I had a flood at my tenanted property in June this has left property in a state. Ceiling fell in. Tenant decided to stay in property until repairs could be carried out, at a reduced rent. Due to insurance delays the property is still not repaired. I issued a new 6 month fixed term tenancy in August to be fair to the tenanct thinking repairs would be done quickly. Its not happened & the Six month tenancy is due to expire on 31/1/26, I’ve had enough and want to sell the property.
No repairs have commenced as yet, I have a date of 8/12/25 to commence. Tenant will have to vacate property as new kitchen needs to be installed. Do I delay repairs until after end of tenancy. Do I serve Section 21 on 1/12/25.
Not sure why you issued a new tenancy. I’d have let it go periodic to avoid contractural messiness.
December?! Wow… that’s a long time to wait for a simple ceiling repair and a new kitchen.
Kitchen install shouldn’t prevent T from living there at all. Sure, they can’t cook, but they can get food by other means (rent reduction for this too perhaps?) and new kitchen install that prevents prep of food is 2-3 days tops, one day if it’s a small kitchen and it’s done right. Having done it myself, I know this.
If you want to sell and that’s your motive for an S21, then get it on the market before you issue S21. This will prevent council coming after you, esp if property is in disrepair (check out another thread on here describing this nightmare). But if you wait until Dec to serve S21, there may be no S21 anymore because the RRB will have been passed into law.
Unless you can persuade the tenant to surrender the tenancy you may have a problem. You have allowed the tenant to remain in a property that has serious defects and may even be legally unfit for human habitation. If you serve notice and the tenant goes to the Council, they could attempt to block your eviction and/or fine you for health and safety breaches. I understand that you may have thought you were doing the tenant a favour, but neither the Council nor the Court may see it that way.
I contacted the council immediately and asked if they would consider rehousing, they said he wasn’t homeless as house was ‘ made good’ and although uncomfortable, repairs were being investigated so end of their involvement… they were really unhelpful.
I really should have asked him to leave immediately. But his job, kids school were in area.
which means he’s going to be devastated when he finds out that not only have they been struggling to live in an unfit dwelling but they’re going to be evicted when the house goes on the market…