if they felt you were doing it. I was happy to take the risk and will do again when I rent again in London.

mr_fishbulb

So, leaving the redecoration to one side - what would happen in this situation:

I rent a property on my own. I meet the woman of my dreams and asks her to move in with me. I continue to pay the rent exactly as I did before.

Does the tenancy agreement need to be changed? Do they need to be credit checked even if I'm still paying the rent?

Sounds like it's just a way for the agency to charge more fees if I'm honest.