Any help landlord selling flat

theblagger · 13 July 2017 at 9:02PM

Ok , have a friend who is on a Statutory Periodic Tenancy
living in a 1-bed room flat with sibling who is eighteen.
He gets a call from landlords daughter saying the landlord wants to sell

This is after the landlord put the rent up , 3 months ago
When he again advised the tenant him and sibling could stay there as long as he's alive hes in his late 70's
and as he has reiterated every year for the last nine years
The conversation from his daughter is her sister has had a marital breakdown , and her father (landlord) has decided to sell, also mentions that he had a stroke over 3 months ago, which I find hard to believe , my friend spoke to him as he does on a regular basis and nothing was mentioned a few weeks ago,
Now we may be clutching at straws here, but kinda want to help him , he's helped me and he has struggled bringing up his sibling
Their flat is full of probs , damp etc, but he has still managed to make it look good, and been a model tenant
So authentic it may be from landlord , you can stay as long as Im alive, it was verbal not written down
and I suspect there is no marital breakdown , its about the money, flat is in a well sought area
Anything he can do ...? any advice thanks

theblagger · 13 July 2017 at 9:25PM

Anyone help...

Pixie5740 · 13 July 2017 at 9:31PM

There are lots of threads about this very situation. Here's a recent one:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5673081

If a landlord can get the paperwork right there's nothing a tenant can do to prevent eviction.

Pixie5740 · 13 July 2017 at 9:37PM

There's always the chance the property will be sold to another landlord.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5666977&highlight=landlord+selling

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5643776&highlight=landlord+selling

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5640698&highlight=landlord+selling

theblagger · 13 July 2017 at 9:48PM

Pixie5740 wrote: »

There's always the chance the property will be sold to another landlord.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5666977&highlight=landlord+selling

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5643776&highlight=landlord+selling

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5640698&highlight=landlord+selling

Yeah , some good threads, but I have the feeling they will have to leave, might tell him to get some legal info, he's owed a deposit , and he replaced everything in the flat, there is a lot more to it, but saying anymore may reveal too much as the landlord was once in the public eye, but I feel its more about the money

fairy_lights · 13 July 2017 at 10:41PM

theblagger wrote: »

there is a lot more to it, but saying anymore may reveal too much as the landlord was once in the public eye, but I feel its more about the money

It's not relevant who the landlord is or who's marriage may or may not have broken down. If the ll wants to sell they can't prevent it, althougg as Pixie says it may sell to another landlord.
If the property is damp etc anyway why are they so keen to stay?

G_M · 13 July 2017 at 11:19PM

theblagger wrote: »

Ok , have a friend who is on a Statutory Periodic Tenancy
living in a 1-bed room flat with sibling who is eighteen.
He gets a call from landlords daughter saying the landlord wants to sellGood of her to give the tenant advance warning

This is after the landlord put the rent up , 3 months ago
Relevant because......?

When he again advised the tenant him and sibling could stay there as long as he's alive hes in his late 70's
and as he has reiterated every year for the last nine years
People's circumstances change - especially in old age

The conversation from his daughter is her sister has had a marital breakdown , and her father (landlord) has decided to sell, also mentions that he had a stroke over 3 months ago, which I find hard to believe , my friend spoke to him as he does on a regular basis and nothing was mentioned a few weeks ago,
All irrellevant

Now we may be clutching at straws here, but kinda want to help him , he's helped me and he has struggled bringing up his sibling
Kind of you

Their flat is full of probs , damp etc, but he has still managed to make it look good, and been a model tenant
Why has he not enforced repairs?

So authentic it may be from landlord , you can stay as long as Im alive, it was verbal not written down
You said he has a Statutory Periodic Tenancy, presumably an AST. Now you are suggesting it may be a Regulated Tensncy.
Which is it?

and I suspect there is no marital breakdown , its about the money, flat is in a well sought area
Anything he can do ...? any advice thanks

The reason why a sale is planned (if indeed it is) is irrelevant.

However, all you have so far is an informal phone conversation from someone other than the landlord.

Either

* do nothing and wait to see if a S21 is served, or

* contact the landlord and seek clarification.

And read:

* Ending/renewing an AST: what happens when a fixed term ends? How can a LL or tenant end a tenancy? What is a periodic tenancy?

If you suspect it's a Regulated Tenancy, check here:

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/downloads_and_tools/tenancy_checker

[Deleted User] · 14 July 2017 at 1:21AM

You may be misdirecting your help here.

If the LL wants to sell (get confirmation from him, not the daughter unless she's got power of attorney) and they are on a periodic tenancy, he can evict and sell or sell with tenants in place. If evicting proper notice has to be given (S21) before starting eviction proceedings.

You are wasting your time wondering why he wants to sell, what his motivation is and if he's had a stroke or not. Unless the offer to give the tenant a life long tenancy is in writing it is going to be difficult and expensive to prove this was said. Even if it is in writing it is still going to be difficult and I believe the LL can still put the rent up and make things unpleasant for the tenant (unless rent rises are stated as well).

I am an ex private tenant who was put through two years of 'I am going to sell', then 'I am not going to sell', with long periods of nothing inbetween so I didn't have a clue where I stood. Some will view that extra time as a bonus, I'm afraid I didn't enjoy the uncertainty.

Unfortunately, unless there are special needs or something to make the tenant etc vulnerable, they are unlikely to get help from the council, except perhaps help with a deposit etc. Have a look at the local council's housing policy, get the tenant to go and ask questions.

Concentrate on clarifying what the LL intends to do and get dates so you can help the tenant find somewhere else to live if the actual LL does want to sell.

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Any help landlord selling flat

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