Seeking a small 1-2 bed home to rent.

E

Event2020

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Hello Everyone

I find myself in a unexpected situation and therefore in need of finding a unfurnished home to rent long term and preferably for the rest of my life.

I only need one bedroom although two would be a bonus and I really prefer to be somewhere rural or out of the way. I do not mind what condition the property is in as I will gladly redecorate at my own cost. I have suffered with depression all of my life and to the outside world it may not show but it does affect me which is why I need to live somewhere quite away from noise and stress. I enjoy but also need a low impact and quiet lifestyle. To a lot of people, landlords especially, mental health is a bit of a taboo but if you read I hope that you will see the type of tenant (and person) I am.

I would consider anywhere but my ideal area would be North West Leicestershire / Vale of Belvoir side of Nottinghamshire as I have connections here but to be honest that is a impossible ask. The property that you have just let 2 Keythorpe Grange Cottage would have been perfect for me so may I ask if you could consider me for anything suitable that may come on to your books?

I am a single 57 year old male. Sadly I am in receipt of Income based and housing Benefits together with a disability element due to my mental health hence only needing 1 to 2 bedrooms and I can afford a rent of up to £500 pcm but lower would be better to allow for potential rent increases. I would be more than happy to pay what ever size deposit that would provide you and your client peace of mind and confidence in me. For my current home I paid one month rent in advance and 2 months rent as a deposit. I do not smoke or take drugs (other than those my doctor requires me to take), I rarely drink and I have no pets or animals. Gardening, writing music and D.I.Y are my escape and it's where I feel safe. I am very clean, tidy and house proud.

I wish to be honest and open regarding my situation although it is not easy for me to type the following.

I come from a farming background and grew up on the family mixed farm. I was herding cattle and grain carting long before I had even left Primary school. I have always lived in the countryside and nearly always in a estate owned property so active country pursuits are not a problem to me. Our Countryside and life within it are in my blood and part of who I am.

I currently rent a rural 3 bed cottage belonging to a well known country estate here in Leicestershire and out of the blue, I have been given notice that my landlord requires possession no later than 31st January 2020.

This has come as complete surprise as I have lived here since 2010 without any issues. My cottage is located in a small hamlet (owned by the estate) of no more than 15 or so homes and there are only six in the part of it in which I live. When I moved here the cottage was in rather a state and over the years I have improved it. I decorate the exterior every two years and the interior every three, I tiled the walls and installed a new kitchen as well as tiling around the sink in the utility area. The cottage is unheated and has some long standing damp issues so earlier this year I had brand new Storage Heaters installed in the main rooms (all at no cost to my landlord) via a grant I was able to access.

Earlier this year, due to the new energy efficiency regulations and to bring my home up to a acceptable standard I had a whole new set of every expensive but very energy efficient Storage Heaters installed (the previous set, at 8 years old by this time, were not sufficient to bring the rating up to pass standard) and new insulation around the windows and doors (again at no cost to my Landlord by means of a grant that I was personally eligible for).

There was no garden at all but there was a small paddock at the back of the property in which a previous tenant had kept a pony which was completely over grown with brambles and scrub. With the landlords permission over the years I completely landscaped the area all by hand. I dug the whole paddock over and reseeded with lawn grass. I put in flower borders, raised beds, a vegetable patch and a very productive fruit garden and Cherry Tree. I have planted hedges on two sides (kept nicely trimmed) and they are quite mature now.

You may think that this is a lot for a tenant to have done but I have known my landlord and his family on a friendly first name basis for over 20 years, I knew his father and I know his children. I carried out all of the improvements under the implicit understanding that it was my permanent home and the rent was to be kept low as this was what my Landlord and I agreed so to me I was investing in my home. The situation I now find myself in is a complete shock.

There has never been any issues or complaints with the estate or other tenants and I always received compliments on the work I carried out from the land agents who the estate retained to manage the lettings side of the business. I was also until recently a member of my local Parish Council but due to my situation I have stepped down as I am unable to find a local new home.

This brings me full circle to where I am now and I wonder if you have any property that is available or may become so within the next month or two?

I perfectly understand that having read this you may be put off of me as a prospective tenant but I am no trouble to anyone and would be a reliable, honest and trustworthy long term tenant. I would also very handy when you need a hand around your garden or yard or to keep and eye on your property if you are away.

If you have any questions I would be very happy to provide whatever information you may require.


Many thanks for reading this.
 
I'm just out of your area and noticed a sign to let down a single track lane opposite - I know there is a cottage and some barn conversions (which are 1 bed), just looked and it is a different house and way over budget for most. Hope you have some luck.
 
I am so sory I cannot help you at all - you sound like the perfect tenant. Do you think it may help to post this in The Club House? You may get more views of your post in that section.

I really do hope you are able to find somewhere suitable vey soon.
 
Baywonder said:
I am so sory I cannot help you at all - you sound like the perfect tenant. Do you think it may help to post this in The Club House? You may get more views of your post in that section.

I really do hope you are able to find somewhere suitable vey soon.
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Thank you for a great suggestion, if an admin see's this can you kindly move my post there or can you indicate that also posting in The Club House as well as here is acceptable as I have no wish to cross post or break forum rules?
 
