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Original poster

Tenants rights

36 replies

Progress2019 · 15/01/2022 09:56

I don’t have any experience of this, but I know there are some very knowledgable people here. Can you help my daughter?

She moved to Leeds in July to a small one bed flat which she lives in alone. After being caught out before we didn't want to be guarantors, also husband is now freelance, and I’m self employed so it might not have been possible, but it didn’t matter as daughter had savings and paid a years rent up front.

Since September, but getting worse since December the agents have been showing round potential new tenants. She often gets texts or emails on the day, or sometimes they just turn up. She’s quite a nervous girl at the best of times, and is now getting quite distressed by this, she’s just had covid and it still happened despite her telling them.

They’re coming today and have been round every day this week

She’s only just told us about this, hence me only asking now, but this doesn’t seem right to me. On the yougov website it says tenants have a right to live undisturbed.

She’s not a student but it is a small cheap flat and other people in the building are students. She might have rented for a further year and has money saved to cover this, pretty much (we could lend her the rest or she has 5.5 months to save it), but she thinks she’ll move now, but shouldn’t she be allowed to live there quietly? She does shift work, but says even if she gets home at 2am, she likes to be up and dressed by 8 in case they come round

This year shes had 12 email appts, 5 texts, and 3 without notice, although she said they may have come by other times when she’s not there.

OP posts:
SlyAvocado · 15/01/2022 10:23

Wtf,

She is perfectly entitled to say no more viewings, or viewings when she says it’s convenient only.

They will push, but she’s protected by her right to quiet enjoyment, it doesn’t matter what they’ve written in her contract.

Google on tennant rights, or reading through Shelter’s info on this would have told you and her this.

Forrandomposts · 15/01/2022 10:34

Why are they showing people around if she has a tenancy until September?

Cherrysoup · 15/01/2022 10:36

She needs to tell the agent no and just repeat ad nauseam. They do not have the right to come round without her permission. Tough crap on the landlord, he’ll have to have a void.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Property Property legal advice
SlyAvocado · 15/01/2022 10:36

@Forrandomposts I presume because students are trying to secure their accommodation for the September term.

SlyAvocado · 15/01/2022 10:38

If she was feeling generous, she could offer to take a video to send to the agents for potential tenants. Then no one needs to come round unless they really, really are interested and only at times she stipulates.

But I’d make it clear that if they push back on that it’ll be a firm fuck off then and no viewings at all. This is what I ended up doing, when I was at home with a tiny baby and they kept harassing me to have people round to view.

Original poster
Progress2019 · 15/01/2022 12:00

The video is a really good idea. It’s a really small flat.

Are they allowed to come round with no notice and let themselves in when she’s not there? She’s really worried about this and I can’t see how she could stop it

OP posts:
MayThePawsBeWithYou · 15/01/2022 12:05

No they cannot come round without 24hrs notice or let themselves in.

SlyAvocado · 15/01/2022 12:07

@Progress2019 no of course they’re not.

The 24 hours notice thing is a lie too, they have to give 24 hours notice but she doesn’t have to say yes. There are only a few things a landlord could come unannounced about and that’s things like floods and gas leaks.

Please read the Shelter pages on tennant rights.

MayThePawsBeWithYou · 15/01/2022 12:08

She can change the locks and put them back when she leaves.

Cherrysoup · 15/01/2022 12:38

@Progress2019

The video is a really good idea. It’s a really small flat.

Are they allowed to come round with no notice and let themselves in when she’s not there? She’s really worried about this and I can’t see how she could stop it

That is illegal. They have no right of entry unless she allows them in. She can (or you can if she’s too worried to do it) contact the agent and remind them of her rights. Bloody disgraceful that they’re doing this, it’s extremely wrong of them to pressure her or come round without notice or enter without her permission.
Cherrysoup · 15/01/2022 12:39

@MayThePawsBeWithYou

She can change the locks and put them back when she leaves.
I’d do this. If it’s a Yale, it’s about £7 to change the barrel.
Muckymaisonette · 15/01/2022 12:52

Maybe she needs to calmly remind them that her tenancy terms ends in July/September whatever, and she paid a year up-front, so there is no need for them to show prospective tenants round at this time. She wishes to maintain good relations with the agents and landlord, but has found these visits, often at short or no notice, very inconvenient to her, due to her work shift pattern and against her statutory right to “quiet enjoyment” (* I’m no lawyer but have seen this discussed on other threads).

