Our house is being sold

[R1cho]

Our landlord has decided to sell the house we are in, however, we do not have a tennancy agreement, someone has told me that without this the new owners would have to take us to court to make us move out, i was just wondering if anyone knows if this is true or not, don't get me wrong i dont want to give the new owners a hard time but what with my baby girls problems finding new a new house is the last thing i want to be doing right now.

[laurieash]

if you have been paying rent and paid a bond then you have a agreement/contract

[laurieash]

contact the C.A.B as soon as possable it is free legal advice.

[lacroupade]

contact the C.A.B as soon as possable it is free legal advice.

Ditto, the last thing you need right now is a barrack-room lawyer.....get straight to the CAB to begin with.

I think theres little doubt he can remove you eventually but there are lots of complications that might dictate how long it would take, to get proper advice.

[(RIP) PLANK]

if you look on the thread 'your business and what you do' there is a member who is a housing adviser who offered to help members :thumb2

http://www.nissan4x4ownersclub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1987&highlight=business

[paulp]

if your tenancy has expired then you have waht is defined as a tenancy of statute. the landlord would be required to give you Notice to quit (either 28 or 56 days dependent on yor tenancy agreement) obtain a possession order and then apply and execute a bailiff warrant.

DO NOT LEAVE PRIOR to the bailiff warrant as you can run the risk of being found intentionally homeless - as there will be a direct link (you leaving) and the loss of accommodation that would by law be available for you to occupy.

Visit either the local CAB or Housing advice service and log an application as being threatened with homelessness, they will generally only accept an application if you are threatened with homelessness within a twenty eight days period of bailiff warrant.

As long as you comply with the indtructions pf housing advisor and there are no rent arrears you should be awarded a full housing duty by the local authority and should be able to get a council property or at least assistance detting another privately rented property via a rent deposit scheme or a bond scheme operated by the council

hope this helps. I am an Housing officer but althoughthe housing act is national there are regional approaches so please check locally.

paulp

[lacroupade]

if your tenancy has expired then you have waht is defined as a tenancy of statute. the landlord would be required to give you Notice to quit (either 28 or 56 days dependent on yor tenancy agreement) obtain a possession order and then apply and execute a bailiff warrant.

DO NOT LEAVE PRIOR to the bailiff warrant as you can run the risk of being found intentionally homeless - as there will be a direct link (you leaving) and the loss of accommodation that would by law be available for you to occupy.

Visit either the local CAB or Housing advice service and log an application as being threatened with homelessness, they will generally only accept an application if you are threatened with homelessness within a twenty eight days period of bailiff warrant.

As long as you comply with the indtructions pf housing advisor and there are no rent arrears you should be awarded a full housing duty by the local authority and should be able to get a council property or at least assistance detting another privately rented property via a rent deposit scheme or a bond scheme operated by the council

hope this helps. I am an Housing officer but althoughthe housing act is national there are regional approaches so please check locally.

paulp


Paul what are the implications if what he says about not having a tenancy agreement is literal.....am I right in thinking the law assumes it shorthold by default, or can he derive any extra benefit from such a scenario?

[extreme-4x4]

ring C A B in the morning , no point going down there it will be packed and they will only make a note of the help you need and give you an appointment for about 3 weeks .
but ring and do it from home , they do online chat help too now . so thats useful to put your mind at ease quicker . look at there web site http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

but you need someone like shelter http://www.shelter.org.uk/
find your local office , sometimes at the C A B , but you want your local non C A B one for obvious reasons (3 week wait)
when you go to them you have your own shelter rep help you . and sort out the legal side of things . but i suspect they will advise you to speak to youer landlord to see what he says first , it could be a nothing and you are part of the sale . so nothing to worry about .

another route is your local council they will have a department for things just like that . ring them and ask the questions .

you will find , the more people you ask . the better help you will get . and you will have contacts who often work together to get you fixed up .

remember pen and paper ready. before you call . and always be polite , clear and make sure you take there name . dont give up at the first knock back of oh we dont do stuff like that .... if you get that say " can you advise me where to go next".


i suspect its an easy fix , and you will be sleeping easy tomorrow :thumbs

good luck .

[paulp]

Hi

In the absence of a tenency agreement or an expired agreement it becomes a tenency of statute which by default is the same as an assured shorthold temamcy - which in law is the least secure type of tenancy available.

there is no defence for the judge granting possession and the maximum time that a judge can award before the landlord can apply for a warrant is 42 days (6 weeks).

