If the Big Brother house had a Landlord…
Posted : 06/01/2016 | By Hayley Cowburn
The Big Brother house is known for chaos, fallouts and the removal of tenants with votes for eviction... But what if the house was to be managed like a real rental property with Big Brother as the landlord? Would a tenancy agreement stamp out the drama? Would Big Brother allow the tenants their right to a private and peaceful enjoyment of the property? And what would happen to that eviction process?
Housemates
Housemates would become tenants who must act in accordance with the terms agreed a tenancy agreement, which would probably mean: no anti-social behaviour, no excessively loud noise, no pets and a responsibility for the upkeep of the property – probably best to get them vetted too.
The Landlord
If Big Brother wants to do this by the book he will need a HMO license since this is a house of great multiple occupancy. He will have to remove the cameras he has installed in the house and give the tenants the right to quiet enjoyment.
The Rent
The Big Brother House The rent could be in excess of £5,000 per month, taking into account features such as its good transport links, a garden, outdoor furniture, Jacuzzi and ever-changing luxuries. A deposit would be taken, but Big Brother wouldn’t be able to taunt them with it as it must go into a tenancy deposit protection scheme.
Repairs
When housemates contact Big Brother in the diary room, they would have to inform him of any repairs the house needs. Tenants are entitled to the house being in a good state of repair but also have some duty of care themselves.
Health & Safety
As tenants, the housemates would reserve the right to see an energy performance certificate for the house. Big Brother would also need to ensure that all gas and electrical installations are installed and maintained correctly (which we hope they do anyway). The housemates would be responsible for disposing of all rubbish correctly, heating the house enough to prevent pipe damage and take care of minor maintenance e.g. replacing light bulbs…
Inspections
As the landlord, Big Brother would have the right to enter the house for inspection if 24 hours’ notice is given. If Big Brother wants to keep up his ethereal being act he can always send in his letting agent as his tenants would have the right to be present during checks and repairs.
Privacy
Source: Can Stock Photo
Possibly the biggest sacrifice Big Brother will have to make is the removal of all hidden cameras and revealing his identity. Landlords can be fined if they do not reveal who they are and details of their address.
Evictions
The eviction process would be a thousand times slower, in fact it could take months. If the tenant breaches the contract then Big Brother can serve a section 8 notice. If he wanted to evict the tenants for any other reason, be it a public vote or refurbishment, he must serve a section 21.