Tenant requesting relatives to move in

Hi

We rent out a small 3 bedroomed terraced house to a family of 2 adults, 3 children. The relationship between us and them has always, to date, been good. The tenant has just contacted us to ask if his brother and brothers wife can move in for 6 months. He says the reason is that the brother is currently seeking residency in Ireland. He is also asking for a change in the tenancy to add the brother and brothers wifes names to contract to show that they have somewhere to live. IMO the house is too small for this many people but that's another issue. Also should mention that our current tenants are on housing list for local authority house.

I am wondering is there more to this than a simple temporary set up for the brother or are there any other issues that could arise that we should be aware of?

Any feedback appreciated.

Thanks

Health & Safety? In the event of a fire would escape be compromised by the large numbers in the house? ... extra beds.

Just be careful your house doesn't turn into a tenement.

I'm with PaddyBloggit.......4 adults and 3 children in a small 3 bed house? Not safe. They may say it's only temporary but what happens when the 6 months are up and they don't move out?
What about extra wear and tear in the property?

I'm all for helping people out when needed, but my gut instinct would be to say no in this instance.

wab0607 said:

I am wondering is there more to this than a simple temporary set up for the brother or are there any other issues that could arise that we should be aware of?

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Existing tenants getting local authority housing and leaving remaining tenants in situ while awaiting residency would certainly worry me, as would the extra wear and tear, health /safety / insurance issues, while all seven were living there.

I would always be amenable to facilitating good tenants with any reasonable requests, but if in doing so, it created numerous potential problems, then I can’t see any reason why you would or should agree to this request.

There was a time (not all that long ago) when 4 adults and 3 children living in a 3 bed house was considered a luxury for the rich!

wab0607 said:

Hi, I am wondering is there more to this than a simple temporary set up for the brother or are there any other issues that could arise that we should be aware of? Any feedback appreciated.Thanks

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Yeah, its a scam, but not against you.

Been through that extra tenant (I thought they were taking in a tenant to help pay the rent) where he is added to the lease. He was never there and never slept in the house.
I discovered he had a wife and family in another house in the locality. They all left after 6-8 months when their lease was up and caused me no trouble so I can't complain.

Yeah, its a scam, but not against you.

Been through that extra tenant (I thought they were taking in a tenant to help pay the rent) where he is added to the lease. He was never there and never slept in the house.
I discovered he had a wife and family in another house in the locality. They all left after 6-8 months when their lease was up and caused me no trouble so I can't complain.

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Monagt, just wondered did you ever know what was behind this?

There is something that is not sitting right with me on this. Have no reason to suspect anything untoward of our tenants as they have always been upfront and straight to date but I suspect we are not getting the full story. Hadn't even thought of the Insurance issue with overcrowding and the H&S is also a concern of course.

Thanks for all the replies.

The couple in question will go to their welfare officer and state that they are living at your address. They then claim rent allowance which the WO will check with you as their landlord that they are resident there. Chances are they are also living elsewhere and claiming it as well and the names they are using is false. As Monagt states, the scam should not leave you out of pocket (directly). I would keep them sweet by refusing on the grounds of health and safety. Tell them you were advised by the PRTB and the Welfare officer of this. That should send alarm bells to the people involved to not proceed any further.

Had this issue very recently. Three guys rented a 3 bed house which was fine. Two months later I got enquiry from the one who had done all the negotiating (one with the best English) to know if I knew another house for a friend. Then I got request to agree change of account from which rent was paid as he was going home for six weeks. Then the story changed. His wife had come over and wanted to stay but to get residency permit, she had to be on the lease. I met him and discovered there was also a 3 year old. Three has now grown to five, Then he kind of had a crisis of conscience and told me that one of the others also had a wife and 2 children. House population had risen to 8. I sent them notice in writing (translated for their convenience) telling them that this was contrary too the lease, would lead to neighbour complaints and a problem with the insurance and gave them a week for the additional people to leave. It then transpired that they had fallen out.... ultimately, a potentially awkward situation was resolved by the one who had rented the house, plus wife plus 3 year old leaving and coincidentally the third of the original tenants had decided to go home (or so I was told). The remaining 4 have now sugned a new contract. This situation is possibly partly a product of higher rents where they have to sublet to make it easily affordable.

Thanks for all the replies. We have since responded to the tenant with a general "due to potential H&S and insurance issues we will have to refuse" to which he responded "no problem". Perhaps he was just as happy to say no to the relative. Either way done and dusted and all happy.