If any housing benefit is being paid to help meet the rental costs then a tenancy agreement must have at one time existed. if this is the case just ask or a copy from the council. Take the housing benefit award letter and ID with you andthey should oblige.

paulp

[lacroupade]

Hi

In the absence of a tenency agreement or an expired agreement it becomes a tenency of statute which by default is the same as an assured shorthold temamcy - which in law is the least secure type of tenancy available.

there is no defence for the judge granting possession and the maximum time that a judge can award before the landlord can apply for a warrant is 42 days (6 weeks).

If any housing benefit is being paid to help meet the rental costs then a tenancy agreement must have at one time existed. if this is the case just ask or a copy from the council. Take the housing benefit award letter and ID with you andthey should oblige.

paulp

One more question; but this would mean lawyers and money.....I am aware from something I was involved in a couple of years ago that there are some very strict circumstances in which the above isn't true...for example if one or more of your children were sitting examinations. I'm just wondering if Ricohs daughters health problems and hospital access might be a delaying tactic in your experience....clutching at straws I know, but best to cover all the bases.

[extreme-4x4]

One more question; but this would mean lawyers and money.....I am aware from something I was involved in a couple of years ago that there are some very strict circumstances in which the above isn't true...for example if one or more of your children were sitting examinations. I'm just wondering if Ricohs daughters health problems and hospital access might be a delaying tactic in your experience....clutching at straws I know, but best to cover all the bases.

shelter are the ones to give that a push , rather than spend out on solicitors etc . and remember a court can and will only act within what is law, but and its a massive but . if its put to a judge the family situation the judge can give a longer stay with exceptional circumstances . if indeed the property is for sale without tenants.

that is the first stumbling block i can see . and what makes me wonder if there is nothing to worry about , i fail to see how the landlord plans to sell with tenants if the tenants are not included in the sale . a quick call in the morning might settle this , before it all starts .

my guess is , the landlord is probably just as keen to get you signed up to a proper tenancy agreement so he can sell .
a quick chat with shelter first will give you all you need in ammunition prior to ringing your landlord

[paulp]

unless agreed by the landlord, the maximum time a JUDGE can give is 42 days.

time would be better spent convincing the local authority to accept a homeless application early or apply for a special concession (sometimes known as delegated authority) from a senior housing manager to allow access to a council property if a housing application exists.

all of the above are dependent on the demand for council housing in the area.

At the moment I would apply for a council property via the bidding or point system that exists locally. Once this has been done an application for a priority to be awarded (dependent on local system this will be a "reasonable or similar prefernce or extra points on medical or social grounds) can be made and hopefully have sufficient grounds to have a fasttrack councl tenency.

If a homeless application is required the above may be used to convince the council to accept an application early or get access to a local authority rent deposit scheme/ bond scheme.

Please speak to the local housng advice service as the terms and conditions can be slightly different depending on the demand for assistance or council housing.

paulp

[R1cho]

Thanks for the advice and info guys, whats taken me aback the most and got me worried is today people turned up to view the house and we had no idea they were coming, it wasn't the best day for them to come as my baby girl was having a bad day, i had a word witht he people that wanted to view the house and told them today was a bit inconvenient and the reason why and that we hadn't even been informed they were coming round, so they are now coming around tomorrow, If i could get a mortgage i'd buy the place myself but bad credit history which i had improved on until having to spend so much time at hospital prevents it, it's not like i cant afford it, i manage to pay the £500 a month rent no problems.

[extreme-4x4]

unless agreed by the landlord, the maximum time a JUDGE can give is 42 days.

time would be better spent convincing the local authority to accept a homeless application early or apply for a special concession (sometimes known as delegated authority) from a senior housing manager to allow access to a council property if a housing application exists.

all of the above are dependent on the demand for council housing in the area.

At the moment I would apply for a council property via the bidding or point system that exists locally. Once this has been done an application for a priority to be awarded (dependent on local system this will be a "reasonable or similar prefernce or extra points on medical or social grounds) can be made and hopefully have sufficient grounds to have a fasttrack councl tenency.

If a homeless application is required the above may be used to convince the council to accept an application early or get access to a local authority rent deposit scheme/ bond scheme.

