She said he hasnt but she had lied before. He is always there.
She keeps the house neat but as she is a single mum, we kept the rent low - like about 20% below the market rate.
How can I find out for sure?
Why keep the rent BMV? It’s a business not a charity, although I am sympathetic to making rentals affordable. This gives you leverage however.
You can’t prevent her from moving him in anyway so simply increase the rent to market value based on the fact that you now have two occupiers so increased wear and tear and insurance. Let your insurance company (and mortgage co) know that there are two occupiers and get her to sign a statement that her partner is a permitted occupier.
If she rejects this, tell her that the rent needn’t go up as much as long as she can prove he isn’t there.
You could also change locks to coded keys so that she is unable to make copies without the code that you hold.
Personally, with RRB coming in, I wouldn’t muck around with a tenant who has a track record of lying. I’d be issuing S21 now.
2 Likes
Well considering she has lied before outright messaging and asking her isnt going to work maybe visit the property (probably evening is best as if partner is there both parties may be home at that time) speak to neighbours etc
If she has moved a partmer in explain that the rent was low due to the circumstances and that due to him living there you will put procedure in place to raise the rent (and make it clear that it wont be reduced or “kept low” again as she has blatantly lied to you) then put the correct steps in place to raise the rent to the appropriate amount
Why would you want to stop him moving in? Why not allow him as a permitted occupier? Is she on benefits that might be affected? I also dont understand why youre keeping the rent low!
OK sometimes people are reluctant to admit they have someone staying
-they don’t want to lose single discount on council tax
- they don’t want to be assessed as co-habiting for benefits purposes
- they aren’t sure about the relationship yet and don’t want the other person to gain rights to live in their home
Its not uncommon for new couples to retain both homes but to spend a lot of time together at one or the other.
You can’t prevent overnight guests in a tenancy agreement (that would be illegal an unenforceable) but you can have a clause designed to prevent long term occupation eg saying a guest may stay up to a total of 14 nights in any 3 month period without the period the Landlords permission but any stays over that require explicit Landlord approval.
Check what you own agreement says ..
DON’T be tempted to be be a busybody interfering in her life and relationships (that puts you on the wrong side of the law) but do make sure your tenant is aware of the te details in the agreement and moving people in without telling you outside of the allowed guest allowance is ground for the legal termination of the agreement. Personally I’d say - "that’s not something I’d want to do - but would have to do to protect my business - so do let me know if the relationship. develops to more than the odd overnight or this becomes his main home
1 Like