General Chat

Glad to hear that it's all worked out Anne.

I know of a private house near me that's been empty for almost 20yrs.
The story goes that the original owner remarried late in life and when he died, he left a will which granted his young widow Security Of Tenure until her death
Only upon her death, would the house would fall to his children.
The widow doesn't own the house and she cannot sell it.

The children and step mother do not see eye to eye and she moved out almost 20 years ago, leaving the house and gardens to fall into chronic disrepair.
Until she dies, her step children have no rights to their deceased father's property.

I don't know the exact details, but it's definitely the woman's way of telling her late husband's family.... where to go... and by the time she finally passes away, the large bungalow will have greatly depreciated in value

Hi Liz,
Yes I believe its also dearer that way, I suppose she just didn't think about other options as all her family does it that way where as I pay monthly direct debit. She sorted it all out within hrs of getting the key.

Anne

I thought the key way of paying for gas and electricity worked out a lot more expensive, so wouldn't be a good thing for your young family to use. Could they not pay a monthly direct debit to the fuel companies so they know it's going out of the bank account each month, it works out cheaper that way I believe.

Hope they will be very happy in their new home

Lizx

She sounds very sensible Anne I wonder if the house has been left to more than one person and is held up waiting for probate. Or maybe she didn't leave a will and legalities are holding things up. It would have been polite to answer your letter though wouldn't it? :-)

The house belonged to a elderly lady who went to live with son then onto a nursing home. She died last yr. Everything is still inside and as I said you wouldn't realize it was empty.

My son and g/f have about everything now as she has been collecting things from friends and family for a while.
The house they are in has a big kitchen/diner room but a small living room which doesn't allow them much room with the sofa they have got, so she might move into the kitchen/diner with the sofa for the winter as baby will be small and it would be the warmest room in the house. She has gas and elec company coming in soon to change the meters from quarterly to key thing so she can budget that way too.
Anne

i wounder if it is a council property that he is hanging on to
my be he is living with a girlfriend or looking after an elderly relative
else were

Wouldn't be at all surprised if the house sitting empty for 10 years isn't an address to collect benefits.
My mother had an empty flat next to her The man never lived there just called to pick up the Giro.

How lovely that your son and his enterprising girlfriend have the house and it's near you. Great that the landlady decorated and tidied it for them, and I hope all will go well for them there and the coming baby will have a lovely new home.

If there are still things they need she could ask on gumtree as people are always giving stuff away or selling it very cheaply, and you can get some really good things

You must be very pleased that they aren't far away and are settled now

Lizxx

Awww! What a lovely ending....or should I say beginning :-)

How lovely Anne.

I am very pleased for your son and dil..........and good luck to them. x

:-) :-)

Hello,

No we haven't had a reply from that house, Son's g/f was in the right place at the right time and heard another house was going about 10mins walk from us. She rang up landlady and ask if she could move in as her other tennetts were moving out. The lady was fine and went round on the Thursday and redecorated, done the garden up and son and g/f moved in Friday.
Sons g/f has been sensible and has been collecting 2nd hand things and storing it wherever someone had some shed or garage space so they didn't have to buy very much either. I'm glad she is settled before the baby as she really didn't want to bring the baby here because of OH health.
Anne

Have you got a reply yet?

Good luck Anne. Hope that it works out. If not, you haven't lost anything.

I think that it was a good idea to ask. Perhaps now is the exact right time for the owners son to think about renting it out.
Just the little push he needs.

If the house is in a bad state, I'm sure some agreement can be arranged, re rent and renovations - like any money spent comes off the rent.
An empty house just deteriorates, if it can be rented, at least the income can be ploughed back into the house to increase it's value.
Good luck, Anne <3

It's god idea for both you and the owner can't be good letting house lie for 10 yrs. Hope you get good news

Good idea

But how much work would need to be done on the house if empty for 10 years

No harm at all Anne

You have nothing to lose............so good luck I say!

If you don't ask, you don't get, in this world ;-)

My OH and son think I've gone mad. There has been a empty house in our street for over 10 yrs. The owners son pops in every couple of months to tidy the garden.

Well my son, partner and baby due sept, are desperate to find a private landlord as they cant afford agency fees.

I wrote a letter and popped it through the door of the house asking if they would consider renting it. No harm in asking is there.
Anne