Laura Corin Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 We are trying to sell our rental flat. We did not renew the rental agreements for our last tenants and instead invited a friend of a friend (who had just moved to the area) to live in it. She got a cheap place to live (paying 1/3rd of the market rate); we got someone cooperative to allow viewings and keep the place occupied (it's in a city, so unoccupied is not wise). Our estate agent just told us that his prospective buyer arrived before him today, and the 'friend' was talking to the prospect when the agent arrived. The prospect told the agent that the 'friend' was bad-mouthing the property, saying that it is falling apart (it's not) and is a weird layout. Various details make it close to impossible that the prospect made it up. Of course we will ask her to go. But we don't know who else she has been saying these things too, and whether that has been impeding selling. Of course, the longer it stays on the market, the longer she gets her cheap place to live. 38 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 Ugh! I’m so sorry this is happening to you, Laura! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted December 17, 2021 Author Share Posted December 17, 2021 Just now, Catwoman said: Ugh! I’m so sorry this is happening to you, Laura! The friend who recommended this person is very sweet. Perhaps not the best judge of character. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 I’m sorry. How awkward too because the friend of a friend will probably bad mouth you to your mutual friend and won’t admit to their bad behavior. (I hope that sentence makes sense!). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 Ugh! How infuriating! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 3 minutes ago, Laura Corin said: The friend who recommended this person is very sweet. Perhaps not the best judge of character. Your friend probably thought she was doing both of you a favor — I’m sure she will feel awful when she finds out what this person has been doing! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 3 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said: I’m sorry. How awkward too because the friend of a friend will probably bad mouth you to your mutual friend and won’t admit to their bad behavior. (I hope that sentence makes sense!). I hadn’t thought about that, Jean, but I wouldn’t doubt it at all! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 Oh no, that’s rotten. I’m so sorry. It could have been a lovely arrangement for both of you! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraidycat Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 Ugh. It sucks when people suck. 😞 I'm sorry you have to deal with this. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted December 17, 2021 Author Share Posted December 17, 2021 Update- we think this is the first time she has been one-on-one with a prospect. So that's good. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 What an awful person to do that to you. I’m glad you’re giving her the boot. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 Ugh. That is awful. So sorry. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resilient Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 I foresee a rent increase. 😒 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa Louise Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 She probably doesn't want to move. Regardless, not OK. Don't raise the rent in retribution. That's not ok. I don't believe you would do that, anyway. Can you sell it empty? I think that's cleaner/fairer on both parties. End the tenancy, then put it on the market. Tenants often know the wear and tear better than owners. I'd raise it with the tenant and ask her to walk you through anything that is 'falling apart'. Sorry you have had this experience. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted December 18, 2021 Author Share Posted December 18, 2021 18 hours ago, Melissa Louise said: She probably doesn't want to move. Regardless, not OK. Don't raise the rent in retribution. That's not ok. I don't believe you would do that, anyway. Can you sell it empty? I think that's cleaner/fairer on both parties. End the tenancy, then put it on the market. Tenants often know the wear and tear better than owners. I'd raise it with the tenant and ask her to walk you through anything that is 'falling apart'. Sorry you have had this experience. Thanks. My husband has lived in the house over the years for several weeks each year, so he's very familiar with it. She may be referring to the heating system, which has modern controls that she refuses to learn how to use. She turns the boiler on each morning by hand. No we won't raise the rent, but will ask her to leave. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grace Hopper Posted December 18, 2021 Share Posted December 18, 2021 Can you freeze the listing (ie stop showings) until she vacates? Because even if she doesn’t run into anyone else during an actual showing, some prospective buyers might come back later and end up talking with her. We often did that when house hunting - I don’t mean that we knocked on doors of an occupied house, but maybe drive through the street in the early evening and talk to anyone outside about what the neighborhood was like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 18, 2021 Share Posted December 18, 2021 2 hours ago, Laura Corin said: Thanks. My husband has lived in the house over the years for several weeks each year, so he's very familiar with it. She may be referring to the heating system, which has modern controls that she refuses to learn how to use. She turns the boiler on each morning by hand. No we won't raise the rent, but will ask her to leave. One would think it would be a priority to learn how the controls to the heating system work… 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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