To tell the letting agents to fuck off

[AquaLatte]

Received a strongly worded letter post inspection this morning.

Living room and kitchen need cleaning
Armchair in the garden
Rubbish bags outside back door

Armchair had been outside for less than 24hrs as I had just replaced it and it was waiting for to be collected by the large refuse people

There were two bin bags outside the door as it was the day before bin day and they aren't allowed on the road before 7am (do they want me to keep them in the house?)

Living room and kitchen were perfectly clean. There were 3 breakfast bowls in the sink and a box of cereal on the side.

Living room was clean, hoovered and polished. No clutter apart from an open laptop and two textbooks on the coffee table. Fireplace had ash from the previous nights fire. Possibly the curtains weren't open?!

I'm a single mother to 4 kids, work full time and I'm doing a law degree. Seriously busy. We left that morning at 7.30am hence dishes being in the sink and not washed up.

Surely the inspection is to look at the fabric of the house and make sure we aren't using it to grow copious amounts of weed . Not a fucking inspection of my cleaning skills?

[StatisticallyChallenged]

I would say pretty much your last paragraph. It is indeed to check the fabric of the house, that you aren't living in a complete rodent infested shit tip etc. Nothing you have outlined would have any impact on the house. They're being picky and daft

[napmeistergeneral]

Kill them with competence. Write a letter and ask to see the relevant clause in your tenancy agreement for each point - e.g. where does it say you can't put an armchair in the garden? I would have thought you can keep it there for as long as you bloody like as long as it's gone by tenancy end.

If you can be bothered, of course. Many estate agents assume they won't challenged, especially by tenants, and bullshit accordingly. YANBU.

[Laurah1979]

I am sick of letting agents so feel your pain. 3 monthly inspections. Photographs of every room including our bedroom. I find it so intrusive and unecessary. After 4 years you would think they might space out the inspections as they know we are good tenants. The highlight was pictures of the dryer (bought and owned by us) with a tiny bit of fluff in. Advised to 'defluff' said dryer!

[AquaLatte]

Just sent this, wish I had included the bt about the armchair clause now!

[JP1985]

I used to work as a Lettings Manager and I used to tell my tenants that my job was to make sure that the house was in one piece and being looked after. It's not down to me how someone chooses to live. The only thing I might have pointed out was the chair but surely a quick call to you could confirm that is being collected. I'd also never take pics of a tenants home unless there was something pointed out for my attention. I'd tell them to piss off!!

[NewDOOFUSfor17]

YANBU, what a bunch of twats

Tell them that how you choose to live is of no concern of theirs and they were inspecting to ensure there is no damage to the property, not that you've done your dishes. Their only concern is that the house is left in the same condition as when you moved in if/when you leave.

Being a total areshole I wouldn't ignore this, I would have to leave them under no illusion that their judgment on my cleaning skills is not wanted, nor is it legal.

[JaceLancs]

DP is a collector (not a hoarder) he is ok cleanliness wise though in fact probably more so than me
His previous landlord gave him notice after an inspection due to clutter - we had actually blitzed it first!
Subsequent landlords have been ok about it and are rightfully more interested in state of property and their obligations

[Semaphorically]

How irritating! I rented for nearly twenty years before we bought our house and I'm extremely thankful that none of my landlords bothered with frequent inspections. They are overstepping their boundaries and I think you'd be within your rights to say you are feeling like your right to quiet enjoyment is being compromised by the report covering aspects of your living that are not within the remit of the inspection.

[NewDOOFUSfor17]

Ah x-post. You seem to be justifying yourself a bit too much imo, I would have left out the housework you have done, it's none of their business! Other than that, spot on

[PhoebeGetsIt]

I had a LL like this previously. He would tell the letting agency off if they told him he needed to sort things out however.

[lambandflag]

Good email. I rented for 5 years and it was miserable.

I kept trying to remind myself that it's perfectly normal to rent in other countries etc etc

The worst was through an agency. The best was a good ll who we would liaise directly with if needed. We all left each other alone. Bliss.

[LoveMyLittleSuperhero]

Massive red flag! Are you by any chance in Derbyshire as there is an estate agent known for fuckery like this round there. YY to stand your ground on this, the only thing which might have been a problem is rubbish and the chair in garden (if being left long term due to the draw of rats) but soon as both were being collected which could have been confirmed with a phone call as you said, then they have no right.

[SapphireStrange]

Well played, OP. dying to hear how they reply

[CoolCarrie]

What a bunch of arseholes! You are quite right to email them.
Some people just love to look for anything to pull people up about. The house is you and your children's home, and you must be able to live in it.
Good luck with your studies.

[ColumbosCousin]

Tossers. I hate letting agents too. Nothing but from them as a tenant, creating problems where none existed and I was model tenant.

[Procrastinator1]

You could suggest to the landlord that the agents are carrying out unnecessary inspections if he or she pays for them. It could be the agents are just trying to justify a huge management fee.

I don't think you can refuse inspections if adequate notice is given. Check the agreement.

[Mabelface]

I think you overjustified yourself. Inspections are to ascertain that you've not knocked any walls down or caused damage, not to critique your housekeeping skills. I think this borders on interfering with your "quiet enjoyment" of the property. As for the PP who has letting agents who take photographs, you can tell them that you do not agree to this and they need to desist immediately. They don't have an automatic right to do this without your permission.

[HappyFlappy]

If the tenant wants to live surrounded by bags full of old clothes, piles of book, unwatered geraniums etc - that is no business of the agent as long as nothing they are doing affects the fabric of the property.

While you are paying the rent, it is YOUR HOME, and you are entitled to live in it in the way you prefer.

Blime, I'm lucky that we own our house - if anyone inspected me we'd be out on the streets, most days!

[CremeEggThief]

Awful. Who the hell do they think they are? I rented privately for 18 years before getting my H.A. house nearly 2 years ago, but never had to put up with anothing like that. Cheeky so and so's.

[SleepFreeZone]

Good email OP. We rented for a couple of years and the quarterly inspections had be raging each and every fucking time.

[TooExtraImmatureCheddar]

I rent privately and get inspected once every 3 years! And never once has the factor said a word about the state of cleanliness. It's an unfurnished let and everything in it - carpets, curtains, white goods etc - are all ours, though, so maybe that's why.

[LateDad]

I'm on the other side (again!) and when I do an inspection all I want to know is that nothing has been broken, no water leaks have been "forgotten" and no, you can't nail fucking window locks to uPVC. And yes, please do change the battery in the CO alarm ... it's your life (or death). I do NOT ask you taking a day off to clean up the day before, but if you could put your yesterday's knickers in the laundry basket that would be fine with me.

[LateDad]

(sorry, turned into a thread-steal rant up there ^^)