Landlord selling my home, advice needed please.

poppy12345

I often read the threads on here and i know there are some very knowledgable people here. I'm hoping some of you can advise me please because i'm in complete panic mode.

I've lived in my house for 3.5 years and i'm a housing benefit claimant. My landlord has a chain of properties that they rent out but has decided to put several up for sale, my home being one of them. It's currently managed by a letting agency. When i was first told about this a couple of months ago i was informed that it wouldn't be advertised on the open market and it would be sent to people on their contact list as an investment property only.

There's been 1 viewing but that possible investment buyer didn't offer on this property but instead offered on another close to where i live. Fast forward to last Friday and i was contacted to tell me that another possible buyer would be coming today to view. When i asked if it was an investment buyer i was told no, it's a buyer hoping to live here their self.

As a benefits tenant, you'll all know how extremely difficult it is to rent anywhere because mostly LL's do not accept DSS tenants. I've never been in any arrears with my rent, i keep my home clean and tidy. I've had many compliments from the letting agency about how immaculate my home is. I can get a home owner guarantor too but even with that, it's very difficult.

My question is, if this person does make an offer and it's accepted what will happen? I have no where else to live and with a health condition being homeless is the last thing i need. I was told by the agency that they will give me 2 months notice, which isn't long to battle to find another home. Can they really evict me that quickly? Please help.

Stubod

Depending on your tenancy agreement, and assuming it is now an AST.

If they want to give you notice they need to give you a formal section 21 notice. They also need to ensure the basics are in place, (EPC / protected deposit / gas safety) before they can do this. In England it is still 2 months minimum  notice, in Wales now 6 months.

NB If you do not leave after 2 months the landlord cannot evict you, only the courts can do this, and it is normally a 6 month process but this will affect your renting "record" and possibly cost you more money (costs) if you do not elect to leave voluntarily.

The reality is, if they issue you with the correct section 21 then it is only a matter of time whether you leave after the 2 months, or whether you end up stopping longer anf the LL has to go through the courts, so probably best to start looking??

There are some useful links at the top of this forum that will help you understand the process....

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/67759913#Comment_67759913

https://www.gov.uk/private-renting-evictions

Loza2016

I would speak to the agent and see if they have any other properties that would be suitable for you. 

When I worked for a letting agent and a landlord was looking to sell we often helped the tenant find another property as we could confirm to other landlords that they were good tenants. 

poppy12345

Thank you. I live in England, sorry i forgot to mention that. The viewing went ahead but they had quite a shock when they realised i live there. The agent failed to tell them and going by the pictures online they thought it was empty. Took them 2 minutes to look around and then they left.

One question, the agent has keys to my house and it worries me that they can just come in when they want to, though they never have and have always given notice before visiting. I'm due to go away in the next few months and i'm worried they will just enter while i'm away. I'm guessing changing the locks isn't possible?

Stubod said:

The reality is, if they issue you with the correct section 21 then it is only a matter of time whether you leave after the 2 months, or whether you end up stopping longer anf the LL has to go through the courts, so probably best to start looking??

Yes, i've been looking since i found out it was being put up for sale but no success yet.

propertyrental

Does your tenancy agreement say anything about the LL/agent having access eg for sales viewings?

Even if it does, it is likely to only apply in the last month ortwo of your tenancy. Since it seems you've not been served a S21 Notice, that would not apply, so change the locks and write to the LL/agent to say that any viewings, surveys or valuatio visits must be pre-agreed with you.

Changing the locks is quick, easy and cheap. Keep the original lock to replace if/when your tenancy ends.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXAo7zSN-9o

Most buyers who want to be owner/occupiers will be put off by the presence of tenants as it is so uncertain how long evicting those tenants will take.

Is your tenancy in a fixed term? If yes, start and end dates please?

Or is it Periodic (rolling)?

Brie

propertyrental said:

Changing the locks is quick, easy and cheap. Keep the original lock to replace if/when your tenancy ends.

If changing the locks seems too daunting a task (I'd be daunted!!!) then have a look around for a community group that helps people on benefits or with health conditions.  Food banks are a good place to start as they normally have links to all sorts of similarly helpful organisations.  There may well be some local handyperson just waiting to help out assuming you provide the actual lock. (though they may help with that too)  (note of caution - be careful about checking what price they might charge if any.  I know someone who needed a key safe installed which is the sort of thing that even I could do - she ended up with a £15 key safe installed for £150 by her housing association without being warned what the installation might cost.)

propertyrental

Brie said:

propertyrental said:

Changing the locks is quick, easy and cheap. Keep the original lock to replace if/when your tenancy ends.

If changing the locks seems too daunting a task (I'd be daunted!!!) then have a look around .........

