Do I have to let people look round a rented house?

[nancy75]

Quick history, have rented this house for 6 years, landlord died, family are selling the house. They have to sell by early next year to pay death taxes.

I have found a house to buy, we have exchanged and are moving out in a couple of weeks (think ll is slightly peeved that i am not staying until the house has sold)

I have been really helpful to them so far, I have had various estate agents round to do valuations, take photos ect. I have made sure the house is totally spotless at all times and have said yes to viewings at very short notice.

Estate agent just phoned (at 8.15) wants to show someone round tomorrow morning. I said no, I have work and can't do it. He got quite grumpy with me and said fine 9.30am Saturday instead! Again i said no, I am busy Saturday morning they can come in the afternoon, he is not happy and said I am not being very helpful!

taking in to account we are moving in just over 2 weeks and I have a job a child and lots to do am I within my rights to say I don't want more viewings after this weekend?

[bryonyelf]

No you don't have to let them in at all. It is called right to quiet enjoyment. It is on your terms or not at all.

[nancy75]

Thank you, given what I have said above do you think i would be being a cow to say no to any more viewings? I will obviously let the people come on Saturday

[RCheshire]

No, he's being ridiculous.

[500smiles]

You do have right to quiet enjoyment...but you may find your tenancy agreement says that in the last month or during your notice period that you have to allow viewings - may be worth checking.

[PigletJohn]

If you are a tenant, it is your home. You are under no obligation to permit strangers to wander round your home at will.

If you are kind enough to offer a particular time and date that suits you, you have done more than enough.

[PigletJohn]

(the tenancy agreement does not, and cannot, strip you of your legal rights to be in control of your home)

[ReallyTired]

Allowing viewings does not mean allowing the agency to take the piss. Ofcourse you can say no to a particular viewing as its your home. The emphasis is on being on reasonable. You have been more than reasonable allowing the agency to take photos and have some viewings. If you were selling your own home its unlikely that you would accept every viewing request.

[nancy75]

Thank you all, I have always got on well with the LL and don't want to leave on a sour note. I think the estate agent's attitude, his tone of voice and obvious annoyance that I wouldn't take the morning off tomorrow has just really got my back up. I did remind him that this is not actually my house so there is no chance of me losing wages to sell a house that is not mine.

[ReallyTired]

If you get on well with your LL could you discuss the agent's unreasonable behaviour with him. The chances are that a decent landlord would understand that you cannot have viewings seven days a week. A nice landlord might tell the agent to back off a bit.

I suggest that you set aside set times when views are allowed. (Ie. saturday afternoon) and prehaps a weekday evening. Make it clear that you are moving as well and viewers will have to take the property as they find it.

[nancy75]

Really tired, I think I will speak to the LL tomorrow, I am going to say people can come at reasonable times next week, but nobody the week after - this is the week we are actually moving out and I will just have too much to do.
The estate agent is going to have shock on Saturday, my house is usually super tidy but at the moment there is stuff and boxes everywhere!

[Fubsy]

I thought most EAs did viewings now with no one home? Lots of people don't want to be around when there's a viewing.

[nancy75]

I said no to viewings when I am not in - I don't want people in my home, with all my belongings when I am not here. I would say the same even if the house was mine.

[Woodenheart]

I used to go out if it was my day off & let them get on with it.

The landlord used to show people round, It was a pain sometimes, but there was no way I was going to do it for him.

[MoreBeta]

I rented for many years and had this with a few agents that were selling houses we rented.

I basically told the agents 24 hours notice and no visits on Sunday. It worked well but it did take a serious stand on a couple of occasions. Selling agents treat tenants as an inconvenience and look down on them.

Its your home and if this happens again call the agent senior manager and make a complaint. I did and it stopped. Your LL may not even know this is happening and may not know the law. You have to stand firm and explain to them it is still your home and you have a right to say no visits at all but you are being reasonable letting them bring prospective buyers so they need to be reasonable with you.

Look up 'quiet enjoyment' and if necessary email it to them.

[nancy75]

I don't show them round the EA does that but I don't want someone to have keys be able to let themselves in. The LL lives miles away so they don't do viewings

[Woodenheart]

I must say he was pretty good & stuck to only 2 days a week as promised.

[MoreBeta]

Oh and you do need to explain you are moving in 2 weeks and the house will be a mess and not to bring people in the last week before you move.

It is only a week. You are paying rent after all and keeping the place spotless.

[nancy75]

Hopefully after this one at the weekend there won't be any more anyway, the house is massively overpriced so after the initial flurry of interest when it went on the market there have not been that many viewings recently

[PigletJohn]

don't let anyone wander around your home unsupervised, especially an estate agent

[Spotsondots]

We have just had this exact scenario as our LL sold our house. Estate agent was a complete waste of air, pushy about viewings, incapable of remembering that I said no morning viewings, ignored the fact that I cancelled their (assumed convenient) surveyor appointment and the surveyor turned up anyway (with a key!!!) Stand your ground. They can show as many people around the house as they want in a week or so. You are absolutely within your rights to decline viewings that aren't convenient.

[nancy75]

I do find the that estate agents views of people that rent are shocking.
When the guy first came round he commented that it was one of the cleanest tidiest houses he had ever seen, he then said he was surprised because when he found out it was rented he expected it to be in a mess - bloody cheek!

[specialsubject]

I remind everyone that letting agents are unregulated and anyone can set up as one. (Is it that same for estate agents?)

nancy you met a particular arse there, but that doesn't mean they are all like that. But this thing of agents breaking the law by thinking they can waltz in when they like does seem to come up.

be an informed tenant - people can't just come into your home unless it is an emergency, same as the bank can't come in just because you are paying a mortgage.

[Spotsondots]

Nancy I absolutely agree. In fact I distinctly recall ranting down the phone to them one day after yet another idiotic cock up that I was sick of being treated like a second class citizen because I didn't have a mortgage. They drive me potty.

[RenterNomad]

A house viewer once almost broke the window latch in DS's room. I flagged it up with the LL immediately, lest the "damage" be taken from our deposit.

I put documents and vsluables away.

[Eastwickwitch]

We're thinking of renting our house with a view to selling in the spring.

I discussed how we'd handle viewings with the EA & she suggested 2 days notice & a drop in rent from when it went on the market.
It's a massive hassle preparing for viewings so compensation for the tenant sounds reasonable.