To think being a tenant is an absolute misery

The tenant signed the contract of her own free will knowing the clauses in the contract said no pets and no painting. Same as if you sign an employment contract you only sign if you agree terms.

@heretodestroyyou I agree- one big problem is some right scumbags have ruined the trust factor for the rest of us that keep a place decent and don't need constantly checking up on.

It's the same with landlords- there are clearly some very good ones- but overshadowed by those who are happy to let out complete crap puts at inflated prices given the shortage out there-

Yet said19 year old can be trusted to vote, take out financial products, join the army, purchase alcohol and drive car. What is the solution, only people over 50 with sufficient gravitas be allowed to inspect rental properties.

I actually did say that a more realistic plan was an overhaul of the rental market and legislation.

I added my fantasy solution making it clear that's exactly what it was.

We shouldn’t. But in the scheme of things these are first world problems which I think is how they’ve been allowed to fester. The mental health impact on me and my children is huge.

I once had it described as living like your waiting for the earthquake. You know it’s coming, you don’t know when someone else is going to set it off.

@rwalker really? An almost child age person taking photos of your home and telling you whether they think you’ve destroyed a handle on a dishwasher? You do know 19 is still a teenager with little to no life experience?

But why should you have to put up with that? With better tennant protection, you wouldn't have to.

of course it’s a business regardless of profit.
in the 80’s and 90’s houses were rented without profit on monthly mortgage. The capital increase was the profit.

you didn’t have to rent the house, you could have sold it or left it empty. To rent it out was a business decision

i am not saying you were wrong, at all. I’d have done the same. But it was a financial decision.

I rent and I don’t like it but I don’t experience the problems you have. For starters the guy who does our inspections is retired! He is really nice. Our cat scratched a wall and I did used to be asked a lot if we would fix it but I’d say yes and that would be that. I have fixed it now. The inspections are fine. It’s a good way to remind them of stuff that needs doing and they don’t give me much stress. Sometimes I forget and there’ll be some pots out or something. Doesn’t bother me.

Our last landlord put our rent up 40% one year. It was a transition year for one of our children, we couldn’t risk being out of catchment, they’d done settling in days etc, had uniform were ready

not being told you can't put a picture up, ability to plan for your children without thinking you might be out in 6 months etc

ok this is very first world problem, mine are teenagers now. We’ve rented their entire life. They’ve never had a bedroom that’s theirs, they’ve never been able to decorate it, put up pictures. Be normal teenagers with their own things.

We’ve just had a rent rise, can’t risk rocking the boat by trying to negotiate it down, one of them is mid exams they don’t need to have that disruption.

@TheCadoganArms I actually totally agree with you - it's a mixed solution that's needed- I very luckily rent a house that social housing wouldn't touch , as it would cost too much to buy . maybe hold off the calling each other clowns though - I save that for X ! I understand why people say such stuff but it really doesn't work - would work for water or electricity though when you don't have an actual choice!!

@PontiacFirebird
"As for this: I don’t understand the relevance of the estate agent being 19
Do you really not? 🙄
Well, I’m assuming it’s a bit humiliating having a near child whose mam probably still buys his underpants walking round your home to check up on you."

Why would his mother buy his underwear if he has a job?
How did the OP know his age?

Your entire tirade is something the Socialist's Worker sellers on uni campuses used to spout. I am all up for a larger stock of social housing, strong tenant protections and some form of rent controls. You want the entire private rental market abolished and the confiscation of private assets by the state. History has shown that the moment the state goes down that path it results in capital flight, collapse on FDI and economic malaise as no business is going to trust a government who sees fit to act in such a way. So yes, it was a clownish solution.

@TheCadoganArms is calling me a clown the best you've got? Shame you lack the skills to actually put forward a reasonable response.

And if anyone wonders why you have young people and divorcees rushing off to do 25% shared ownerships -even though it isn't always the best option and paying overinflated prices on new builds - many of the reasons are on here are plain to see

Security - not being told you can't put a picture up, ability to plan for your children without thinking you might be out in 6 months etc , not having to worry where you will get the money to fund a new rental deposit before getting money back on old one which will no doubt try and have deductions because there is chip in a door frame, dust on a lamp etc!!

I would like Labour to bring back the DIYSO scheme ( we bought under this when our son was a baby) - basically shared ownership on the open market - part mortgage ( or an outright paid for share) - remainder owned by HA or LA and rent paid on that share- it was a great idea and didn't force everyone into new builds that wanted shared ownership. Problem was (and it was in under Blair for 2 years or so) - it was way too popular and house builders didn't like it- stuff the house builders, !

It's interesting as my experience is totally different. I've rented for the last ten years and have just bought my own house and am finding it so stressful. Everything that goes wrong is my responsibility. I'm used to reporting to the agent and it getting fixed at no cost to me. I also am feeling uneasy about the fact that we can't move even if want to

it was a long time ago now but still one of my best afternoons ever seeing the dismay on that shifty fucker's face

Brilliant. I still remember the look on my landlord's face when he tried to run off with our deposit and we revealed to him that our little blonde 23 year old house mate was actually a corporate lawyer working for one of the big firms

The problem isn't that you made those choices. The problem is that you have the power to make all those choices (plus many more) for another person

Exactly this. The fact that renters are at the mercy of a landlord being "nice" is a scandal.

I'm so sick of landlords saying "I'm one of the good ones" and then describing stuff that should be bare basic rights for tenants. Oh you come and fix things when they're broken? You don't put up rent by more than inflation? Wow. Round of applause for you.

Oh god I lost so much deposit money over the years, before it became protected. I actually took one to court to get it back, I was so sick of the cheeky bastards. He showed up completely unprepared and acting like "I'm such a nice guy [he wasn't, just posh] sure there's no need for any of this" and the judge ripped him a new one, ordered costs for the delay (I'd borrowed to cover my next deposit) - it was a long time ago now but still one of my best afternoons ever seeing the dismay on that shifty fucker's face.

When we had 3 monthly inspections there was a charge for them, plus compulsory professional clean. And then he ran off with our deposit.
When I was applying to rent my next property, I said I had asked crappy landlord for a reference, and the new landlord laughed and said he'd done a flit, so I wouldn't see my deposit or a reference.
Btw, this was before deposit protection schemes.

The problem isn't that you made those choices. The problem is that you have the power to make all those choices (plus many more) for another person.

@PurpleBugz, I'm a LL and after the first check when the gas certificate is due I just have a quick glance downstairs upon each gas certificate renewal. However I'm not in a license scheme so I can choose how frequently to inspect. If you fall under license requirements you have no choice. An inspection must take place every 3/6 months depending on licence and a report has to be carried out. Most LL's don't want to do this but council licensing schemes force them too.

An inspection every three months is really unreasonable.

They do it so they can charge fees to the landlord. Which the tenant covers, via rent. So, the tenant is actually funding all of this nonsense.

I agree with you OP, it can be absolutely miserable. The inspections were the worst - the way that talk to tenants: you would think that we weren't paying their wages. They certainly never seemed to acknowledge it.

As a pp said whether you have a positive experience shouldn't be down to luck, it should be an absolutely baked in norm.

Hope you manage to get out of it soon.