Please speak to the local housng advice service as the terms and conditions can be slightly different depending on the demand for assistance or council housing.

paulp


exactly , but landlords are local businesses, and this if it ever went to court would be a county court matter public law, few calls to the local rag . im sure the landlord would be in agreement . old or new

yes its a worry but its not crisis level yet, not anywhere near . but now is the time to do your homework and get help ..... shelter is the one but council housing officer will advise the councils side and possibly get one in your council who wants to help they are generally helpful. if you ask for help

[paulp]

At present it is your home and it would not be unreasonble if you asked for a mutually agreed appointment to be set up.

you have not got to allow access without prior reasonable notice, you can be awkward as you are allowed quite occupation of the property, but it would probably be best not to piss off the current landlord or buyer, in case the property will still be available for you to rent.

the new landlord may want a tenant and not want to live in it themselves

paulp

[lacroupade]

Thanks for the advice and info guys, whats taken me aback the most and got me worried is today people turned up to view the house and we had no idea they were coming, it wasn't the best day for them to come as my baby girl was having a bad day, i had a word witht he people that wanted to view the house and told them today was a bit inconvenient and the reason why and that we hadn't even been informed they were coming round, so they are now coming around tomorrow, If i could get a mortgage i'd buy the place myself but bad credit history which i had improved on until having to spend so much time at hospital prevents it, it's not like i cant afford it, i manage to pay the £500 a month rent no problems.

Paul can advise better but you are under no obligation to let these people in without proper notice. This landlord is clearly a muppet.

You may not want to upset the situation but as Colin says, you need to understand what the landlords intention are, because he may be selling it as an investment property, but either way its in his best interests to have your co-operation, but equally you are entitled to a bit of fair notice of a viewing.

But do follow what Paul says....you've also got to bear in mind where you stand if, for example, he sells with you as a sitting tenant, but then the new owner jacks the rent up or acts the goat somehow.....doesn't leave you many options, but depends on how your rent is funded....might be better to discuss with PaulP via PM.

[R1cho]

i've had a look on the estate agents website and its advertised as empty with no chain

[extreme-4x4]

Thanks for the advice and info guys, whats taken me aback the most and got me worried is today people turned up to view the house and we had no idea they were coming, it wasn't the best day for them to come as my baby girl was having a bad day, i had a word witht he people that wanted to view the house and told them today was a bit inconvenient and the reason why and that we hadn't even been informed they were coming round, so they are now coming around tomorrow, If i could get a mortgage i'd buy the place myself but bad credit history which i had improved on until having to spend so much time at hospital prevents it, it's not like i cant afford it, i manage to pay the £500 a month rent no problems.

well there is your answer then . ask the buyers if they are looking to buy with you as tenants, or as a private dwelling . simple .

if private you know where you stand . its unlikely the buyers will buy anyway no one is going to buy a house with hassle . not in this climate . and they wont spend out on searches for hassle .

its a non starter . i cant see how the bloke hopes to sell with you in it . unless its sold with you in it .

but do your homework and remember the landlord will have to spend to pursue you . rather than you case him in the courts at your cost ...

i still say it'll be sorted with shelter tomorrow . chill :cool:

[lacroupade]

i've had a look on the estate agents website and its advertised as empty with no chain

which pretty much tells you (i) that he IS indeed a knob, and (ii) what his intentions are.

have a chat offline with Paul and clarify anything you're unclear of. I know what Colin's trying to say but the fact is, if he wants you out you're gone, its just a question of when. Nobody/nothing can stop it, but if you guys need logistical help of any sort just say the word.

And don't fret over it, you've got enough on your plate - things will sort themselves out.:thumb2

[solarman216]

For a start I would be going straight down the estate agents and telling them that this is misrepresentation, it is not empty, just imagine you were the prospective purchaser only to learn that there is a tenant in occupation and that you will have to be going through all the problems of evicting the tenant before you can occupy yourself, most would I am sure walk away, but do not look entirely on the dark side, get all the facts before having a go as things may not be as they seem, if you have been on good terms with your landlord then have a word with him first, but be wary, Rick

[extreme-4x4]

which pretty much tells you (i) that he IS indeed a knob, and (ii) what his intentions are.

have a chat offline with Paul and clarify anything you're unclear of. I know what Colin's trying to say but the fact is, if he wants you out you're gone, its just a question of when. Nobody/nothing can stop it, but if you guys need logistical help of any sort just say the word.

