A couple of days ago my dcs and a friend spent a glorious couple of hours colouring the flagstones in the driveway at the front of our house in coloured chalk. They were so pleased with it and I think it looks pretty.
My LLs came to inspect yesterday and they raised it as a concern. While here, Mrs LL stated that the chalk looked bad, and in a text afterwards their comment was "The outside feel of the home was very poor and doesn't reflect good [sic] on our investment". Because of this, they want to send a new contract which "can be terminated at one months notice from either party" (not, I understand, lawful anyway as they have to give me two months' notice. In the interests of fairness, there were also a few weeds that took very little time to sort out today and genuinely were not more than most other houses on the street. Merely a matter of slightly differing standards and certainly not unkempt).
Anyway, AIBU not to be bothered about colouring with chalk on the ground, given that it washes off as soon as it rains, and in fact to actively encourage it because it's a lovely activity that the dcs really enjoy and is good for their motor development? Would you judge someone with a chalky driveway? And if you are a LL, would this bother you?
AIBU?
to not be bothered about chalk on the concrete
MakeHayWhileTheChalkDries · 09/08/2015 21:32
Wow! My 5 year old likes to write in chalk all over the patio. It's in the back garden and the bank we own the house.
It's not like they tagged the garage with graffiti! 
On a more serious note you don't think LL wants you out?
Chalk doesn't bother me, (unless it's teenagers using it to draw knobs outside my house 
)
I let my DD's use it in the garden. Like you said, it washes off so I don't know what your LL problem is.
Phew, I'm glad I'm not BU. Yes, I probably shouldn't have done it the day before they came but by the time I realised what they were doing some of it was there and they were having such fun I let them continue, I genuinely didn't think it would be an issue. The weeds neither - I think it is a simple case of differing standards; there were very few, it didn't look unkempt and I hardly noticed them. When they mentioned it I realised that their standards were clearly far higher than mine so I pulled them out this afternoon.
Sadly I suspect that they do want me out - I think they are planning on selling, but are waiting to have the free boiler put in first (I qualify for this because I am in receipt of certain benefits), so are not telling me. However, I suspect their problem with the front of the house and the fact that it is "cluttered" suggests that they want to take photos. FWIW, yes, it's cluttered but with books, children's toys and things on shelves. It is not massively untidy (certainly wasn't yesterday, as my children were on pain of death to get anything out! ) and there is no damage - I look after it. Lawn is mown, plants are mostly cared for but at least neat. I'd even washed the bloody windows, so yes, they were clean! I'm a good tenant despite what they expected when they originally refused to rent to me because I am on HB
Phew, I'm glad I'm not BU. Yes, I probably shouldn't have done it the day before they came but by the time I realised what they were doing some of it was there and they were having such fun I let them continue, I genuinely didn't think it would be an issue. The weeds neither - I think it is a simple case of differing standards; there were very few, it didn't look unkempt and I hardly noticed them. When they mentioned it I realised that their standards were clearly far higher than mine so I pulled them out this afternoon.
Sadly I suspect that they do want me out - I think they are planning on selling, but are waiting to have the free boiler put in first (I qualify for this because I am in receipt of certain benefits), so are not telling me. However, I suspect their problem with the front of the house and the fact that it is "cluttered" suggests that they want to take photos. FWIW, yes, it's cluttered but with books, children's toys and things on shelves. It is not massively untidy (certainly wasn't yesterday, as my children were on pain of death to get anything out! ) and there is no damage - I look after it. Lawn is mown, plants are mostly cared for but at least neat. I'd even washed the bloody windows, so yes, they were clean! I'm a good tenant despite what they expected when they originally refused to rent to me because I am on HB
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