jobie Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 Hello We have tenants in arrears due to job loss. They have started to receive benefits this week including housing benefit. S21 was issued & they are due to leave this weekend. They have been really good tenants for 3 years with no problems up until this. They are desperate to stay in the property as they have a new baby & no money to move. Would we be mad to consider another term when they are in arrears before it starts. Any advice would be really helpful Many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hughjones Posted February 16, 2010 Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 The idiom 'better the devil you know than the devil you don't' springs to mind. If they are the good tenants you say they are and with a new baby etc they sound like they might be long term tenants too then surely you would like them to stay. So long as the benefits cover the rent and they pay that money over then you might just want to take a hit on the arrears and keep them. After all your property could be vacant for a period that actually costs you more than the arrears. On the other hand if it is a quality property in a good lettable area that will be quickly relet (perhaps for more rent pcm?) and you believe the existing tenants will not be able to keep up with the rent despite the benefits it may be best to let them go and move on. My 2p worth. Hugh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted February 16, 2010 Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 I agree entirely with Hugh. An empty property is a greater loss than a bit of rent. Unless you have other reasons to really want these tenants out and a queue of prospective ones at the door isn't it better to be sympathetic on this one and withdraw the notice (which has made its point)? Your LA sounds helpful with HB; you could do likewise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melboy Posted February 16, 2010 Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 Everything in this life is negotiable and if your Tenants have been excellent for the last 3 years than I think they deserve to be listened to in respect of any compromises that can listened to. How much in arrears of course is important? Can it be paid off with a monthly top up from the regular rent payment? Are they going to be long term unemployed? Most people find new jobs within 3 months or sooner unless your living in absolute black spot of high unemployment. Mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
climbinghigh92 Posted February 16, 2010 Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 if thay have been good tenent there is no resson to get rid of them, get them to provide details so you can come up with a resonabel rent that thay can afford as theres no point in getting them to sign a tenency agreement with rent set at £500 pcm if thay can pay no more than £260 pcm and agree in writting a repayment scheme to repay the unpaid rent be realsitc and agree a solution that keeps everyone happy be felxibel within resson for example if housing benifits are paid weekly on tuseday you could think of making them pay it then rather than on a friday each week when the money may have gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jobie Posted February 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2010 Many thanks for your opinions/ideas - they were a great help! Tenant has now started a new term with strict payment terms in place. Arrears are temporarily on hold as a gesture of goodwill. He has a promising job interview later this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkJ Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 JObie Great to hear that a bit of goodwill (from both sides) has meant you have found a solution. Faith in human kind seems to have been dropped by too many in this world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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