And don't fret over it, you've got enough on your plate - things will sort themselves out.:thumb2


you need the facts. you will need legal help . and you will need help from the council (if you go down that route ) nothing stopping you private renting again . but shelter will give you some legal help / possibly representation and will give you some clout with council and an official body that is working for you and your family. someone to quote when you need to

but like paul and paul say the ball is in the landlords court , its how he wants to play it , as to how long you have and how much its going to cost him /you . its not going to happen this week . so do your homework and get help .

can advise on delay tactics with court if you need it might buy you more time .pm only though :o

also if finacially struggling due to this ...

crisis loan - repayable . from the government
community care grant - ;)

google them !

[R1cho]

crisis loan - repayable . from the government

you reckon i could get one for 100k to buy the house :lol:lol:lol:lol:lol:lol

[R1cho]

ok so from what i can gather the basic gist is,,,,,they buy it,,,, it's their choice but they buy it with tennants then have to make us move out?,,,,,,,,,see i dont want to have them make us move out, i just want adequate notice that we have to move out and so far we haven't had it, as i said we were.nt even told about the sale or the wanna be buyers that are coming round, all i wnt is a nice house with enough room for me the wife n our 5 kids, i dont cliam any benfits, so thats out the window, i moved in here on good faith as did the landlord that let us move in, i've never missed a payment on the rent and we have even done repairs that would normally be upto the landlord to do, i have had a few beers now and feel a rant coming on so will leave it at that lol

[solarman216]

I was tempted to suggest the local Social Services Department may be in a position to help, (you have a special needs girl) but you will need to gauge them properly as if you are unsucsessfull with your housing they will be just as likely to come along and remove your little girl saying you cannot care for her properly, they are absolute bastards believe me I have seen it dozens of times, I sincerely hope it does not come to it, but if you are made homeless move to another SS area, the time gained before they find you will be worth it, I have known dozens of families who have had there kids placed in care with the threat of another being removed using this tactic to thwart the system, how do I know, we were the carers looking after their kids, unfortunately it took a long time for us to know what was really going on, all we saw was a social worker turning up on our doorstep with a distressed 5 year old and asked if we can take him/her for a while which usually meant a year or more, natural parent contact virtually forbidden and if it was allowed it was under the very strict scrutiny of a social worker, but after 24 years you start asking questions, that was our demise, you are not allowed to question, I would not allow a Social Worker in my house ever, the very best of luck and my best wishes go with you, Rick

[extreme-4x4]

good point, all you want is a nice house and your happy to move with enough notice. ... well really sometimes its just not worth the fight and hassle that follows , especially at home .

1 you need help, shelter will give you all the help you need . council will too

2 you can rent privately in a nice house, and its not usually much more and again a lot less hassle ,

3 social serve id give a miss to be honest , they probably wont do much , they tend not to get involved nowadays unless someone is putting fags out on kids feet, and id not want to be on one of there lists . i have been in the past , at my request and to get help . they didnt do much .

4 crisis loan is available to anyone over 16 who needs help providing for there family in the short term . a crisis.... a deposit on a rented home when your rented home is for sale . without you in it . will fall into that category - bare in mind its repayable but at what you can afford and its interest free from the gov. anyone can aply you dont need to be on benefits


5 social care grant . very similar. not sure if you need to be on benefits but its for similar uses - you dont need to pay it back and its all there for people in need in the short term when crisis happens .


6 use this time to obtain help and find a new rental that will cause you the least fuss , help is available and once you as one or two for help . they will give you info that will snowball and everyone will be working to get you settled . your likely to find you will be better off in the long term

[Deleted account DD]

Our landlord has decided to sell the house we are in, however, we do not have a tennancy agreement, someone has told me that without this the new owners would have to take us to court to make us move out, i was just wondering if anyone knows if this is true or not, don't get me wrong i dont want to give the new owners a hard time but what with my baby girls problems finding new a new house is the last thing i want to be doing right now.


How much notice has he given you?

[jace]

go to local paper get them interested because of your little one,shame the land lord into being a bit more cooperative with you!

