How do you stay as a tennant when you are overseas?

faringdon

Hi,
My new works contract requires me to be overseas for up to 16 weeks of the year on equipment trials.
I live in a flat on my own in UK. Do you think my landlord is going to be OK for me
to just keep paying rent so that i have somewhere to come back to when i return to UK?
(I could be out of the flat for 4 months at a time).
Also, i cant seem to find any 4 month car storage place for my small petrol engine car.
Do you know of anywhere cheap for this? Preferably near the South of UK , or near Hampshire/Surrey/London? Its really difficult to find anywhere on the web for such long term car storeage. I guess one has to return to UK to get it through MOT every year?

horsewithnoname

all you can do is ask your landlord, also you’d need to tell your insurance about being away for that length of time. If you pay your rent I can’t see why the landlord would object, but who knows? People can be strange.

poseidon1

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6683921/how-do-you-stay-as-a-tennant-when-you-are-overseas

You mean car storage facilities like this -

https://www.winchesterautobarn.com/cars-storage?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=24097377249&gbraid=0AAAABEb3LrmZKz-UC4Td_Hm4qEh47gV28&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5bjVBhCiARIsAJzMVnSoWDuSgH7lgse6E0qJB-oRHGbqz1NfeN8JpyYu6T6DpPcYbo75RbQaArI2EALw_wcB

Although a bit overkill for a small modest petrol runabout.

Generally the market for these long term storage services seem to be more directed at the luxury/ classic car sector, than for your type of vehicle.

I certainly wouldn't spend £230 pm to keep the equivalent of a Ford Fiesta safe and warm.

Grumpy_chap

Congratulations on your new job - I hope this is successful for you. Make your first priority ensuring that the job works out well for the long term.

Have you read the requirements about travel correctly? You say the job states "overseas for up to 16 weeks of the year". Is that really one absence of 16 weeks or is it a number of trips that add up to 16 weeks in total? The latter would equate to one week per month with four months where there are two weeks away from home.

If the 16 weeks is a series of one-week or two-week trips, then the issue with the vacant flat would seem to subside totally and car could be left at airport parking or such like (which might be a cost covered by the employer).

If this is really one trip of 16 weeks, then the car storage might be possible at a local self-store unit. Quite often these facilities have outdoor areas where vehicles / caravans and such can be left. I did a check on the first two self-store sites near me that turned up in search this morning and they both had "secure car parking" options if scrolling down the page. I have no idea on how the costs works out.

With regard to the flat being vacant, I would expect the LL to be perfectly happy. Particularly, if I recall you previous threads correctly, this is not a fully self-contained flat but a room in a HMO so the property is not really "vacant" in the same way as if you had a fully self-contained flat. If the LL gets the rent but no deterioration of the property and no associated utility bills, I would expect them to be perfectly happy. Check what your contract says about absences and also check whether it really is one long absence or a series of shorter trips before going checking anything with the LL.

elsien

Don’t you live in an HMO?

As above, I would suggest that as long as the rent gets paid and you keep them up-to-date if it is several weeks away rather than odd week here and there, as long as they get their rent and they don’t think you’ve done a runner, they won’t care.
Have you asked the employer what the likelihood is of being away four months, because I would suggest that would be a starting point - how it actually works in reality.

Marcon

Have you read your tenancy agreement?

GDB2222

If you leave the property empty for long periods that could invalidate the landlord's insurance. I suggest that you discuss this with the landlord. He might suggest simple measures, such as turning the water mains tap off when you leave for a lengthy period It might help if you have a friend who could check the property every week or two.

elsien

I don’t think the other people in the HMO would appreciate their mains water supply being turned off, unless faringdon has moved again in the interim.

Grumpy_chap

Hopefully the OP will confirm whether they are in the HMO or moved to another property that is fully self-contained.

In a way, the long vacant period is less of a concern with a HMO as there are no utilities to switch off or other precautions to take. The house-sharers might be appreciative to be relieved of the OP's snoring while he is away. The OP may need to make some suitable arrangement with regard to post.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6682261/snoring-app-that-wakes-you-when-snoring

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6678523/how-do-you-know-if-dvla-sent-you-a-fine

GDB2222

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82143059#Comment_82143059

He said he lives in a flat alone, so do I believe the OP, or you? :)

sheramber

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82143187#Comment_82143187

on 23 August he lived in an HMO hence Grumpy Chap asked if he had moved.

Thanks, yes its HMO, i dont think the landlord lives here. I dont use one of the communal kitchens…they are too small and filthy and you cant move in there when other tennants and their mates are cooking in there. I hear regular cat-fights over who moved whose food from the fridge etc etc