Adult kids living at home rent-free; Any security of tenure?

[Le Vette]

My daughter and her feckless husband live with us rent free and have done for three years now as initially we wanted to help them out. They pay us a share of the bills, but no rent or tenancy agreement etc..

I have now fallen out with my son in law big time and I've told them live somewhere else by the end of August. It's breaking our hearts to do this but it's their fault. If they don't leave then I will change the locks at some point, but I don't really want it to come to that.

Regardless of the rights and wrongs of this, do they have any security of tenure whatsoever?

[Fallingup]

Kill them and hide their bodies in the garden.

[spikeyhead]

Try the Harvey Andrews solution

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOmAb-gdjh4

[alorotom]

They could legally be defined as squatters if they could prove that the area they occupy in the property is unused.

It would be a challenge but not impossible.

Would they really pull such a stunt??

[Fallingup]

Why don't you book an appointment with the CAB. I doubt this is the place to sort you out.

[Le Vette]

Fallingup said:

Why don't you book an appointment with the CAB. I doubt this is the place to sort you out.

Fair point, but I always like to consult the collective wisdom of PH before going further....

[FN2TypeR]

Hammer frozen sausages in to their lawn.

[ChrisNic]

It sounds like they might be considered lodgers, I don’t believe they would have much in the way of rights and can be asked to leave at any time.

[anonymous-user]

If they’re not paying any rent and are above the age of 18, my understanding is that they have no rights and if requested to leave but refuse they will be trespassing.

[S1KRR]

Le Vette said:

My daughter and her feckless husband live with us rent free and have done for three years now as initially we wanted to help them out. They pay us a share of the bills, but no rent or tenancy agreement etc..

I have now fallen out with my son in law big time and I've told them live somewhere else by the end of August. It's breaking our hearts to do this but it's their fault. If they don't leave then I will change the locks at some point, but I don't really want it to come to that.

Regardless of the rights and wrongs of this, do they have any security of tenure whatsoever?

Given you've described him as feckless (and by default your daughter for shackling to him)

The chances of them knowing what a tenure is, could be small!

[Fallingup]

Why on earth has this thread been moved to the homes/gardens & diy forum? I was only joking about killing and burying them! Might be good for the soil though.

[BaldOldMan]

Mad as it sounds, I think they do - if you take out a new mortgage, anyone over the age of 18 living in the house has to sign some sort of tenure rights away, so in the event of a default, the property can be repossessed.

I’d rely on them not understanding that though and just tell them they need to leave.

[McGee_22]

Stay chilled, keep the peace and your your own counsel, wait until they go out (leave a restaurant or movie theatre freebie voucher about? ) - then change the locks.

[anonymous-user]

Why haven't they moved out before now?

[joshleb]

3 years at home, surely have enough for a house deposit now!

Saying this as a 27 year old who has zero savings because of london living.

[Integroo]

jsf said:

Why haven't they moved out before now?

Why would they - must be saving a bomb living off someone else's dollar!

[alorotom]

BaldOldMan said:

Mad as it sounds, I think they do - if you take out a new mortgage, anyone over the age of 18 living in the house has to sign some sort of tenure rights away, so in the event of a default, the property can be repossessed.

I’d rely on them not understanding that though and just tell them they need to leave.

This is correct. Plus I wouldn’t bank on him/them not knowing. cheap people who live off others often do indeed know such things and that’s how/why they specifically choose to live like they do.

[Le Vette]

Just for the record, there is no mortgage on our property and we are retired.

[singlecoil]

Do they have any money? If not then the solution is simple, offer them a sum of money 'to get them started in their new life' which is only payable AFTER they've moved out. It will need to be enough to overcome their inertia, I'll leave the amount to you.

[hotchy]

They must have loads saved. I spent 28-32 living at my parents for a deposit, saved a 50% one in the end and I'll be honest, it was done without trying. I still went to the cinema, nights out and holidays. So they should have plenty, if not a gambling habit.