[lacroupade]

ok so from what i can gather the basic gist is,,,,,they buy it,,,, it's their choice but they buy it with tennants then have to make us move out?,,,,,,,,,see i dont want to have them make us move out, i just want adequate notice that we have to move out and so far we haven't had it, as i said we were.nt even told about the sale or the wanna be buyers that are coming round, all i wnt is a nice house with enough room for me the wife n our 5 kids, i dont cliam any benfits, so thats out the window, i moved in here on good faith as did the landlord that let us move in, i've never missed a payment on the rent and we have even done repairs that would normally be upto the landlord to do, i have had a few beers now and feel a rant coming on so will leave it at that lol


Ricoh, lots of well-intentioned but sadly misguided advice being given here mate....just take on board what Paul has said, because he works in housing and knows what he's talking about.

I have a lot of experience of the law in this area for reasons I won't bore you with, and it is recent and sharp-end, but even I wouldn't presume to advise you, just tell you what I know and let you draw your own conclusions.

There are only a few certain things here:

1. He has advertised the property as empty - that means he will be giving you notice at some stage, but he doesn't need to until he has a buyer (at that point he has what, at least 2-3 months to sort things out?). That means buyers will be expecting vacant possession.

2. When he does give notice, you are bound to comply sooner or later (but only a bit later) . As Paul says, there are some very specific circumstances where a judge might extend the 28-day notice period a bit, but from what little we know of your circumstances that probably won't help much even if you could achieve it (which is doubtful because its normally only if there is an urgent, pressing matter with known imminent dates, like school exams)

3. It sounds like you rent, quite happily, in the private sector so I guess all the posts about social housing/council/Shelter are irrelevant?

4. Tenancy agreement or not, you are bound to allow viewers BUT, equally he is obliged to give you reasonable notice ... not sure what that would be in law, but 48 hours is probably about right.

My suggestion would be firstly to clear the air by talking to the landlord. First to confirm his intentions (but they are clear, unless he happens to find an investment buyer who wants a sitting tenant, but then thats not how he's advertising it so why would one come along...especially since it usually lowers the valuation).

Secondly, to agree terms regarding notice for viewings, when you are likely to receive notice to quit, what that period will be, what references he will provide in writing before that point etc...

I think unless he is a fekwit he is sure to co-operate for two reasons:

1. You could make a sale difficult by being a PITA with viewers and keeping the house a mess.

2. Your presence at the time of any mortgage valuation could potentially be seriously detrimental to that valuation and thus any sale.

My personal advice, since you seem to be a happy private sector renter, would just be to get on with it and find yourself another rental and give notice when you are ready. Yes you could fanny about and make life difficult and stretch things out a bit potentially, but there is nothing you can do to stave off whats going to happen, plus you need a reference from this bloke for the next one, so stay calm, make a plan and start packing stuff you don't need. It may be a while before he finds a buyer, but you never know.

Much better to leave on your terms and take the right amount of time to find a place that fits the bill, rather than scrabble around at the last minute and end up in a shithole......and get that reference off him pronto. And if he is holding any deposit, make sure you agree what, if anything, he plans to withhold and why, as you may want to address decorating issues for example. Alternatively you could stop paying rent but that f*cks your reference doesn't it.

That and Pauls input is all you need (with the greatest respect to my friends on here :thumb2).

[extreme-4x4]

Ricoh, lots of well-intentioned but sadly misguided advice being given here mate....just take on board what Paul has said, because he works in housing and knows what he's talking about.

I have a lot of experience of the law in this area for reasons I won't bore you with, and it is recent and sharp-end, but even I wouldn't presume to advise you, just tell you what I know and let you draw your own conclusions.

There are only a few certain things here:

1. He has advertised the property as empty - that means he will be giving you notice at some stage, but he doesn't need to until he has a buyer (at that point he has what, at least 2-3 months to sort things out?). That means buyers will be expecting vacant possession.

2. When he does give notice, you are bound to comply sooner or later (but only a bit later) . As Paul says, there are some very specific circumstances where a judge might extend the 28-day notice period a bit, but from what little we know of your circumstances that probably won't help much even if you could achieve it (which is doubtful because its normally only if there is an urgent, pressing matter with known imminent dates, like school exams)

3. It sounds like you rent, quite happily, in the private sector so I guess all the posts about social housing/council/Shelter are irrelevant?

4. Tenancy agreement or not, you are bound to allow viewers BUT, equally he is obliged to give you reasonable notice ... not sure what that would be in law, but 48 hours is probably about right.