(She should look at the letting agents letters and see if the belong to any letting agency association etc.) and say she will take it further with such association.

Are they trying to harass her to leave and keep the remainder of the rent she paid?

tectonicplates · 15/01/2022 14:19

And in future, nobody should ever pay a whole year of tent in advance! All sorts of things could go wrong.

She needs to be very firm with the agent that she will not allow viewings. She is under no obligation whatsoever to let anyone in. The agent are getting away with it purely on the basis that the tenant doesn't know the law. It's time to tell them to piss off.

FanGirlX · 15/01/2022 14:24

As well as the lettings agency association (possibly ARLA - see what it says on the lettings agency website), you could also report the agency / landlord to the local council.

JSL52 · 15/01/2022 14:38

@Progress2019

The video is a really good idea. It’s a really small flat.

Are they allowed to come round with no notice and let themselves in when she’s not there? She’s really worried about this and I can’t see how she could stop it

No they can't let themselves in.
BorsetshireBanality · 15/01/2022 14:40

If she's there can she put use rubber door stop and a notice on the outside saying do not disturb?

SmolCat · 15/01/2022 14:44

They’re taking advantage of her.

She needs to email and say she’s been obliging but from now on will not be agreeing to any more viewings. If she wants to be incredibly helpful she can do a video viewing but she really doesn’t have to.

She should also change the locks. If she doesn’t want to change the whole lock then she should but an additional simple slide lock on the inside so she can lock herself in and get a good nights sleep!

SmolCat · 15/01/2022 14:44

@Progress2019

The video is a really good idea. It’s a really small flat.

Are they allowed to come round with no notice and let themselves in when she’s not there? She’s really worried about this and I can’t see how she could stop it

They’d not allowed to do this but I can imagine them trying to. Get the locks changed.
FAQs · 15/01/2022 14:46

She should submit an email stating she is not facilitating anymore viewings, she is entitled to quiet enjoyment, she does not permit entry whilst she also isn’t in and if she decides to leave at the end of the tenancy, unless there is an emergency, they are not to contact her.

FAQs · 15/01/2022 14:48

The agent has to be Registered with ARLA for them to become involved, they have a search facilities on the website.

FAQs · 15/01/2022 14:50

@Progress2019 look at number 2. Asking them this will probably make them back off straight away www.citizensadvice.org.uk/housing/renting-privately/during-your-tenancy/complaining-about-your-letting-agent/

Kshhuxnxk · 15/01/2022 14:57

Have a good read through this website - it's written from the LL point of view which is actually more helpful.
Access for viewings you can find under 'Problem Tenants'.
I do find if very strange she's got 6 months left on her TA but they're doing viewings just now though.
Are you sure she hadn't been given notice to vacate? www.propertyinvestmentproject.co.uk/blog/

Original poster
Progress2019 · 15/01/2022 19:00

Thank you so much for some brilliant advice.

No she definitely hasn’t been given notice. She’s completely paid up until early July. We hadn’t realised that wasn’t a good idea. Thought it would make things safer.

I’ve given her the link to this thread and she’s going to keep checking it, and will act on advice given. The rubber door stop is such a fantastic idea for when she’s in. Thank you all

OP posts:
FanGirlX · 15/01/2022 19:02

How about a couple of dice behind the door, so she knows if anyone comes in when she's out?

MayThePawsBeWithYou · 15/01/2022 19:28

I would put a safety chain on the inside of the door

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