Section 21 advice needed – buyer waiting?

Section 21 advice needed – buyer waiting?

9:36 AM, 11th December 2023, About 5 months ago 24

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Hello, Our tenant of 8 years has a periodic tenancy. We gave written notice in May 2023 and put the house up for sale as the rent isn’t even covering the interest on our mortgage. At the end of the two months notice period he couldn’t find or afford a new rental property and was getting advice from the local housing authority.

We told him verbally he could stay until we found a buyer. We now have a buyer but he has said he’s been advised to stay put and we need to serve a section 8 or 21. The rent has gone up only once in 8 years by £10 pm, this isn’t his fault, it’s very much ours but it’s now £300 – £400 below the rentable value. He has never defaulted on his rent.

I don’t think a Section 8 would apply, insufficient grounds, so we issued a section 21 giving him nearly three months’ notice due to it being Christmas, but realised I didn’t have everything in order so revoked it.

At the beginning of the tenancy agreement everything was in place, the Gas certificate, ECIR, an EPC, I registered the deposit and got a signed prescribed information form. I recently provided the tenant with the ‘How to Rent’ advice.

The property currently has a valid gas certificate, an EPC and the deposit is still registered.

However, I can’t find one Gas Safety Certificate during the 8 years tenancy. (I have 9 out of 10 years since property renting). I also cannot recall who did the gas check as we’ve used different ones over the years.

My first question is, would a section 21 get rejected by the courts because I cannot find a missing certificate?

Secondly, is this the correct process to follow? We need him out quickly so we can hopefully sell this financial year but as each day passes it becoming unlikely and I certainly do not want to lose the buyer.

Any advice would be helpful.

Thank you,

Claire


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Comments

NewYorkie

16:49 PM, 15th December 2023, About 5 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Southern Boyuk at 15/12/2023 - 16:06
If he knows he's going, he will simply stop paying rent, and play the game with managing the number of months arrears at the time of the hearing.

Neil Heffey

12:04 PM, 17th December 2023, About 5 months ago

You can only increase the rent once in any 12 month period, so I would increase the rent to the market value whether the tenant can afford it or not. The banks have been raising interest rates regularly, the government and Bank of England do not think of you before they increase the rates, or whether you can afford it. Serve a section 13 bringing the rent to market value. You have to provide one months notice from the next rent day. Whilst you continue to allow lower payments, the tenant will never look for something that is going to cost them more, whereas if they are being charged market value, then the incentive to remain in your property at a lower than market value rent no longer exists.

Claire Howard

15:06 PM, 27th January 2024, About 4 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Easy rider at 11/12/2023 - 10:30
Thank you everyone for your comments. I paid for the removal fees and guaranteed a full deposit return. He is in the process of moving out and I exchange contracts next week. A happy ending all round!

NewYorkie

17:20 PM, 27th January 2024, About 4 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Neil Heffey at 17/12/2023 - 12:04
I made the mistake of keeping the rent below market rate. I've just increased it by 9%, but I think I should have gone straight to market rate. Is she didn't accept it, it would have been a S21 and sale.

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