Landlord Selling Up...Would You Allow Viewings?

Murphybear

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81857734#Comment_81857734

According to the Government it is starting on 1st May this year

dinosaur66

govt new rules will make this scenario more and more common

i agree with other long term landlords posts on here

you have asked for your costs for having to move so quickly / the landlord should agree to this its only fair

as an overseas landlord i am guessing they will not refurb the house between renting and selling hence they are asking for viewings to take place while you are still there

i would hate that myself despite what the tenancy rules are

they are doing it now to beat the banning of section 21 i would guess

after may then they can still evict you but have all the correct paperwork given to you when you started renting/

ie tenancy agreement /rules to rent/eicr cert /gas saftey cert/deposit scheme ie DPS

then jump through lots of hoops with solicitors and law requirements

not something i have done so i do not know the cost

me personally i would give you a decent sweetner as i always like to refurb empty propertys and depending on your area landlords are not buying property with tenants in situ that i am aware of in the areas i know unless they get a massive discount on market value and that means landlords are cutting themselves off from 99.5% of potantial buyers

gazfocus

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81859018#Comment_81859018

I completely get that but at the end of the day, simply moving, especially after only 10 months, is a massive inconvenience to me so why should I make it easy for the landlord to sell their house when the only one it benefits is them and the only one it inconveniences is me/my family.

I don’t want to come across as a jerk so I hope that’s not how it reads.

gazfocus

I think my frustration comes from the fact that our home is ‘unmanaged’ so we have always dealt direct with the landlord other than it being advertised with the estate agent to find a tenant. However, the landlord has not contacted us and been upfront with us, we just simply got an email from the estate agents saying the house is going up for sale, x is how much they want, we can either buy it or get served.

I completely get it’s a business transaction for the estate agent and for the landlord but I guess I’m used to being courteous with people where others just treat business as business and get on with it.

saajan_12

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81858242#Comment_81858242

They can't force their way in, but peaceful enjoyment is not absolute, they can't bombard you with 100 viewings but a reasonable amount at reasonable times is fine. It doesn't make it unenforceable in terms of damages if they lost out on sales. Its difficult to prove but not impossible as sales are slower and more considered, so they may be able to contact a would-be purchaser. In any case, for the inconvenience of a few viewings, is it really worth it?

Unfortunately it does look like we may have to consider moving out of our schools catchment due to severe lack of availability which then also disrupts our children one of whom is coming up to her final year in primary school.




If that's a bigger issue, can you encourage selling to a BTL investor? Perhaps be more open to those viewings? Particularly if your rent is at market, you avoid a move, the LL avoids court costs, win-win!

gazfocus

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81859614#Comment_81859614

I completely agree.

The chances of a landlord buying the house with tenants in situ are slim to none. It’s a £500k+ house in a more expensive part of our town. The same house in other parts of town would be around £350-380k so not a ‘typical rental’ that a landlord would consider I don’t think.

TheJP

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81859624#Comment_81859624

I appreciate that and I'm sure the LL has his reasons for selling. However in my view if you cooperate it may make life easier for you in the long run. Especially if they can contribute financially for your next move, provide a good reference and work with you on timelines. I say this with experience from my very naïve younger brother who bent his LL out of shape in a similar scenario, he ended up with next to noting deposit, left it too late to find a property and the LL refused to give a reference for a property that he wanted to rent. I suggest opening positive discussions with the LL on a plan.

Emmia

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81859636#Comment_81859636

In which case, all the more reason to be offered a decent sized "sweetener" to move.

dinosaur66

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81859636#Comment_81859636

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81859636#Comment_81859636

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81859636#Comment_81859636

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81859614#Comment_81859614

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81859636#Comment_81859636

thats a strange one then

500k price tag will definatley mean buy to let investors would not be interested

i think thats a 40k stamp duty charge for a landlord on top of purchase price / how would a landlord ever get a return

and being its at the top end of the market its very strange they rented it to you 10 months ago and now wants to sell

maybe someone who has left for a job in dubai did not think about it too hard and put it up for rent instead of selling and now too late has second thoughts

just a guess

one of my propertys has a tenant just like your self

has a wife and 3 kids and has his own house in the same town but rents his own house out and lives in mine as it is a much more modern house in a nicer part of the town.

pinkshoes

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81859630#Comment_81859630

All you can do is negotiate.

Asking for moving costs is reasonable. If your landlord has any sense then they will agree to pay these costs. If there aren't many suitable properties on the market to rent and one comes up, then I'd be tempted to contact the LL and say that you have found a suitable property to move into ASAP, and negotiate no notice period as well as moving costs. If they're not willing, tell them that you unfortunately can't afford to move then, so will have to stay put for now, and will not be allowing viewings.

I would absolutely not allow viewings to take place if the LL is not willing to help you out. It is such an invasion of privacy. I remember a flat I rented in Liverpool and my LL showed someone round without telling me, then had the audacity to phone me up at work and complain about my underwear being on display in the living room (no tumble dryer or outdoor space) and I'd stuck a poster over the (ghastly) picture (blutac on glass is better than blutac on a wall as it doesn't mark!).