My suggestion would be firstly to clear the air by talking to the landlord. First to confirm his intentions (but they are clear, unless he happens to find an investment buyer who wants a sitting tenant, but then thats not how he's advertising it so why would one come along...especially since it usually lowers the valuation).

Secondly, to agree terms regarding notice for viewings, when you are likely to receive notice to quit, what that period will be, what references he will provide in writing before that point etc...

I think unless he is a fekwit he is sure to co-operate for two reasons:

1. You could make a sale difficult by being a PITA with viewers and keeping the house a mess.

2. Your presence at the time of any mortgage valuation could potentially be seriously detrimental to that valuation and thus any sale.

My personal advice, since you seem to be a happy private sector renter, would just be to get on with it and find yourself another rental and give notice when you are ready. Yes you could fanny about and make life difficult and stretch things out a bit potentially, but there is nothing you can do to stave off whats going to happen, plus you need a reference from this bloke for the next one, so stay calm, make a plan and start packing stuff you don't need. It may be a while before he finds a buyer, but you never know.

Much better to leave on your terms and take the right amount of time to find a place that fits the bill, rather than scrabble around at the last minute and end up in a shithole......and get that reference off him pronto. And if he is holding any deposit, make sure you agree what, if anything, he plans to withhold and why, as you may want to address decorating issues for example. Alternatively you could stop paying rent but that f*cks your reference doesn't it.

That and Pauls input is all you need (with the greatest respect to my friends on here :thumb2).

but thats what i said . only i added you can raise the deposit from crisis loan or community care grant if its a bad time and struggling financially . for obvious reasons.

[makeitfit]

I know a few landlords around these parts and offer the following :
He may very well be open to er offers, for your quick evacuation :naughty
Not read all the past blurb by my illustrious members, buit he could also be selling the house as an investment to a new landlord with you as sitting tennants :augie
Also landlords dont always play by the rules, so be sharp mate.:o
Get in there quick and try a deal with him, get out quick sharp on your terms then and avoid undue stress on you and yours :D
Pissed makeitfit :lol

[jace]

is legal aid avalable to get a solicitor to run through it all with you?

[paulp]

a solicitor may take up the case for legal aid but it is a means test

speak to shelter

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/eviction

they are very good and a mere mention of shelter gets the regular council
kakking themselves

paulp

ps hope the advice helps - BUT CHECK LOCALLY AS RULES AND CODE OF PRACTICE CAN CHANGE AS CAN THE INTERPRETATION

[jace]

would the hospital give a suporting letter for more time if it goes to court,cant be good for little uns welfare!

[makeitfit]

Good point Shelter are bloody fabtastic, give them a shout for sure :D

[paulp]

42 days is the maximum time a judge cam give please see previous post as to spend time better

paulp

[lacroupade]

Lads I'm sure Ri9cho will correct us but if you read his posts carefully, he isn't a social case nor is he looking to be (no offence to anyone who is of course!).

he's just a happy private sector renter and appears to wish to carry on in that vein:thumb2

so while I'm sure all the stuff about council,Shelter etc..is potentially useful should he change his mind, his prime concerns at the moment must be:

1. Legitimately extending current tenancy as long as reasonably possible to give him time to find a new home at his own pace.

2. Getting a written reference from the landlord - VERY IMPORTANT in his situation.

3. Juggling all that with his daughters illness.

If what I've said about his status/intentions is correct, then he has limited options in respect of item 1 so just needs to get on with things. :)

[R1cho]

well after tough negotiations and countless people looking at the house i have convinced the landlord not to sell but instead i'll pay an extra £100 a month on the rent, i think in the grand scheme of things thats not too bad, Myself and my family get to stay where we want and the landlord gets a bit extra rent, also when it is viable for me to get a mortgage I get first refusal on the house, result :thumb2:thumbs

[solarman216]

well after tough negotiations and countless people looking at the house i have convinced the landlord not to sell but instead i'll pay an extra £100 a month on the rent, i think in the grand scheme of things thats not too bad, Myself and my family get to stay where we want and the landlord gets a bit extra rent, also when it is viable for me to get a mortgage I get first refusal on the house, result :thumb2:thumbs

Sounds like a good result to me, the last thing you need now is to be looking for accommodation with your little girl, and lets hope it will not be too long before you are able to get a mortgage, regards Rick