Would you accept these tenants?

Landlord Discussion
21

I’ve been in this situation with a 4 bed house in Hackney. I let to 4 young people. Often I’d get to the house and there would be unknown boyfriends/ girlfriends who had quasi moved in, they all insisted on paying separately and one of them often told me they were “too busy” to pay on time. I’ve had about twenty different tenancies over the years and this situation was the worst. The only time I have had to claim from the deposit. It would be a no from me! Hold out for a family.

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22

With the higher utility costs and general living we would be looking for circa 35 times but that’s as a single tenant, no two of these people would pass that test,; “Next please”.

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23

HMO, then they bring partners in, that’s 6 peoples wear and tear. Don’t do it. Fine another agent, keep your price, someone will try to negotiate anyway.

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24

Hello,
I was in the position of doing this and my advice is lower the rent to get a family.
Unless its a family the authorities consider it an HMO which has certain rules some of which I list here

  1. Room size has to be a minimum size because unrelated people won’t hang out in a lounge.
  2. Fire doors are required on each room
  3. Smoke alarms have to be linked so they all go off, if one is triggered.
  4. An hmo licence is required and inspection by LA.
  5. Bills are best covered by you and included in rent as is standard for an HMO.
    There are other issues, but rent is paid individually, and when one moves the others don’t have to pay.
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25

Thanks for this. Sounds like we made the right decision then as it seems this is quite a bit of extra hassle! Not worth the small premium but holding out for a family now.

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26

Are you near a university ? Overseas students can be a good bet, in order to pay UK tuition fees which are huge they have to be very well funded in the first place just to be here, and most can pay rent in advance, 2 x 6 months rent in advance for a year or 3 x 4 months or whatever. I think the largest in advance payment OR will process is £12,000. I guess you would still have the multiple occupancy hoops to jump through though.

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I suppose in London everyone commutes so you could say we are reasonably near universities. It sounds like it’s just too much hassle though. Still holding out for a family even if it means lower rents.

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