Tenants asking to not pay rent this month

ifeelsad

Rent is due on the 15th of each month. Quite often it will be a bit late, or I’ll get an email saying they can only pay x amount, and I’ll get the rest the next week. I don’t mind this too much as long as we get it.

But they have sent me an email today to ask if they can not pay rent this month because he has a new job and they can’t afford it until he gets paid, and also because they’ve spent money doing improvements to the house.

Unfortunately we have had a lot of expense in the last few months with this property (admittedly not the tenants fault) but we are struggling a bit at the moment because of this. We can’t afford to not get the rent this month and there is no way that a bit of paint and wallpaper for 3 bedrooms is costing anywhere near what the monthly rent is!

I should also add that when they moved in they demanded new carpets throughout, and it was decorated to an ok standard (DH repainted completely before tenants moved in but just in boring magnolia/white) so although it now looks nicer, it didn’t really need doing and it was their choice.

Any advice? I can’t demand money that they say they don’t have, but they are getting housing benefit (he sent me a copy of award letter, along with a cheque from the council covering back pay for rent) so they are getting money towards rent and as such they should be prioritising this payment.

Should I say we absolutely need the rent and give them a few more weeks to pay? We can cope without the rent for a short while but part of me thinks they are kind of taking the p*ss with things now.

Thanks

Pixie5740

You don't need to give them a reason. Contractually they owe you rent so just say no.

Are you a first time LL? There's having a good relationship with your tenants and then there's letting your tenants rule the roost. Demanding this that and the other. Rent is a priority bill, wallpaper is not.

BJV

Hate to say it but I think you are being too nice. Yes you should be approachable and fair but honestly why should you be put under financial strain when they are not. Esp because they are getting help with the rent. Sorry I think if you do not put your foot down this time it could be start of a very long and possibly nasty relationship.


After all if you let it go this time what is to say that you will get next months? Have they said how they are going to make the back rent back up?

Marktheshark

How long have they been in and what type / term of tenancy do they have.

ErolGirl

They have signed a lease and agreed to pay each month so they shouldn't be let off regardless of their current situation. When considering managing money putting rent to one side should be the top priority. You shouldn't have to be out of pocket for someone elses poor money management. If they have to they can borrow from someone else and ay them back when they get the new jobs wages.


I know that sounds harsh, but they need to consider things from your end like mortgage repayments etc. They don't know what your situation is.

ifeelsad

Pixie5740 wrote: »

You don't need to give them a reason. Contractually they owe you rent so just say no.
Are you a first time LL? There's having a good relationship with your tenants and then there's letting your tenants rule the roost. Demanding this that and the other. Rent is a priority bill, wallpaper is not.

This is the first property we have rented out, but we have been renting it for 5 years and this is the second lot of tenants.

BJV wrote: »

Hate to say it but I think you are being too nice. Yes you should be approachable and fair but honestly why should you be put under financial strain when they are not. Esp because they are getting help with the rent. Sorry I think if you do not put your foot down this time it could be start of a very long and possibly nasty relationship.
After all if you let it go this time what is to say that you will get next months? Have they said how they are going to make the back rent back up?

Thanks. I think I am, but in general I’m just a nice person.
They don’t want to make the back rent up – they want us to give them an entire month free!

Marktheshark wrote: »

How long have they been in and what type / term of tenancy do they have.

They have a fixed tenancy until November 2016. They have been in 18 months, but the first year was managed through an agent (we had to sack them as they were worse than useless).

ErolGirl wrote: »

They have signed a lease and agreed to pay each month so they shouldn't be let off regardless of their current situation. When considering managing money putting rent to one side should be the top priority. You shouldn't have to be out of pocket for someone elses poor money management. If they have to they can borrow from someone else and ay them back when they get the new jobs wages.
I know that sounds harsh, but they need to consider things from your end like mortgage repayments etc. They don't know what your situation is.

Our situation is we have paid thousands and thousands in repairs on the house that they live in, and it has left us short and we are having to put off doing important things in our own house. We have a mortgage to pay and we actually can’t cover a second one as our income isn’t high enough.
I do wonder what the housing benefit money has been spent on. As you say it’s poor money management and they should be prioritising paying the rent.

penguine

Did you agree to them repainting the property? If they painted just because they wanted it a different colour then I don't think you should be reimbursing them for the cost of paint (unless you already agreed to this, in which case they need to give you receipts so you can claim it as a business expense).

TH1878

ifeelsad wrote: »

This is the first property we have rented out, but we have been renting it for 5 years and this is the second lot of tenants.

Thanks. I think I am, but in general I’m just a nice person.
They don’t want to make the back rent up – they want us to give them an entire month free!

They have a fixed tenancy until November 2016. They have been in 18 months, but the first year was managed through an agent (we had to sack them as they were worse than useless).

Our situation is we have paid thousands and thousands in repairs on the house that they live in, and it has left us short and we are having to put off doing important things in our own house. We have a mortgage to pay and we actually can’t cover a second one as our income isn’t high enough.
I do wonder what the housing benefit money has been spent on. As you say it’s poor money management and they should be prioritising paying the rent.

If your BTL isn't putting money in your pocket, it's a liability. You are being WAY too nice about this, particularly as it's putting financial strain on you.

I'd write back to them, politely explain your position and advise that you will have no option but to serve notice on them for breach of contract and that you wouldn't be able to provide a reference for them should this happen.

Marktheshark

Until they owe two full Months, you can not serve a section 8 notice.
Unless they have a History of paying late, 4 examples of late payment in 12 months are usually enough to serve a Section 8 Notice.

ifeelsad

They asked if they were allowed to redecorate and we said they could but they specified they would provide all materials.

They have a child so they wanted to redecorate one room as a young kids room for example so it was their choice and it was agreed they would cover the cost of this.

ErolGirl

Can you not get in touch with Housing Benefit to let them know the money they have given them to pay rent has not been used to pay the rent?? I would seriously not let them off if they are in there until Nov 2016, it will be a downward spiral, if they are let off once chances are they will keep doing it.