Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Flip

Original poster

Landlords

22 replies

Sissysmum · 28/10/2021 20:06

Hiya wanting advice about landlords! My DD is at Uni and shares a house with two others. Their landlord came round 2 weeks ago to fix something and told them they need to tidy the house as it’s too untidy. Today whilst my DD was at work she came round again and went into my daughters locked bedroom and left a message saying she needs to vacuum. Is this legal? Obviously when the lease finishes in June the house will be thoroughly cleaned!

OP posts:

Beautybunny · 28/10/2021 20:28

Short answer no. They have to give a minimum of 24 hours notice. They cannot just enter a house.

Original poster

Sissysmum · 28/10/2021 20:32

Thought so!

OP posts:

Fupoffyagrasshole · 28/10/2021 20:33

They can’t come in without notice!!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Property legal advice

Sparklingbrook · 28/10/2021 20:34

Yes, they have to give notice, but what does it actually say in the contract?

CloseYourEyesAndSee · 28/10/2021 20:35

@Sparklingbrook

Yes, they have to give notice, but what does it actually say in the contract?

It's irrelevant assuming it's an AST and the landlord isn't live in.

FindingMeno · 28/10/2021 20:35

No they can't just bloody well wander in when they feel like it

Original poster

Sissysmum · 28/10/2021 20:35

Have asked DD to look at contract to check. Its the fact she went into her locked bedroom that shocks me!

OP posts:

Fujimora · 28/10/2021 20:36

Unlikely to be legal. Landlord can only usually enter a property with the consent of the tenants eg to carry out inspection or scheduled repairs. The only exception would be in an emergency eg gas leak or water leak when tenants were unavailable.

That said tenants have a duty to keep the place in a reasonable state. There will be wording in the contract to this effect. If the place was a total tip when landlord came round eg food, rubbish etc all over the place it would be reasonable of them to ask tenants to clean up and then come round for a follow up inspection.

Landlord should have arranged a time for a follow up visit with tenants consent though. They should not have just let themselves in - unless they had included a clause in the rental contract allowing unannounced inspections.

That said - if your DD and friends ( or You) have paid a damages deposit it may be in their best interests to up their housekeeping standards. Vermin, moths, etc can cause a lot of damage which they will be expected to pay for at the end of the tenancy. An end of tenancy clean may not be enough to repair a years worth of neglect.

Northernsoullover · 28/10/2021 20:38

Sounds like my old landlady. Is she in Cardiff? The nosy busybody is still renting to students!

Original poster

Sissysmum · 28/10/2021 20:40

Are they legally allowed to go into her locked bedroom?

OP posts:

Sparklingbrook · 28/10/2021 20:42

DS had the opposite problem. Could never get the landlady to come and do anything. There was a lot of issues with damp in the communal lounge.
He was living with 6 other people in a nine bedroom student let and it was not the tidiest, ever. I was amazed when he got his full deposit back you could have written in some of the dust down the stairs.

Sparklingbrook · 28/10/2021 20:43

@Sissysmum

Are they legally allowed to go into her locked bedroom?

I'm not sure. I would like to think not, it's not right is it?

Littleduck83 · 28/10/2021 20:44

Might depend how the house has been rented. If she has an individual tenancy for her room then no, the landlord should have given notice. However, if it’s a shared tenancy for the whole house and one of the housemates let the landlord into the property, then it’s probably not illegal.

Original poster

Sissysmum · 28/10/2021 20:45

She had really bad damp in her bedroom too! To be fair they did come and sort it.

OP posts:

Original poster

Sissysmum · 28/10/2021 20:50

@Northernsoullover No York!

OP posts:

Sparklingbrook · 28/10/2021 20:50

@Sissysmum

She had really bad damp in her bedroom too! To be fair they did come and sort it.

That's good. DS's bedroom was unaffected but one of his housemates woke up with a wet pillow every morning.

I was really surprised how little contact she had with them,

FindingMeno · 28/10/2021 20:53

@Sissysmum

Are they legally allowed to go into her locked bedroom?

I wouldn't think so unless it's an emergency, or notice has been given I would think she has a right to 'peaceful enjoyment' and I would think the lock signifies that is her private space not a communal area. The problem is what she can realistically do about it, sadly.

Original poster

Sissysmum · 28/10/2021 20:56

@FindingMeno probably not a lot tbh!

OP posts:

Thissucksmonkeynuts · 28/10/2021 21:02

If it not an AST, which it may well not be given it's a student let, then yes, she can let herself in at any time.

Original poster

Sissysmum · 28/10/2021 21:11

Thank you everyone xx

OP posts:

Cissyandflora · 28/10/2021 21:14

@Sissysmum

She had really bad damp in her bedroom too! To be fair they did come and sort it.

I truly thought she had had a big dump in her bedroom!

Original poster

Sissysmum · 28/10/2021 21:34

@Cissyandflora

OP posts:

Flip