Landlord selling flat mid-tenancy: refusing viewing access?

POPPYOSCAR

Guest101 wrote: »

That is neither what is happening nor what is being suggested.


The upshot is the property might be bought by a LL and the OP gets to stay after 8 months.


As the time gets shorter the owner occupier route becomes more viable

Yes but potentially they could be showing prospective buyers for months!!

Not a situation I would relish.

Guest101

POPPYOSCAR wrote: »

Yes but potentially they could be showing prospective buyers for months!!

Not a situation I would relish.

Absolutely, which is why being reasonable now helps in the long term.

Person_one

Guest101 wrote: »

Neither does selling invalidate the agreement? (sorry im confused as to what your saying)

Well, when I was buying, the properties that were tenanted and were only for sale to landlords said so on their Rightmove listings, saves wasting everybody's time.

FBaby

That's totally not accurate. the OP is secure until their 12 month tenancy is up.

And I said nothing to the contrary!

- presume you mean doesn't*

Indeed, you're right on that one!

Like millions of other people, and less than millions of others? any need for emotive language?

More of a case that it can't do any harm. It surprising how more caring you become when you actually get to know personally the people you are impacting negatively when the choices you make in life.

not really pertinent, the buyer is hardly likely to keep a tenant who has been awkward.

I got that OP would be satisfied to remain for at least the next 8 months and that any longer would just be a bonus.

As a Landlord, I would never have considered putting my house on the market so earlier on in a fixed ast without actually speaking with the tenants to firstly explain the reason, and secondly to discuss how to go about it to minimise the impact on them.

It's interesting how some posters who would normally defend the rights of tenants seem to take a different approach in this case, and vice versa!!

FBaby

Absolutely, which is why being reasonable now helps in the long term

Which is why gaining assurance that only those prepared to buy a property with tenants for at least the remaining fixed period will be making viewings would be a reasonable request.

POPPYOSCAR

Person_one wrote: »

Well, when I was buying, the properties that were tenanted and were only for sale to landlords said so on their Rightmove listings, saves wasting everybody's time.

Yes strange that it has not been listed showing a sitting tenant.


I feel sorry for the OP in this instance.

POPPYOSCAR

FBaby wrote: »

And I said nothing to the contrary!


Indeed, you're right on that one!

More of a case that it can't do any harm. It surprising how more caring you become when you actually get to know personally the people you are impacting negatively when the choices you make in life.

I got that OP would be satisfied to remain for at least the next 8 months and that any longer would just be a bonus.

As a Landlord, I would never have considered putting my house on the market so earlier on in a fixed ast without actually speaking with the tenants to firstly explain the reason, and secondly to discuss how to go about it to minimise the impact on them.

It's interesting how some posters who would normally defend the rights of tenants seem to take a different approach in this case, and vice versa!!

Same here.

This would be the sensible approach surely.

groovy_chick

FBaby wrote: »

Put everything in writing.

I can't stress this enough OP.

I got completely shafted by a Landlord who chose to sell the house I was renting. I bent over backwards to be helpful, I tidied like a maniac for the Estate Agents photos, cleaned before every viewing and agreed to every request for them to come in.

The viewings went on for over a year, one time a viewer changed their baby's nappy while they were there and got poo on the carpet! When a sale was agreed, the Estate Agent asked me to move before the end of my notice period to allow the buyers to be in before the new school term. Then, as the completion took 3 weeks longer than expected, the Estate Agent lied and said I had moved out of my own accord and I was forced to pay the last 3 weeks rent right up to the day of completion - I was paying for my new place as well.

My advice would be to be firm but fair, but don't agree to anything unless it is in writing. I would even insist that they arrange viewings by email stating that they will lock up and leave the property as it was found.

I would also tell the Landlord about the property being left unlocked - I doubt he would be happy about this at all.

Good luck

GCx

zebulon

Do you have a 6 months break out clause in your contract which can be used by either party .... ?

45002

oceanscape wrote:

We are 4-months into our 12-month tenancy.

The letting agent informed us the landlord is selling the flat and they have been pestering us day-in and day-out to give access for valuations and viewings.

Before Christmas my partner and I were both tied-up with work so I foolishly said the agents could use the spare keys for access whilst we were not there. We came back to the patio door left open and a muddy floor!

We both work full-time and I don't feel that we should waste our precious weekends dealing with viewings. I said I was happy for the letting agent to accompany the selling agents for viewings but they said they do not offer this service.


Can we refuse all viewings? Unfortunately the tenancy agreement, which is the agent's usual standard form, says that if the landlord chooses to sell or mortgage the flat we must "allow access for viewings on reasonable notice".


I appreciate any advice; we have enough stress in our lives at the moment without dealing with this too! We are paying £1850 per month and just don't have free time to attend to viewings.


ALSO, I found the flat on RightMove and it says nothing about it currently being subject to a tenancy agreement - is that not a bit weird?!

oceanscape, have a read of tessa's blog

http://www.landlordlawblog.co.uk/2013/07/23/which-is-the-most-important-legal-rule-re-landlords-right-of-entry/

and

http://www.propertyinvestmentproject.co.uk/blog/landlords-right-of-entry/