Buy To Let property

[Lee Priest]

I have the chance to purchase a buy to let property, but the current tenant has been in there for 16 years, and as it was before the 28/02/1997 I have been told he is a sitting tenant. Would the fact the he doesn't work and the council pay his rent stop him from signing any Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement given to him? If I don't get him to sign an AST no mortgage lender will lend me the money to purchase.

[Sylday]

I doubt very much that he would sign up for an Assured Shorthold Tenancy - he probably has more rights with his current status. The advice from ansteyg, not to consider buying the property, seems to make a lot of sense.

[fingerpie]

Why should he sign something that disadvantages him - would you?

[Lee Priest]

I was wondering why it was cheap, and obviously the estate agents weren't forthcoming with any info about the tenant.