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AIBU?

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To think our landlord shouldn't use our home as their business address?

64 replies

tulippa · 02/11/2024 14:54

We moved into a rented house in August. We go through a letting agent and have no direct contact with landlord in for repairs etc (we've had to report quite a few things).
Since we moved in, there has been some post arriving in the name of the landlord. Some things from American Express and Tesco Clubcard and some others for (Landlord Name) Properties and (Landlord Name) Investments. I have returned all items to sender unopened.
I get a call from the letting agent saying the landlord is requesting we don't return post to sender and that the landlord will come round and collect any post. I asked if the landlord could change her address instead as this seems the obvious solution. The letting agent said they would suggest this to the landlord and come back to us.
I'm not sure how I feel about the landlord seeming to run two businesses from an address which is our home. Is it allowed? I've tried to google but could not find any definite answers to this. I don't want the landlord coming round as we specifically chose this property as it's run through the letting agency. Just wondering if there are any guidelines around this which could back us up.

OP posts:
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WearyAuldWumman · 03/11/2024 19:48

shellyleppard · 03/11/2024 19:21

@WearyAuldWumman wow!!! That must have been scary 😳

It explained a lot. We'd had strange men knocking at the door from time to time...

shellyleppard · 03/11/2024 19:21

@WearyAuldWumman wow!!! That must have been scary 😳

WearyAuldWumman · 03/11/2024 18:29

shellyleppard · 02/11/2024 14:56

It sounds dodgy tbh.....

Yes.

When I was in my final year at uni, we kept on getting mail for umpteen different Italian names through our door. (The flat was divided into bedsits.)

The husband was Italian; the wife was Glaswegian and taught Italian at a Glasgow high school.

The husband would appear late in the evening to collect the mail. The wife would materialise during the day to empty the gas meters (set at way too expensive a price).

We found a cupboard full of size 16 mini skirts and Jackie magazines...

Midway through the tenancy, we discovered that our flat had previously been a brothel. (A lecturer saw my address and burst out laughing: his pal had the flat opposite and the police had set up surveillance from there.)

Dodgy indeed.

thismummydrinksgin · 03/11/2024 18:24

I would keep sending them back.

thismummydrinksgin · 03/11/2024 18:24

Probably not on a buy to let mortgage, could be illegal.

mumda · 02/11/2024 21:31

Return to sender "not at this address"

let them work it out.
Expect to move because the landlord is a cock.

AquaPeer · 02/11/2024 20:58

maverickfox · 02/11/2024 18:31

It’s illegal to dispose of someone post.

It’s not

Hello87abc · 02/11/2024 20:14

They don’t need a BTL mortgage, you can get permission from your mortgage lender from your normal mortgage

tulippa · 02/11/2024 20:07

@Treacletoots How about you agree to stop returning the letters if they arrange a redirect. Seems a simple solution where everyone feels like they've won.

I guess I could but surely the simplest (and cheapest) solution would be for her to change her address.

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SoNiceToComeHomeTo · 02/11/2024 19:36

Treacletoots · 02/11/2024 18:25

Ultimately "home" isn't a legal definition in terms of ownership. Your landlord is legally not doing anything wrong.

I can however understand how annoying this might be. When we moved and rented out my home we redirected our mail. It's basic adulting. I don't want my tenants reading my bank statements!

How about you agree to stop returning the letters if they arrange a redirect. Seems a simple solution where everyone feels like they've won.

Nothing legally wrong - is she not violating the terms of the tenancy agreement?

Jc2001 · 02/11/2024 18:31

iamtheblcksheep · 02/11/2024 15:13

It’s his house. He can do whatever he likes legally. If you like the house and the rent is reasonable I’d just keep quiet.

No they can't just to whatever they want if they have a tenent in the house 🙄

maverickfox · 02/11/2024 18:31

kitsuneghost · 02/11/2024 15:49

I would bin and say you didn't see them

It’s illegal to dispose of someone post.

Treacletoots · 02/11/2024 18:25

Ultimately "home" isn't a legal definition in terms of ownership. Your landlord is legally not doing anything wrong.

I can however understand how annoying this might be. When we moved and rented out my home we redirected our mail. It's basic adulting. I don't want my tenants reading my bank statements!

How about you agree to stop returning the letters if they arrange a redirect. Seems a simple solution where everyone feels like they've won.

Justkeepingplatesspinning · 02/11/2024 18:17

When I first let my house out and moved out, I paid for the royal mail redirection. Even with that, post still ended up there. The tenant put it all in a pile and handed it to the letting agent when they did the first inspection. It was pretty much all junk and the letting agent said that to them, after checking with me.
I was mortified that post had still ended up there!
In your case, I suggest you put it in a pile and hand it to the letting agent when they come to inspect. The landlord shouldn't be coming round to collect post. They shouldn't be anywhere near. That's why they've got a letting agent and are paying them. Stand your ground on this one.

