My disabled wife and I, together with our disabled son (30 years of age) recently sold our 4 Bedroom semi detached house (no mortgage) and purchased a 2 bedroom park home. We all like the home but since neither my wife nor son drive (only mobility scooters) they feel totally dependant on me to get them to the stores. Since they have been used to hopping on their scooters they feel they have lost a lot of their independence because where we now live is in a rural area and miles from any shops.

My wife therefore wants to move closer to shops. We are thinking perhaps of renting a 2 bedroom property with garage for storage of their scooters and hopefully the equity from the sale of the park home would provide enough interest to pay most if not all the rent on a property.

Never having rented a private property we are concerned over the tenants security, i.e. how long a rental agreement can be (5 years, 10 years) also if the property owned by the person or company is reposessed or sold on what rights do we have?

Obviously if we have to purchase another property we will but since we are now both pensioners we need some equity to enjoy in our old age.

Your early and hopefully positive reply will be appreciated.

Regards

Nicotine

My advice depends on whether your son will be able to cope by himself after you and your wife have died.

If you think not, then your son will have to be looked after institutionally, so there is no need to leave him a house. Use the interest to rent a place. I doubt you will find a private landlord that will offer more than 5 years, because after 7 years the tenant becomes protected. Have you thought about a housing association? They rarely kick people out.

If your son can cope on his own, I would advise buying a bungalow maybe, as the prices will be low at the moment.

jamesknight.

Thank you for your input. Have you any information regarding tenants security, i.e. if we rented for say a period of 5 years but during that time the the property was repossessed for whatever reason would our rental contract be valid or would we be legally homeless?

Regards

If you rent a place that has a mortgage on it you have to sign a form for the mortgage company agreeing to vacate if they repossess. That was why I suggested a housing association, or obviously you could find a house that has no mortgage.

James Knight,

Thank you for your prompt response.

Regards

Nic Otine