Perfect Tenant

Nice one Mark. Guess you must be a bit of a closet rocker yourself?!! I was there for Bon, Angus and the boys' first concert in the UK at Newcastle Uni back in 76 I think it was and have always been a big fan of the band - not too much of Geordie Brian though. Anyway, might as well mention that, after all of this year searching, I have just found a property just about a mile from where I am now. My landlord, apparently, regretted giving me notice to quit in July and has been hoping I would stay on. I am fully paid up to December 27 and am getting the keys to my new place on November 29 so although I'm paying for both properties in December at least I have plenty of time to move. My present landlord has kept the bond and not used a DPS as he said it's not a bond it's a 'further month in advance'! Yes I know what I could legally do but I just can't be arsed. Still great site and read with interest your stories. Back in the year I registered my details with nine (9) estate agents and only TWO have ever forwarded me property information! Oh, and my aerial is still hanging off the roof from when it fell off in April!! It has now damaged the guttering - just as I warned the agent it would. Oh well, glad to be on my way out.Cheers Mark and keep up the stirling work. Nige.... Read More

Mark has asked me to give an update to my thread so this I am now doing: I have not yet moved!! I have still not found a suitable property (will not go into details but I had one but it fell through). Although the last communication from my landlord was two months' notice, the agents said not to hurry and to take my time to find a suitable property. It transpired that the landlord has regretted his decision and is now hoping I will stay. (the aerial is still hanging off the roof!!). But as far as I am concerned our relationship is soured and I still intend to move out as soon as I find a nice property. I am 61 and do not relish another wasted move so am making sure I fine a really nice place before I commit myself. I must say though, I am amazed at how many Estate Agents do not bother to send you details of suitable properties even though they advertise they want your details. Some, one notable one was Sandersons Lettings in Darlington, made me feel downright uncomfortable and the girl I was talking to showed absolutely no interest whatsoever. Thankfully, others have been more accommodating. The search continues......... Read More

As a tenant who has moved four times in five years I can actually answer this for you. Most (not all though) landlords/agents requre one month notice from the date of the start of your tenancy (in your case 1st of the month). So even if you want to give them notice on the second of the month, it will have to be from the first of the FOLLOWING month that you can give one full month's notice. However, if the landlord/agent finds a tenant who can move in before that notice is up, then you willl need to pay rent ONLY up until the start of the new people's tenancy. If it falls badly for you, you may find yourself in the position of being in the property for seven weeks and six days........ Read More

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Can I just say that as a tenant with nothing to hide and excellent references I have never had a problem with a prospective landlord/agent visiting me at my present address. In fact, I would have thought it an excellent way of assessing the tenant. After all, how they have looked after their previous property is a vital indication of how they will look after their future property. A few bad tenants give the many good ones a bad name so if you are a good tenant what have you got to hide?
By the way, what a brilliant site this is. Habitual reading for both landlords and tenants alike!... Read More

In reply to Mark's recent post - this reminds me of a poster I had on my wall when I was in charge of a Design Studio many moons ago. It read:
'Always give the customer more than they expect to receive.'... Read More

It's been really interesting reading the discussion on my post of a few days ago - and if anyone is interested it may be a happy ending. I have found a suitable property (hopefully moving in six or seven weeks) and it looks like the landlord is a reasonable chap. It's a nice place but maybe a tad 'tired'. I volunteered to help spruce it up a bit and he was more than willing to supply the materials needed. He is, by trade, a heating engineer, so that side of things has been taken care of. An example is the bathroom where I noticed the sealing around the bath was a massive chunk of 'one inch half-round' smothered in mastic. Also the bath sinks about a quarter of an inch when sat on! I said I was quite willing to alter the bath supports and bring it flush with the wall but you never know what you may find in situations like this and there may be just a chance that the tiles may fall short of where the bath touches the wall. The landlord is quite happy to supply the tiles for me to complete this work. So everyone is happy. I am also willing to emulsion all the walls and gloss the woodwork (in my own time of course) and, again, the landlord will be only to pleased to supply the paint. This is just how it should be as we, surely, are all heading in the same direction - wanting an up to date, clean, property or 'home'. I think too many people think of the tenant and landlord situation as an 'us and them' when we are both in the same boat. We need to get on and meet in the middle. With my present landlord (via the agent) I got really fed up of hearing: 'it's not my responsibility'. Full stop. A landlord who leaves EVERYTHING down to the agent may be missing out. Unlike my previous property where I left everything that I had improved, this time I am trying to 'undo' as much as I can as I felt I have been very unfairly treated. Sometimes I think I may be petty, but then I think about the landlord: 'you reap what you sow'........ Read More

I thank everyone for their advice but just in the last half hour I have heard from my agent: The landlord has asked the agent to give me two months to quit!! He is wanting a long-term tenant (which by the way I was quite willing to be) and thinks as I will not sign then I could move on at any time. The agents have apologised for the landlord and say they are only doing his wishes. They are happy to keep me as a tenant and have offered me a choice of a couple of suitable properties with no signing or administration fees whatsoever. I thank everyone though for their advice. It looks like it may be the landlord who is a bit weird as the agents stressed they were impressed with what I had done to the house.... Read More