FeMican Posted August 10, 2012 Report Share Posted August 10, 2012 I am buying the four-plex I have lived in for many years and I will continue to live in it. The other tenants have become my friends over the years and I'd like to keep it that way. Therefore, although they do know that the property is being sold, I don't want them to know that I'm the new owner. I'm considering filing for a DBA so that they can make their checks out to that name instead of mine. Those will then be mailed to a private mail box address rather than to my residence, which would be a dead giveaway. I am a retired widow and have no business affiliations other than my proposed DBA. Would filing for a DBA to be used in this manner be adequate to protect my identity? Although I have owned my own homes in the past, this is the first time I've ever been a landlord so I'm not sure how to proceed. Thank you for any help you can give me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdh198 Posted August 10, 2012 Report Share Posted August 10, 2012 Would it not be easier just to employ an agent? They can enter into the AST on your behalf, and can act as the sole point of contact between your lettings business and the tenants. All cheques can be paid to the agent who, after taking their commission, will pass the money on to you. Also, if you're a first time landlord it can often be extremely helpful to have an experienced agent to ensure your lettings business is set up properly and run effectively. Of course an inquisitive tenant can always find out who owns the property, for example by purchasing a copy of the title deeds from the Land Registry, but in reality most tenants aren't going to be bothered who the landlord is so long as you have a reliable agent who responds to their queries promptly and effectively. However, one thing you should prepare for is what you would do if one of the tenants fails to pay their rent or breaches the terms of their rental agreement in some other way. If you're the landlord and they're your tenants it is first and foremost a business relationship, but if they're also your friends then you could be opening yourself up to a very a messy and uncomfortable situation. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FeMican Posted August 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2012 Yes, as a matter of fact I HAD considered doing just that-- hiring an agent to act in my behalf. By the way, please excuse my ignorance, but what is an AST? And yes, I know they could find out who owns the property, but I doubt very much that they would. As you said, as long as things are going along fairly smoothly there's usually no reason for tenants to do that. As for the potential problem of having a tenant default, etc., that has definitely crossed my mind. They've all lived here for several years so I'm hoping nothing like that will happen, but if it does I'm also hoping that either my agent or myself with the help of the DBA will still be able to provide the anonymity I want in connection with any possible legal action, eviction, etc. Returning to the possibility of using an agent, I had kind of pushed that idea to the side but after reading your suggestion I may reconsider it. I already know who I would use-- he has lots of experience as a landlord himself, and I think I'll talk to him about doing that for me. So thank you very much for your input! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richlist Posted August 11, 2012 Report Share Posted August 11, 2012 AST = Assured Shorthold Tenancy. Otherwise known as a tenancy agreement or contract and is a standard form of agreement used to let residential property in England & Wales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grampa Posted August 11, 2012 Report Share Posted August 11, 2012 You could buy the property in the name of a Ltd Co but if you are listed are a director they can still find out.. The thing is you have to treat this as a buisness no matter what route you go down. It may be best to use a good agent as you have not been a landlord before and if the tenants default on rent or other issues you dont want them as tenants anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melboy Posted August 11, 2012 Report Share Posted August 11, 2012 I am buying the four-plex I have lived in for many years and I will continue to live in it. The other tenants have become my friends over the years and I'd like to keep it that way. Therefore, although they do know that the property is being sold, I don't want them to know that I'm the new owner. All AST's have to have the landlord's contact address available for the tenant by law. Your friends don't have to know you have bought the building though. Remember though a Landlord has no friends ...... you will be running a business. I would suggest you buy a good book on being a landlord. Knowledge is power in this game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLAW96 Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 Are you living in a block with long leases or is it a block with shorthold assured tenancies? A long lease will be where you paid a premium for the lease and then a peppercorn ground rent. A shorthold assured tenancy will be where you paid no premium but you pay quite a high weekly/monthly rent. Once you clarify this point I will try and assist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caravanj Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 A landlord has to provide a tenant with a contact address but it does not have to be the landlord's home address. There are landlord agencies that offer an accomodation address. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLAW96 Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 What about s.1 Landlord and tenant act 1985? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caravanj Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 I am buying the four-plex I have lived in for many years and I will continue to live in it. The other tenants have become my friends over the years and I'd like to keep it that way. Therefore, although they do know that the property is being sold, I don't want them to know that I'm the new owner. I'm considering filing for a DBA so that they can make their checks out to that name instead of mine. Those will then be mailed to a private mail box address rather than to my residence, which would be a dead giveaway. I am a retired widow and have no business affiliations other than my proposed DBA. Would filing for a DBA to be used in this manner be adequate to protect my identity? Although I have owned my own homes in the past, this is the first time I've ever been a landlord so I'm not sure how to proceed. Thank you for any help you can give me! The term four-plex suggests USA terminology as does 'filing for DBA'. Can you confirm whether or not your rental business will be in the UK? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caravanj Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 What about s.1 Landlord and tenant act 1985? The Act doesn't say it has to be the landlord's home address but it has to be an address through which the tenant can contact the landlord & serve notices on the landlord which is my interpretation. I used such a facility & informed the court that it was a facility address which I used because of my tenant's criminal conviction for violent assault. The court accepted this address & contacted me through this facility address. The Act has been amended by The Landlord & Tenant Act 1987 & Section 48 covers addresses. 48 Notification by landlord of address for service of notices.(1)A landlord of premises to which this Part applies shall by notice furnish the tenant with an address in England and Wales at which notices (including notices in proceedings) may be served on him by the tenant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLAW96 Posted September 5, 2012 Report Share Posted September 5, 2012 The court may have given you permission on this occasion, but if you use a care of address on a claim form it should be returned to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caravanj Posted September 5, 2012 Report Share Posted September 5, 2012 The court may have given you permission on this occasion, but if you use a care of address on a claim form it should be returned to you. I find this one quite interesting. Just to clarify, the address doesn't show up as, nor does it have to show up as, 'care of'. The facility operator allows me to use the address for an annual fee & I can use it as a legitimate address for the purpose of the current Housing Act which only requires a landlord to provide an address through which a tenant can contact the landlord & serve documents on him. I've not found any clause in the Housing Act that requires a landlord to be at an address where a tenant can actually doorstep him face-to-face. Although not the actual address I use, my details would appear something like the example below & would appear on the Section 48 notice & all court documents. My eviction firm & court advocate both agreed with me that Section 48 did not specify or require a home address. Caravanj Dalton House 60 Windsor Avenue London SW19 2RR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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