CrabSignalArmy · 02/11/2024 17:01

Going2TheLicalShop · 02/11/2024 14:57

The LL can pay for Royal Mail post redirection to any address that they choose

Not quite. You have to have legitimate access to and proof of recent residency at the old address eg utility bills, council tax. You couldn't just decide that you want to have your post sent to 68 Acacia Avenue and set up a redirect because the setup requires you to receive and sign off a form sent to the old address.

You are quite correct to return the post to sender @tulippa. The phrase to use to the letting agent is that "we have the right to quiet enjoyment of our home".

Acting as an unpaid Poste Restante service for your landlord and having him call around to collect post, as well as risking your own credit history if he is chalking up debt associated with that address, is definitely not within reasonable expectations of being allowedquiet enjoyment of your home.

tulippa · 02/11/2024 16:55

iwasthereason · 02/11/2024 16:04

They likely don't have a BTL mortgage for the property and therefore need to use the address 🤦🏻‍♀️

This sounds likely as they were living here before we moved in.

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tulippa · 02/11/2024 16:54

kitsuneghost · 02/11/2024 16:13

Take the clubcard vouchers and get yourself a bottle of wine and some chocolates (pay any remainder cash and use a further away tesco if you can)

Don't know if I would dare do that and I've already sent those back. It does show that she's placing a lot of trust in me. I could be doing anything with the post and then pretending I hadn't received it.
Which shows her naivety about a few things. The outdoor shed had no lock on it when we moved in and it took a lot of explaining that we were concerned any possessions we stored in it were at risk of theft to get her to arrange to put a lock on it.

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tulippa · 02/11/2024 16:49

SoNiceToComeHomeTo · 02/11/2024 15:56

It would be very easy to change the address. LL prefers to have it believed that she and/or her business is resident at your address, for some reason.
We had a neighbour last year whose post kept arriving at our house. We took it round a few times and eventually asked him to get it redirected, but he said he 'preferred' it to come to us and he didn't mind popping in to collect it!
We said no and he redirected it immediately, goodness knows who to.
He was a local councillor, which didn't inspire much confidence...

Yes, I'm suspecting that kind of thing. I'm just wondering what that issue is and anyway it's not my problem and don't see why I should have have my quiet enjoyment of the property disturbed because of it.

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tulippa · 02/11/2024 16:46

SoNiceToComeHomeTo · 02/11/2024 15:52

Absolutely not OK for the LL to pop round and collect post she's chosen to have send there instead of her own address. It's your home and you're paying good money to have exclusive use of it - 'quiet enjoyment' as the law puts it.
Returning the post to sender is the right thing to do.
I hope that the agency has the guts to support you on this - they should know the law if anyone does.

When I asked why the landlord couldn't just change the address they did say they'd go back to them and ask. The letting agent seems pretty efficient and fair so far.

OP posts:
MadinMarch · 02/11/2024 16:42

iwasthereason · 02/11/2024 16:04

They likely don't have a BTL mortgage for the property and therefore need to use the address 🤦🏻‍♀️

Quite likely. Probably aren't declaring the income to the taxman either.

KekseKekse · 02/11/2024 16:39

I rented many years ago through an agent. The landlord popped round a couple of times to get some things from the cellar. I hadn't rented before, so being polite I let him get his stuff.

When I mentioned it to the agent in passing they stated it shouldn't have happened. He wasn't allowed to do just pop by like that and they would be talking to him about it.

Any visits to your house must be in connection with agreed inspection dates or repair visits. They must always be prearranged with you.

As others have said you have paid to use your home. If your landlord continues to have their post sent to your home, you have a right to return to sender. If you don't, the landlord will continue to think your home is their home and can do what they want with it, rather than a home for the exclusive use of their rent paying tenant.

kitsuneghost · 02/11/2024 16:13

Take the clubcard vouchers and get yourself a bottle of wine and some chocolates (pay any remainder cash and use a further away tesco if you can)

SoNiceToComeHomeTo · 02/11/2024 16:12

curiousS · 02/11/2024 16:10

@SoNiceToComeHomeTo you would think so, but it wasn't advertised as that. They went looking for a private home through an agent. This was a long time ago though.

Extraordinary what people think being a private landlord means!!!

Pickandmixmood · 02/11/2024 16:10

iamtheblcksheep · 02/11/2024 15:13

It’s his house. He can do whatever he likes legally. If you like the house and the rent is reasonable I’d just keep quiet.

This. It isn’t sensible to be seen to be an awkward tenant when the competition for rentals is so high.

curiousS · 02/11/2024 16:10

@SoNiceToComeHomeTo you would think so, but it wasn't advertised as that. They went looking for a private home through an agent. This was a long time ago though.