Can you reserve a property available right now?

katmellarkz

Hello,

So I am looking to rent my first house and had a question. If a property is available on the market, is it possible to reserve it to move in at a latter time? I come from France where this is something everyone does but I'm not sure if it is possible to do this in the UK.

Thank you.

ihatemyhouse

how far in the future are looking to reserve,

PasturesNew

As a short answer: No.

• Many flats are advertised before the tenant has left.
• Until the tenant has left the landlord cannot be sure they will leave.
• The landlord will often not even sign the renting document until the day you move in.
• Landlords do not want the property empty, so will rent it soonest and not leave it empty.
• Insurance is a problem if a property is empty for more than 30 days, another reason landlords want it rented soonest.

katmellarkz

Wow, thank you for the fast response!

Yeah, I thought the answer would be no.
I'm viewing a house tomorrow with a friend (we're looking to share the place) and it's available right now. The thing is I need to give 6 weeks notice to my current landlord which would mean moving in some time around January 20th... I guess we'll see...

antonia86

I have found that some landlords, maybe more smaller ones, will be willing to wait for the right tenant. Our landlord waited 5 and half weeks for us. I would say, don't set your heart on the property as the likelihood is a 'no' but the question is certainly worth asking.


We now have such a fabulous landlord that when we signed a 12 month agreement he sent use a cheque back for a weeks rent to say thank you!

PasturesNew

katmellarkz wrote: »

Wow, thank you for the fast response!

Yeah, I thought the answer would be no.
I'm viewing a house tomorrow with a friend (we're looking to share the place) and it's available right now. The thing is I need to give 6 weeks notice to my current landlord which would mean moving in some time around January 20th... I guess we'll see...

6 weeks' notice is unusual. Perhaps, if you explain your current situation, there is less of an obligation.

As a rule of thumb - in the UK it is very difficult to move from one place to another because of the notice on your current home and the moving in date of the next one. It is a fine balancing act - and, most of the time, you have to accept that you might be paying rent in two places at once. This is an expensive solution.

Also, having given notice on your current place, until you collect the keys you can't be guaranteed the new place is "yours" either.

On the other hand, if you hand your notice in and have an overlap, but the new place is withdrawn at the last minute, you are not obliged to leave your current address - just tell the landlord you are staying on and they will be annoyed, but can't insist. Of course, they might then immediately issue YOU with notice, but they'd have to give you 2 months' notice from the next rent date... so you're not on the streets.

But .... it's never easy at all.

katmellarkz

My situation is a bit different because I'm subletting. My current landlord is very accommodating though so there might be a chance of me moving out earlier. Or as you said paying two rents at once.

But anyway, thank you for all your answers. I'm very glad I found this forum as you are all very helpful!

ging84

If the property is already empty they'll want it filled ideally before Christmas, that may be very easy or very difficult depending on the area.

When i moved into my current rented house it was very difficult to find a property, when we phoned up about properties that had been advertised less than a week tended to be gone before we could view them.
But right now i gave my notice in and it's been advertised for a week and we've yet to have anyone come in to view it, as it seems half of our street is also up for rent at the moment, they will be struggling to fill this place before mid January

Kynthia

PasturesNew wrote: »

On the other hand, if you hand your notice in and have an overlap, but the new place is withdrawn at the last minute, you are not obliged to leave your current address - just tell the landlord you are staying on and they will be annoyed, but can't insist. Of course, they might then immediately issue YOU with notice, but they'd have to give you 2 months' notice from the next rent date... so you're not on the streets.

That's not true. If the tenant gives notice, that notice ends the tenancy at expiry. Therefore the landlord can go straight to applying for a possession order and doesn't have to give any notice at all. Also if they signed up a new tenant or had other expenses they can sue the tenant for all these additional costs due to them not leaving at the expiry of the tenancy. It's a very bad idea to not leave after giving notice as a tenant, which is different to not leaving when a landlord gives notice as a landlord can't actually end a tenancy only a tenant or court can.

G_M

Kynthia wrote: »

That's not true. If the tenant gives notice, that notice ends the tenancy at expiry.
Correct
Therefore the landlord can go straight to applying for a possession order
Correct
and doesn't have to give any notice at all.
Correct
Also if they signed up a new tenant or had other expenses they can sue the tenant for all these additional costs due to them not leaving at the expiry of the tenancy.
Hmm. - Not heard this. Maybe....... (but see below)
It's a very bad idea to not leave after giving notice as a tenant, which is different to not leaving when a landlord gives notice as a landlord can't actually end a tenancy only a tenant or court can.

If a tenant gives notice and does not leave the landlord can charge the tenant double rent (see Distress for Rent Act 1737 S18)