Sitting tenant hoping to buy their rental

dannim12345

No but you might get a discount as it will save the landlord paying for an estate agent, getting you out or having a void period. 

Do some research of the sold prices of similar properties in the area and make an offer or ask what the LL is looking for and negotiate.  I wouldn’t ask to have the price of rent removed as it might get there back up. 

DullGreyGuy

Fluffyslippers25 said:

I’m hoping to buy my rental property. I’ve been here almost 3 years. Decent landlord, renting their former family home. He’d be happy for me to buy subject to an agreed price. Question for the forum…. Can the rent I’ve paid during my tenancy to date be offset or negotiated into the price for the property in some way as it a fair amount (or at least it is to me). Thanks.

Legally? Yes.

Is there any basis in law to ask for it to be done? No, they can tell you to go away and that they arent interested in any offer from you. 

A house purchase is ultimately a negotiation, no one sensible is going to deduct 3 years of rent from the asking price of a house when they can just sell to someone else for full price and make you homeless. You are better off focusing on future looking things... saving them estate agency fees, being a smooth transaction seeing as you already know its a solid property etc... obviously dont focus on negatives of the property that they may be able to pass off to an unwary buyer.

FlorayG

Absolutely not please don't even ask it will just annoy your LL and prove you know nothing about the costs of owning a rental. You've had 3 years during which you've not had the responsibility of major repairs or accidental damage and you have paid for that. The LL hasn't borrowed the money from you.
The best you can ask for is a small discount for removing estate agents costs from the equation

teaselMay

If past rent counted I'd be able to buy my house for about £10k. I've already paid 30% more than my landlord paid when he bought it.

Rent to buy is a thing, but in specific circumstance, the rare cases as was mentioned above and formal schemes via housing associations. But that's where there's an agreement in advance not retrospectively.