Renewing a tenancy - should I also renew the inventory/condition report?

[bagus]

After landlording for many years, this is the first time I've been in this situation. Most of my tenants are now on SPTs, which seems to work well for both parties.

However, a family living in one of my houses asked initially for a 2 year contract, because they were looking to adopt a second child and their adoption agency requires adopters to have a minimum length of tenure in rented accommodation. Now nearly 2 years on, they are asking for another 2 year fixed term.

A few months after they moved in, it became clear that they aren't the tidiest tenants, although apart from a few areas of neglect, like not bothering to tell me when the felt blew off the shed roof, not noticing a slowly leaking toilet until water started coming through the living room ceiling and my biggest bug bear - never opening any windows, they seem like kind hearted people.

When they moved in, the house was as pristine as it could be and I provided a fairly comprehensive inventory/condition report, along with a CD containing photos taken a few days earlier. I haven't since carried out a full inspection, but needless to say the place looks nothing like it did 2 years ago.

So to my question:- is it viable to create a new AST and keep the original inventory?

[jpkeates]

So to my question:- is it viable to create a new AST and keep the original inventory?

Yes, the condition when they move out needs to be compared to the condition when they moved in.
What happens in the interim isn't that useful - other than to keep tabs on the why they look after the place, and you seem to have a decent handle on that.

Personally, I'd never agree to another 2 year fixed term, as I'd want the agreement to be periodic.
The world changes too fast for me to be comfortable committing to that long an agreement.
But that's just me.

[ash72]

Simple answer is Yes, but just remember the longer they live the less any items will be worth in the eyes of the adjudicator. Also if you grant them a 2 year fixed, you should increase the rent, unless there is a provision for increasing it.

I personally would keep it on a rolling basis, and tell them that you would write a letter stating that you've been T's for over 2 years and have no reason to terminate the contract.

[jpkeates]

I can't imagine the adoption agency will demand the child back because the tenancy length is not as desired!

[bagus]

Thank you both. That makes life easier; better still if they agree to let it roll on.

I can't imagine the adoption agency will demand the child back because the tenancy length is not as desired!

Haha..... the first child wasn't adopted - only the one 'in the pipeline'!

[DPT57]

It's not for them to agree it, it's up to you to tell them that's what's on offer. Of course messy tenants will ask for a long tenancy where you cant evict them. You just tell them that you want the tenancy to go periodic.

[CStevens]

Yes it is possible to do that and i would suggest in this case you have to do it. Having said that, if you grant them a further 2 years the place is not going to get any better so why dont you suggest to the tenant that you are happy to grant a further 2 years on the proviso that they first do 'x,y,z' to at least get some of the problems dealt with now...got to be better than having another 2 years of disarray impact the property?