I'm sorry that you are in this position. I think your first step should be to approach a housing advice service, maybe your council in order to check your rights. It could also be worth approaching your landlord to see why they want the property back, and whether or not there is anything you can do to keep the tenancy.

Unfortunately it is often very difficult for tenants on benefits to get a new tenancy, other than maybe bedsit type stuff, especially with the likelihood of Section 21 evictions ending. It is possible that this why your landlord wants to end your tenancy now, as I understand that a lot of landlords will be reviewing existing tenancies with this is mind.

As a vulnerable adult you should check out the possibility of council accommodation, possibly even sheltered housing. I'm sorry that this probably isn't what you want to hear, and of course in the meantime you should continue to look for somewhere you find suitable.

Fingers crossed for you.
 
I think it's very unfair of your landlord to give you notice after all the improvements you have made at your own cost.
Did you have a tenancy agreement? You should at least have been given more notice.
I would contact citizens advice and your local housing association.
Good luck I hope you find somewhere.
 
Sandstone1 said:
I think it's very unfair of your landlord to give you notice after all the improvements you have made at your own cost.
Did you have a tenancy agreement? You should at least have been given more notice.
I would contact citizens advice and your local housing association.
Good luck I hope you find somewhere.
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Hi Sandstone and thank you for your kind reply.

Yes I had assured shorthold tenancy which requires my landlord to give two months notice which he has
and he does not have to give a reason for requiring the property back.

I have been to citizens advice and they have looked over the paperwork finding it to all be in order.

Rather that feel sorry for myself I am trying to be proactive.

Thanks again for your good wishes.
 
Have you tried Belvoir estates. (assuming that is not your current landlord) They very often have property to rent. Alternatively Buckminster estates. Huge estate with property all over the place. Worth asking. Good luck.
 
Thank you for your kind reply and suggestions Esmae.

No Belvoir estates are not my current landlord but I am monitoring their webpage daily.

I was not aware of the Buckminster Estate so thank you for bringing them to my attention.
I have emailed them today and I will following it up with a telephone call in a day or so.

Their properties look lovely albeit inevitably pricey but one never knows until one asks.

Thank you again.
 
Hi Leo

Thank you for your reply and kind suggestion.

From looking at their website I can see that the properties they have are
above what I can afford and I very much doubt that they would see me
as ideal tenant material but thank you anyway.
 
They do have smaller cheaper ones and sometimes have things that dont come up on the website. I nearly rented one and it was nowhere near the price for those on the wbesite. Might come to nothing, but no harm calling to check :)
 
Hi everyone.

Just a quick post to say that sadly I am still looking and its getting desperate for me now as I have to leave my home by Jan 31st.
 
Grimsthorpe Estate near to Bourne in Lincs. Burghley near to Stamford. Shouler estate agents run Macorkindales near to Grantham. All worth a phone call.
 
Have you had a look on Facebook? They always seem to show me country properties to rent.

If you look up something horsey on FB, something where there won't be lots of things listed (I used Chelderic Dressage saddle as a search) then switch to properties to rent you will get the country ones.

The is one random one... https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/577778319454289/
 
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Castle Ashby estate, northants - who’s property is let by Compton estates, have numerous lovely rural places to rent, some small cottages too. I did maintenance for them and they may let you have rent cheaper due to poorer property condition.

Savills estate agens have many rural properties, but do phone them, as i rented out a lovely rural cottage from them for 400 a month a decade ago on the agreement i would refurb it. Theyre very amenable to compromise. Their website shows mostly ‘high end’ properties. Call their local office in the county youre interested in. They love tenants who improve their shabby properties :)
 
Hi everyone

I am still looking for a suitable property to rent and I wish to thank you for all of your suggestions so far.

Sadly upon speaking to or contacting those places suggested they have either had nothing suitable, said I was unsuitable due to my benefits or what properties they do have are beyond my means.

I have received a outstanding reference from my current landlord which I include below, although I have redacted any identifying details.

I can provide a hard copy on my Landlords / Agents headed notepaper upon request.

Many thanks.


To Whom it May Concern

Mr ******* ***** has occupied ***** ***** Cottage on the ********* Estate for nearly 10 years and has been a model tenant. He has always paid rent and any bills on time.

He has improved and maintained the property to a high standard including fitting a new kitchen, new wall tiling in the kitchen and utility area, redecorating the inside every three years and outside every two and new plumbing & drain fitted to the bathroom sink.

Mr ***** also accommodated the works required to bring the property up to the new required EPC standards, accessing a grant via his benefits.

Outside the house Mr ***** has replaced the old cast iron guttering of the outbuilding, to the roof of the workshop and stable block. He has handmade and replaced two doors to the workshop/stable, handmade and fitted a new garden gate and created a now mature garden.

He has been an exemplary tenant and the Estate is extremely grateful for the work and maintenance Mr ***** has completed.

My client requires vacant possession of the property for personal reasons and this is the reason Mr ***** has been asked to leave.

We have no hesitation in recommending Mr ***** as a new tenant to any future rental property.

Yours faithfully

Kind regards
 
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