#I know someone who needed a key safe installed which is the sort of thing that even I could do - ....

If you can install a key safe you can certainly change the barrel of a nightlatch (yale style) lock.

Or indeed change a mortice lock. All you need is a screwdriver, a utube guide (oh and a replacement lock!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIPyqtOmprE

poppy12345

propertyrental said:

Does your tenancy agreement say anything about the LL/agent having access eg for sales viewings?

Even if it does, it is likely to only apply in the last month ortwo of your tenancy. Since it seems you've not been served a S21 Notice, that would not apply, so change the locks and write to the LL/agent to say that any viewings, surveys or valuatio visits must be pre-agreed with you.

Changing the locks is quick, easy and cheap. Keep the original lock to replace if/when your tenancy ends.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXAo7zSN-9o

Most buyers who want to be owner/occupiers will be put off by the presence of tenants as it is so uncertain how long evicting those tenants will take.

Is your tenancy in a fixed term? If yes, start and end dates please?

Or is it Periodic (rolling)?

Thank you for the help! No, not been served the S21 yet. It's now a periodic tenancy. It was fixed for 12 months after i moved in. I will have a read of the TA to see what it says.

The viewer today didn't seem interested at all after they knew i lived here. They weren't here for long enough lol.

gazfocus

To be fair to your landlord, things are becoming more and more difficult for landlords, both with rule changes from the government and the higher interest rates on BTL mortgages and unfortunately, despite what the government (and labour) are saying in the media, you are now finding out the true cost of the government making things difficult for landlords (ie landlords selling up and those tenants being evicted). 

It might simply be a case that the landlord cannot afford to rent the houses any longer and so has had to make a difficult decision. 

Obviously that doesn’t help you but I’d echo the suggestion of speaking to the letting agent and ask them to help you find somewhere to move to. If they are an estate agent and are acting for the LL in selling the house, they should be highly motivated as you leaving so they can sell the house means a big fat commission for them, plus the commission for the rental you move into. 

As for a new landlord buying the house, they will be looking at the same figures as your current landlord and it will depend on how much rent you pay. I enquired about a house where there were sitting long term tenants, and was told the current tenants were paying £450 per month. The house was up for sale for offers over £125k so it just didn’t make sense at that rent and I’d hate to buy a house and then say to the tenants ‘sorry, your rent is now £800 per month’ so left it alone…it’s still up for sale 3 months later. 

35har1old

propertyrental said:

Does your tenancy agreement say anything about the LL/agent having access eg for sales viewings?

Even if it does, it is likely to only apply in the last month ortwo of your tenancy. Since it seems you've not been served a S21 Notice, that would not apply, so change the locks and write to the LL/agent to say that any viewings, surveys or valuatio visits must be pre-agreed with you.

Changing the locks is quick, easy and cheap. Keep the original lock to replace if/when your tenancy ends.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXAo7zSN-9o

Most buyers who want to be owner/occupiers will be put off by the presence of tenants as it is so uncertain how long evicting those tenants will take.

Is your tenancy in a fixed term? If yes, start and end dates please?

Or is it Periodic (rolling)?

Has the OP stated what types of locks are on the property ?
Rim cylinder lock simple enough to Change £13 odds
5 lever lock becomes a little more difficult selecting the matching lock and if the  latch needs reversing £16
Euro lock 3 simple enough to change £39
Digital lock simple enough to change if same design used £30 to £80 
You should read your tenancy agreement to see if there is a clause in it about changing locks.
Letting agents should give notice about entry to premise 
But there are exceptions one of which is in a emergency for example suspected gas leaks.
Also their statutory duty to carry out inspections of boilers and fire alarms giving excess to tradespeople

poppy12345

COYI123 said:

I’m sorry , but I find this to be very very selfish . As hard as it is , when you go to rent a property , you know full well that there is always the risk of being evicted . It’s the landlords property . If they want to sell within the legal notice they can . As a tenant you know this when you go to rent . This is the risk it carries . For all you know , the landlord may need that money for a personal reason of their own . I don’t believe in trying to long it out as long as possible and make the process longer and harder for yourself and the landlord . You should be spending more time trying to find you’re next property, instead of getting videos on how to change a lock . 

You're entitled to your opinion and that's fine. I don't see anything selfish in anything i said. It's my home, regardless of what you think.

How dare you tell me to spend more time looking for a property instead of watching how to change locks videos. I've been looking for properties every single day since i found out it's going up for sale!

You can believe what you want but if i can't find another home then i'll have no option but to stay as long as i can.

35har1old said:

Also their statutory duty to carry out inspections of boilers and fire alarms giving excess to tradespeople

I've always given the LA access to my home for everything they've needed.