Selling furniture to Landlord?

ollyver27

Hi,

I moved into a flat on my own Sept 2012, unfurnished, so furnished it myself (to a nice standard I may add!). However, I am now considering moving to the city (manchester) in a flat share (spareroom. com) - and commuting to work. It will be cheaper, more sociable, and a more lively place (I'm 26, and finding it a bit dull where I live at the moment).

My question - What to do with all this furniture?! My initial thought was to see whether the landlord would want to buy it, as it must add a bigger price they can charge for rent? Do they do this? I go through a letting agent so not actually in touch with the individual who owns the property.

If not, would I have to sell it all independently? (Which I can imagine being a logistical nightmare - Imagine I see a property I want to snap up in manchester, where would I store the un-sold items?!)

To be honest, I am a bit afraid of the horrible cross over period - trying to coordinate handing 1 month notice in on current property then finding another place, especially with a flat full of furniture. Plus all the changing of addresses you have to do!

Another question whilst I am posting - how does moving about from property to property affect my credit rating? I know I can pay for credit ratings etc to get a detailed analysis, but just to give me a general jist? I assume my credit rating is fine apart from this - I've never missed a payment for anything.

Thanks in advance for your help guys
Oliver

Kayalana99

I doubt LL would buy it off you....they could increase rent in theory but unless your a first time renter everyone has thier own stuff so he would be limited to who he could rent to, plus thiers the added expence of repairs if something breaks.

Get on Gumtree.com and start clearing!

Consider storage as well....if your lucky a family/friend's garage.

BobQ

I agree.

Unlikely a landlord would want it (let alone buy it).

Have you tried advertising it as a job lot. Maybe someone is getting married or getting their first flat.

Otherwise you have to ask how long it will be until you buy or let another unfurnished home and balance that with cost of the furniture, its condition and the cost of the storage.

One option might be to put it all in storage near your new abode when you move and then start selling it off after you have moved. But if the cost of the furniture is low it may be cheaper to junk it or give it to charity.

Fire_Fox

Advertise as a job lot, sell piecemeal on eBay, ask a local charity (homeless/ housing/ British Heart Foundation) to come and collect the lot on your last day.

ollyver27

Thanks for your responses - at least now I know the landlord option won't be a great one!

It's all new stuff from ikea, so no chance of scrapping/giving to charity. I'll have to ask my mum whether she can store it I suppose, and try to sell the biggest pieces...as I was writing that I looked around and realised they're all big pieces haha sofa, bed, coffee table, wardrobes, desk, bookcase etc. no chance my mum will want to store all that. I'll look into job lots on eBay I suppose.

Another option, do letting agents ever find you a room mate? I.e. if I was to find an unfurnished place? Literally no properties on spareroom. com are unfurnished. I don't actually want to get rid of my furniture as its nice, and will obviously incur a loss...

Annisele

It's possible that storage costs near you are cheaper than my area (London), but I'd be very surprised if it's worth storing Ikea furniture for any length of time. 16th century antiques, sure - but not Ikea. Throwing it away and then buying it again when you need it is likely cheaper than paying to take it to the storage place, paying to store it, and then paying to get it out of the storage place.

Spareroom.com isn't the place I'd be looking for an unfurnished flat. Generally, if you just rent a *room* in a flat it comes with furniture. If you rent a whole flat, it can come with or without.

ollyver27

So basically I'm up the proverbial creek. I can't afford a place on my own there in the areas I desire, and wanted to find new friends, hence looking for a flat-mate. Wish I'd have just moved into a furnished flat now and I wouldn't be having this problem!

Annisele

Before you decide that, at least check out storage prices near where you are. Land prices in London are crazy (whether that's land for living in or for storing stuff on), so Manchester might be significantly cheaper.

martindow

I agree that furniture, even newish and good quality, has minimal value - have a look at sold prices on ebay. I would offer it on Freegle/ Freecycle or maybe you have charities locally who would take it off your hands.

Fire_Fox

ollyver27 wrote: »

So basically I'm up the proverbial creek. I can't afford a place on my own there in the areas I desire, and wanted to find new friends, hence looking for a flat-mate. Wish I'd have just moved into a furnished flat now and I wouldn't be having this problem!

With the benefit of hindsight you should not have bought all new furniture until you were confident living alone was a long term thing, you should have got cheapo second hand.

If a landlord wants to let a full two bedroom place then that is what you will have to take on, with the agreement that you are able to add another tenant at a later point. It's down to you to find additional tenants if you do that, or pay the agent hundreds for their efforts. Better would be to advertise for a housemate - work, spareroom, newspapers - and search together now.

I suspect you will find holding onto your furniture more cost and hassle than it is worth.