wibu to tell the landlord?

[matildasquared]

So my next door neighbour has gone abroad to work for a year and has rented out her house. We're in a row of terraces, little gardens in the back. I'm friends with neighbour and neighbour's mother, who comes around to say hi once in a while (and also keep an eye on the rented house, I'm sure). Neighbour's mother is sorting out the renting.

Anyway, new renters moved in a couple of weeks ago, a mother and teenage daughter, seem really nice. We've already had a few chats, very friendly. Renter lady has a boyfriend who comes to stay on weekends. He's been sprucing up the garden.

Today while I was at work the boyfriend came round and was evidently asking my husband for advice on how to locate the stopcock, because boyfriend wanted to install an outside tap for the garden. My husband helped him out, even shut off our stopcock for him to see if they were linked.

My husband and I both thought it was weird. Why not ask the landlord?

Surely this visiting dude is not installing an outside tap without permission?!

Would you mention it to the landlord (neighbour's mother)?

[Sunnydaysablazeinhope]

For a tap...? Look I might be woefully uneducated but I'm not sure I see the issue. He's not knocking a wall in is he? Also, the mum is the rep not the landlord surely...? And won't she spot a tap anyway...?

I'd just let nature take it's course. It would be an inventory issue. I would get involved.

[matildasquared]

It seems like kind of a big deal to put a tap through a wall, surely? If it were my place I'd want to know whether a random not-even-living-there dude were messing around with the plumbing.

[matildasquared]

Or should I just wind my neck back in?

[JackyDanny]

I wouldn't say owt unless asked.
They may well have permission.

[BillyBanter]

Maybe he did ask the LL but she didn't know.

[MooMaid]

I was also going to say maybe LL agreed to this?

[matildasquared]

I'm such a busybody. Okay, I'll leave it alone. But I'm keeping an eye on things.

[Sparrowlegs248]

I wouldn't really worry about it.

[specialsubject]

I would if it floods the place, and your place.

I would mention it casually to the neighbour's mother. Then she can decide what to do, if anything.

When I was in your neighbour's position my neighbours were life-savers - because the tenants didn't notice problems with the house and the agents were lying about doing inspections.

[wowfudge]

Yes - wind that neck right back in OP! I seriously thought you were going to say they were doing something illegal.

[matildasquared]

Update: I just brought them a crumble. They're lovely. The tap looks great too.

[ifyourehoppyandyouknowit]

Putting a tap in isn't a big job. You can buy a kit fromB&Q and run a spur off the pipes under the sink. Other than drilling a hole in the wall its really straightforward.

[CustardOmlet]

It might just be a tap, but if my tenant were doing drilling and water works they hadn't informed me about I would not be best pleased. I may not approach my tenants instantly about it, but I'd make a point of checking it out when I did an inspection.

[matildasquared]

"Other than drilling a hole in the wall its really straightforward."

Okay, was that meant to be reassuring? lol

I think the next time I'm chatting to the landlord's mum I'll just say, "Hey, the new tap looks great."

[MammaTJ]

Don't say any such thing! An outside tap is an improvement, a good thing! Why even montion it?

[matildasquared]

... just to make sure she knows about it.

Seriously? If you owned a house and rented it out, you wouldn't care that a tenant's boyfriend was messing around with the plumbing? I sure as hell would.

It's likely the landlord knows about it but I'll mention it casually just in case.

If the roles were reversedlike if I rented out my house and my neighbours/friends kept stuff like this from meI'd be disappointed.

[KingJoffreysBloodshotEye]

Why are they doing so much work if they're only staying for a year?

Do they know they're only staying for a year?

I had a LL who wanted a 'long term tenant'. A year to the day he wanted his property back leaving myself and DS homeless. Yup, was his plan all along but he thought 'no one would rent it for just a year'.

I did work too. Decorating, sorting out the garden, generally wasting £££.

[matildasquared]

No, neighbour and neighbour's mum are very open about the fact that it's short-term. We talk openly about neighbour's job abroad.

I have no idea why they are doing so much work! When I was a renter I kept things nice, maybe put up my own curtains, but I would never have dreamed of renovating or doing gardening work (unless it was for a rent reduction).

I've known loads of renters who re-paint, re-carpet, fix tiling... I think it's nuts but that's their choice.

[holidaysarenice]

This is all wonderful until next year when it freezes over because it's not insulated.

Next time I see them I would mention it casually but that's all I would do.

[DizzyKipper]

I find it weird that some people think drilling holes in the property without necessarily having the owner's permission isn't a big deal. In a lot of rental contracts I've had to sign we've not even been allowed to put blue tac on the walls as it might mar the paint work! Ultimately it's down to the landlord to decide whether or not hey want an outside tap installed, and for all we and the OP knows the landlord might already have decided it and given permission. In which case what does it matter if the OP makes a comment in passing? And if they haven't given permission? The landlord may well appreciate finding this out, possibly sooner rather than later. I don't think there's any issue with the OP just making a casual comment about it, if the tenant has gone 'by the book' and gotten permission beforehand then there's nothing for them to worry about.

[Joysmum]

It might just be a tap, but if my tenant were doing drilling and water works they hadn't informed me about I would not be best pleased. I may not approach my tenants instantly about it, but I'd make a point of checking it out when I did an inspection

Ditto.

My tenants have all been in for over 2 years and after an initial 6 months to work out what sort of people they were, have been told they can make improvements but need to do the courtesy of running it past me first. Putting a tap in might not seem like a big deal but most tenancy agreements stipulate that the house can't be altered. I've had to undo some horrendous DIY when I've first bought my buy to let properties so I'm very cautious.

[ifyourehoppyandyouknowit]

Oh no, I do think it's weird to do when you are renting, I'm just saying it's not like they're knocking a wall through. I'm presuming the landlord knows because it's not something you could hide when you move out.

[Canthisonebeused]

Am I right that the tenant is subletting? surely that would be of concern to the LL.

[matildasquared]

I never said she's subletting.

[Canthisonebeused]

Just reread that not sure where I got that from.