Rent paid to wrong landlord during sale?
Good morning everyone, I’m a landlord of a few years standing, with a few properties with mostly OK experiences, but in this instance I’m writing on behalf of a friend who is a tenant in a property that is being sold.
She is a good tenant, always pays on time, is on benefit and in my eyes does amazingly well as a single mother bringing up two teenage boys on her own and is incredibly house proud, looking after the property well.
She was very accommodating during viewings, and actually met the buyer, who seemed keen to keep her as a valued tenant, which was a relief as she didn’t want to move house.
She hasn’t been kept abreast of proceedings until last night when the agent phoned her out of the blue to say the sale of the property is completing on Friday, and that she had probably paid her rent to the “wrong” owner. She paid a month in advance on 1 November as required by current contract. She has no knowledge of how her contract and/or rent is to be managed during the sale. I wasn’t able to give much help, other than to say if rent has already been paid the sale completion statement should probably reflect a balance due to new owner reflecting approx 3 weeks rent.
She can ill afford to pay rent again for same period. Can anyone offer any help, or advise what the correct procedure should be?
Many thanks in advance
PG
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Complaints to UC - advice please
Member Since April 2014 - Comments: 163
10:51 AM, 6th November 2019, About 6 years ago
this will all be sorted out by the respective solicitors for the sale. She has paid in accordance with her contract and should have no worries but for her peace of mind she could talk to the estate agents handling the sale who can check the solicitors know the situation.
i have bought two properties with tenants in-situ and both times the solicitors sorted it in final accounts.
Member Since May 2014 - Comments: 252
12:46 PM, 6th November 2019, About 6 years ago
As Addison has said the solicitors will sort out the rent and split it between the seller and buyer. But only if they have been informed of the situation.
The Estate Agent who told her she has probably paid the wrong owner does not seem to have the the slightest bit of knowledge of their own industry, and really should not be causing her possible upset and stress. She paid her rent to the correct owner at the time of it being due. It is not her problem to sort out.
Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 2002 - Articles: 21
1:03 PM, 6th November 2019, About 6 years ago
Until she is given proper written notice of the change of landlord she is perfectly correct to pay to the old landlord. If the sale has not completed yet then the agent is talking nonsense. Your friend has paid to the right landlord and does not need to worry.