LL of no fixed abode?

531063

SDLT_Geek said:

You might need to deduct income tax at source and pay it to HMRC if the landlord has not had HMRC agree to rent payments being made gross.

How do you he/she hasn't made arrangements.

Terrabithia

SDLT_Geek said:

You might need to deduct income tax at source and pay it to HMRC if the landlord has not had HMRC agree to rent payments being made gross.

Isnt that Landlords responsibility? Surely tenants are not expected to pay tax to HMRC on behalf of LL?

Terrabithia

Scotbot said:

How long do you intend to be there ? If the LL is travelling they will come back at some point. Could be 10 years time but if they have no overseas address makes me think it could be a lot sooner. 

Point well made. It will be very awkward if I ask them - so what are your intentions? are you planning to come back and repossess the property?
How do I tactfully ask them?

Terrabithia

531063 said:

SDLT_Geek said:

You might need to deduct income tax at source and pay it to HMRC if the landlord has not had HMRC agree to rent payments being made gross.

How do you he/she hasn't made arrangements.

Yeah, logically speaking its their income, so they should be responsible for sorting out with taxman. Unless im missing some HMRC tenant specific law here?

deedee71

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/paying-tax-on-rent-to-landlords-abroad

According to the guidance you need their address.  That, coupled with the fact it's not being managed by an agent, I'd be walking away.

lr1277

If you can' contact the landlord, I don't know how the agency is going to contact them.

Say you want to leave early, to which address do you serve notice? The agency's address? I suggest you google "serving notice to landlord" to see what you are liable for if you don't serve notice correctly.

There are quite a few threads on this site, with tenants having problems other than required repairs. The advice is usually to write to the landlord at their address.

Say the state of the flat is not what you expected when you move in, and no inventory report has been done. How do you let the landlord know about broken appliances, poor incomplete decoration etc

Also regarding the boiler, for instance, is the landlord going to give you the account details so you can contact the insurance company to sort out repairs?

The landlord may be insured up to the hilt, but what if something happens for which he is not insured. For example, I was a landlord of a flat with a balcony and it got very windy up there. One day the tenant left the balcony door open in such wind and it opened or closed and smashed the double glazing. So had to get an emergency handyman or glazier out. So you would have to pay for such emergency repairs and reclaim from the landlord. Now it is always possible there will be emergency repairs which you need to sort out and reclaim from the landlord, but I suspect it is just that bit harder without a landlord or an agency nearby.

Just some thoughts.

macman

Terrabithia said:

531063 said:

SDLT_Geek said:

You might need to deduct income tax at source and pay it to HMRC if the landlord has not had HMRC agree to rent payments being made gross.

How do you he/she hasn't made arrangements.

Yeah, logically speaking its their income, so they should be responsible for sorting out with taxman. Unless im missing some HMRC tenant specific law here?

Yes, you are. The tenant or agent must deduct income tax due on the rental payments if the LL is defined as a 'non resident landlord', and pay it over to HMRC. 

[Deleted User]

One detail I remember from the case of the British hiker who went missing in the Pyrenees after six years travelling around in a camper van is that she and her partner funded their lifestyle through rental income. 

But you'd have to imagine an agency dealt with the property on a fully managed basis.

AlexMac

Terrabithia said:

Hi MSE community...   Cheers

Dear Terrabitia

I'm impressed that after all these trolling, self-obsessed posts masquerading as advice, you are still with us; you sound like a really sound enquirer...

I'm an optimist; I also think that what goes around, comes around.  I suspect that your boiler won't break down in the next few months.  And even if it does, it will be summer, so less critical...

And if it does, you'll get onto the Agent, who is after all, your contact point.  And give her grief til she sorts out a solution with the LL who, if they really are sailing the world, are my kinda gals!   

And if they don't, you'll fine another rental by Christmas... 

Roll with it; the worst rarely happens...

EDIT- Oh and your LL might be really sound; and posessed of an internet link?  I recall that once, I was in Italy when my tenant's boiler died.  I got it replaced within a couple of days... 

Wonderful thing, the telephone

3card

AlexMac said:

Terrabithia said:

Hi MSE community...   Cheers

Dear Terrabitia

I'm impressed that after all these trolling, self-obsessed posts masquerading as advice, you are still with us; you sound like a really sound enquirer...

I'm an optimist; I also think that what goes around, comes around.  I suspect that your boiler won't break down in the next few months.  And even if it does, it will be summer, so less critical...

And if it does, you'll get onto the Agent, who is after all, your contact point.  And give her grief til she sorts out a solution with the LL who, if they really are sailing the world, are my kinda gals!   

And if they don't, you'll fine another rental by Christmas... 

Roll with it; the worst rarely happens...

The OP said in the 1st post that the agent isnt going to manage the property so who is looking after the property?
Personally i would walk away. There are lots of reasons why a tenant would need to contact the landlord or agent