Licence to Occupy for Landscaper Handyman?

Licence to Occupy for Landscaper Handyman?

0:01 AM, 13th February 2025, About 13 hours ago 4

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I have a property that has become vacant. I also have a guy/acquaintance who is a Landscaper and Handyman I’ve known on and off for 30 years who is down on his luck having split from his wife.

He’s always been honest and reliable and has done good work for me in the past, albeit 25 years ago.

The property has an acre of land attached which is completely overgrown with brambles and unwanted plants and the previous tenants left the place in need of a complete interior and exterior repaint.

We have spoken and I’m quite happy to let this guy live there rent free for a few months as long as he accepts responsibility for the utilities and Council Tax and whilst he’s there he will do all the jobs including clearing the land, (big old job) and all the painting. I will cover the costs of materials and fuel for his strimmers, chainsaws etc.

Obviously no money will change hands, he will have a roof over his head and somewhere his children can visit, and I get the jobs done.

We have also agreed that I can enter at any time or even stay over so it’s not an AST.

As I’ve said: I trust this guy but still have to protect myself.

Will a Licence to Occupy be sufficient?

Godfrey


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Julian Lloyd

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9:38 AM, 13th February 2025, About 3 hours ago

Sounds like a sweet deal, but you should prepare for it to go wrong.
HOw about you get a quote from him to do the works, divide that over say 12 months, set the rent for the house at a fair level, get him in on an AST and pay him for the works over the first year (effectively from his rent of course), the money goes round in a big circle, yes there are minor tax liabilities, but at the end you have a tidy property, he has an AST and its all above board.
Use the excuse that my 'accountant' just wont let me do it any other way. Always works for me in negotiations!

Graham Bowcock

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9:40 AM, 13th February 2025, About 3 hours ago

Godfrey

The simple answer is that a licence to occupy will not be appropriate. The question about licences often arises, but the genuine opportunities to use them are limited.

Your statement about access/staying over comes across like you are looking for reasons to create a licence, which would arguably be a sham. On the basis that you live elsewhere, you will not be the primary occupier of this house and therefore cannot grant a licence (as you would for a lodger).

You will need to comply with the usual legal obligations, such as gas and electric.

I suggest that you do not try and document anything yourself as this is a recipe for disaster. Go to a solicitor, or good qualified local agent, and get a proper document drawn up. If you came to me (a qualified agent) I'd need a bit more information, but would probably suggest an AST with a rent payable so as to give you some certainty.

Mark Chamberlain

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10:12 AM, 13th February 2025, About 3 hours ago

Sounds like a sweet deal for the tenant but what happens when he finishes all of the gardening & maintenance work. Minimum rents for AST's are very low (£250/£1,000.00pa depending on area) so create an AST with a rental level above these limits and you should be safe.

JohnCaversham

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10:34 AM, 13th February 2025, About 2 hours ago

As it becomes his main res, especially as he's covering the utilities plus CT therefore an AST is being created, Remember this mantra... Ahem, 'Never A Good Deed Goes Unpunished'!. Make sure you know the way to your local cleaning company because you may be have to spend quite some time there!
Joking aside, if this goes wrong it will go spectacularly wrong an any judge will throw our a Licence claim.
Unfortunately this is where current RRB and layers of legislation prohibit scenarios like this.

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