Thread: Selling House

Hi all,

In February I am putting my house on the market. I must admit I am extremely nervous.

I currently have tenants in the house, and as far as I know they are happy to remain until I sell the house. They will obviously get the correct notice as I would hate to be in a position where I only have a month to leave my home myself.

The tenants have agreed to let me repaint the lounge, kitchen and bathroom (must admit they are pretty amenable tenants) and to get the gardens done.

The boiler gets a yearly service, and I have a current Gas Safety Certificate for the boiler and cooker.

Can you think of anything else that I will need to do before I put the house on the market (the agent is a done deal because I have to sell through the agent who is letting the property).

I have been checking out sold property prices in the area because I want to be realistic with regards to price, so have an idea of how much I would market the property at myself - here's hoping it matches the EA's idea!

Regards,

G xx

The agent will create the energy performance certificate (and of course charge you...) but as long as you decorate it in neutral colours, it's about all you need to do, assuming the tenants keep the gardens house/tidy

Just completed on my house and all it takes is time and patience after that and a decision by you on the lowest offer you would take, because you have cheeky people like me, offering low amounts (but then I am looking to buy a house that needs work).

Good luck with the sale

Thanks Feisty.

I already have an in-date EPC (they do still last 10 years don't they?).

Someone just said to me that they wouldn't view a house that is currently tenanted. Would you get rid of the tenants and suffer the monthly mortgage costs or leave it tenanted and give notice as soon as you get an offer? I am worried about not being able to sell for months and being massively out of pocket as we have one final debt we would like to repay prior to returning to UK.

Would this person not view a house which the owners were living in?
If your tenants are happy to live there till you sell then I'd keep them in for all the financial reasons you've mentioned.
Also there might be someone looking for a house to let out, one with instant tenants might be appealing.

Having tenants in a house wouldn't stop me viewing it, there is normally someone living in a house when you view it. I suppose I could see that some people might be concerned about the tenants making a fuss about moving out but I don't think it should put too many people off. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you

Thanks ladies. I don't know why I am letting myself get worried about this really. I think it is because we want to buy our "forever" home with the equity (well some and some on mortgage - wish I was that rich!)

Having it tenanted makes no difference to me, they are just like owners... I'll look at any house...

Actually, having it tenanted will make your agent more inclined to try and sell it on as a rental as well as a private property as they have it already occupied and I've seen a few that get sold onto another landlord with the sitting tenants, basically you have 2 markets that will take it up, rather than just people who would then have to get in tenants.

Wish somebody would buy ours. Looks like we're going to have to rent it out :-(


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Where is yours Lawlady?

West Yorkshire.


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It's ironic really, I had just decided to take mine off the market, literally had talked it over with my OH in the previous hour, when the phone went, in an area I never get a signal, with an offer.... now I'm homeless and looking for a house for OH and I while he's away on deployment with a comms shut down enforced....

So Lawlady, you never know...

Ugh, I think I'm worried because I need to sell on this occasion. Mind you I needed to sell when I was getting divorced and it went through relatively quickly. Fingers crossed that happens for us!

So, what happens if you exchange contracts and completion is set and your tenants decide they are not going to move and you end up going to court to get them out? Personally if you need to sell I would give it a few months and then stand the mortgage.

I am another who wouldnt view if tenants were in as the house buying process is tough enough without the thought of what may happen at the last minute. An owner has an incentive to leave. A tenant has none.

We're renting a house that until very recently was on the market - it had been empty and up for sale for a year before we moved in and the landlords did get an offer but it fell through. They decided to take it off the market and let it out to us but after 6 months they decided to put it back up for sale again with us in it.

We had loads of people looking at it and the majority did seem to be ok with tenants being in the property - a couple even asked me if we were interested in staying on - but it never sold and they've taken it off the market again now.

I know the estate agents tried to make out that it was because we are in the house that it wasn't selling but I'm friends with the landladys sister and she's let me know it's because it's priced at about £30k too much and her sister won't drop the price. I don't think it helps that they've not spent a penny on the property in the last 3 years and its starting to show as it wasn't in brilliant condition to start with (cheaply whitewashed to sell etc).

Gonzo - I wouldn't worry too much about having tenants in. If they're aware of the situation, there's nothing to stop them moving if they don't fancy being in limbo til you sell and as other posters have said, it's not that much of a big deal these days since plenty of people buy to let and will like the idea of having ready made tenants.

Spoke with several EA's today (well emailed them) and the collective response is to leave tenants in until we at least get an offer. I would be uncomfortable leaving it until exchange to give notice to them because I know that from offer to completion can be as quick as 8 weeks (have done some myself as a mortgage consultant in 4 weeks).

We had an agreement that we would get 2 months notice on acceptance of an offer. This did happen once but the offer was withdrawn before we really got anywhere with finding somewhere else to live. Our landlords also agreed that we could miss the last months rent to put a deposit down somewhere else as they realised that this would make it easier for us to leave.

From a tenants point of view, if they know what the situation is from the start and they're as reasonable as you say (although why anyone would actually stop the house being decorated and garden being done is beyond me!) giving 2 months notice on acceptance of an offer is more than fair to them and I would be shocked if they caused trouble over it.

Oooh that is something to think about s_p.

Hi, all depends on the tenants. Never trust them but always treat them in the same way you would expect to be treated. Given the current market then it makes sense to keep that cashflow coming in from your tenants. However, if you think that the house isnt clean enough or smells odd, then you may have to consider moving them out. I would have no hesitation in viewing a tenanted property.

What im looking for is how well maintained the property is / ease of maintennance. So other than boiler service etc, for a tenanted property Id expect to have an electrical safety certificate (every 5 years or on a change of tenant), I'd want to see that all the plumbing is ok, so drains, rainwater apparatus clear (no leaves/moss) and any down pipes. Id want to see that the roof is not requiring any repairs & that the loft is fully insulated to modern standards where possible. Id want so see that the windows are clean. That they open and shut properly and that there are no drafts /poor seals. I'd be looking for any and all cracks. Any evidence of damp, woodworm, and any evidence of any water events / floods in or outside the premises. I'd be looking at parking arrangements and also at neighbours / any noise / barking dogs belonging to neighbours. In respect of the garden / hedges make sure it is perfect and the odd pot plant in immaculate condition to the front gives the right impression. Make sure the front door is immaculately clean and that the door bell works. And basically clean clean clean. The place has to be immaculate.
Hope this helps. x

Originally Posted by Elansofar

And basically clean clean clean. The place has to be immaculate.

To add to the above post - remember that it isn't your tenants responsibility to clean the house to viewing standard. They should be cleaning normally as per the terms of the tenancy but they have to live there every day and they aren't trying to sell - you are. It's not fair on them to expect them to live in a show house.

The way our landlords worked it was to have one day a month when viewings were held so that we didn't feel the need to be polishing the skirting boards etc every day. If we had an ad hoc viewing it was easy to make the house presentable (even DDs room!) but we would have left straight away leaving them with no income, had they expected us to be steam cleaning the place every day when we were both working full time and had the kids to deal with.

Thanks ladies.

Elansofar all of that is dealt with. I literally just need to get the painters and decorators in and get the lawn mowed. My house has had lots of money spent on it over the years since I have owned it and I can assure you it is now a much better standard than when I bought it (the people that owned it before made it look good with the helo of their builder father - he bodged it).

Anyway, less than 2 months and it will go up for sale.

Am I a bag of nerves still? Yes! Been a mortgage underwriter and adviser for years and still get nervous when it comes to my own property!