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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think landlords should be crb checked

126 replies

Unwind · 30/12/2010 21:46

I don't imagine it would have helped protect Jo Yeates, even if her LL is found to be guilty, but it has made me think about the powerful position private landlords are in. There are too many stories, on here and elsewhere of them abusing that. Prospective tenants have to provide references, but landlords provide nothing, and they keep a set of keys.

My current landlord has threatened to have my neighbours killed. A previous landlord (who lived in the same building as me) once let himself in to my flat when he knew I was in there alone.

OP posts:

FlouncingQueen · 31/12/2010 14:24

I am also in two minds, and i am a landlord too.

Not sure what I think. I understand that there are checks etc on tenants and none on landords, so something ought to change there. But what?

No, not sure at all.

(we had a landlord some years ago who came around once to pick up a white good warranty he needed and made several pointed comments that revealed that when we had been away he had read some sensitive documents relating to DH's divorce. In order to know what he knew, he must have accessed our filing cabinet too- which admittedly was unlocked).

spidookly · 31/12/2010 14:34

Crb checks are pointless, but changing the law so that private tenants can change the locks on their home I would support.

ManateeEquineOhara · 31/12/2010 14:38

That is just a silly idea. If LLs are CRB checked where would you stop. If the guy arrested had been a carpenter, salesman, baker, would you be suggesting that profession should be CRB checked?!

donnie · 31/12/2010 14:43

yes you are being completely unreasonable. By your logic everyone who comes into contact with human beings in any capacity should be CRB checked. Plus the fact that unless you already have form you'd come up clear anyway.

KalokiMallow · 31/12/2010 14:46

Manatee ignoring the murder story, LL's are a very specific profession which means they have unlimited access to someone else's home (technically they aren't allowed to, but if they are dodgy then they wont care). So this isn't comparable to other professions.

I think it makes sense in theory, but in practice there are too many reasons it wouldn't help.

Original poster

Unwind · 31/12/2010 14:47

No, by my logic, a prospective tenant should know if the person who keeps a set of keys to their home, and can turf them out on a whim, has a criminal record.

I have had a CRB check done - because I have contact with 3rd level students, a handful of whom might be 17. I don't think that was a sensible use of time and money, but landlords are in a position of power, can choose their tenants, and have access to their home.

OP posts:

ManateeEquineOhara · 31/12/2010 15:03

But there are others who are let into homes all the time - builders etc. And we don't even know if the landlord is guilty.

Lamorna · 31/12/2010 15:18

He would have passed the CRB check anyway, it must have been clean to teach. All it means is that someone has no convictions so it is silly to think that it makes someone safe, they may just be very clever at not getting caught.

theevildead2 · 31/12/2010 15:29

Hold on a second. No a crb check won't work for everyone who hasn' been caught but it will help with some who have surely??

If I knew my landlord was, say, a convicted rapist... No, I'd go and discriminate againt the poor guy and not rent from him. But I supose all of you would be happy for him to have keys to your homes? The difference from the landlord and random builders.. is that you let them in your house and they don't need your keys and you can make arangments to have someone with you if you wish.

WHy not just get rid of CRB entirely if they are so rubbish? Would you be happy with yrou children's teachers not being checked?

MrsGuyOfChristmasBorn · 31/12/2010 15:37

No reason why you can't ask. I don't actaully do a CRB on my tenants, but you have now got me thinking actually that might be a good idea - certainly better thatn references since I have received forgeries on teh past from tenants.
As to turfing tenants out on awhim - you are having a laugh or know nmothing about tenancy law - have you seen the legislation that landlords have to conform to?

KalokiMallow · 31/12/2010 15:38

Manatee builders are let into homes(with the owners permission) LL's can let themselves in unannounced, it's a big difference.

This topic is about more than one case.

SugarMousePink · 31/12/2010 15:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MilaMae · 31/12/2010 15:56

I agree there should be some protection.

I've rented many properties and had many a dodgy landlord. 2 in Bristol by coincidence. A friend of mine rented in Bristol and the LL's husband turned out to have severe mh issues. The lady in question couldn't control said husband and I think the uni had to get involved as the property was on their list.

I had one who let himself in damaged my property and stole.I had one who used to ring consistently and put the phone down,I involved BT and they tracked the calls.I know countless other stories and have only rented in good areas.It really worries me to think of vulnerable people renting in dodgy areas. Anybody can become a landlord.

When you rent you're really vulnerable. You can't change the locks and in theory they can have access any time they like. You may feel like refusing and legally they shouldn't but at the end of the day a dodgy person can let him/herself in any time they choose. You're not going to refuse for fear of being turfed out and if you do they can still come back later.

I'm amazed there hasn't been an issue involving a LL and a serious crime far sooner,many tentants particularly women living alone are sitting ducks.To pretend not is foolish.

I wonder if going through an agency gives some protection,I suspect not.

vanitypear · 31/12/2010 15:59

I'd be pretty annoyed if I wasn't allowed to keep a set of keys for my own house! And as for changing the locks - strikes me as a crazy idea. And contractual protection should cover the point about unannounced visits. Disagree, sorry - YABU.

theevildead2 · 31/12/2010 16:03

We rented out Dh's property we would have had no problem if the tenant changed the locks at the end of the day we could still make an appt to see the propert, and why should we have needed to go in there without permission vanitypear?

vanitypear · 31/12/2010 16:07

you obviously had a good tenant.
if you own a property and you have your suspicions it is not being treated correctly, surely you should have the right (with a fair amount of notice) to inspect what you own?

BlingLoving · 31/12/2010 16:08

YABU

MilaMae · 31/12/2010 16:10

Our landlord who stole continuously wanted access for "decorating/building issues" and we couldn't be there as we both worked. It was unrelenting and we couldn't refuse.

He also used to knock without warning at other times and to keep the peace we let him in.No wish to send him away and fall out with him for fear of what he and his mates would do if they came back with permission.

Sorry but if you take a huge amount of money off people when you become a LL they deserve to feel safe in their own home.

theevildead2 · 31/12/2010 16:15

They were luckily for us, but even if they were awful,whatever they could do at most would be damage to our property. A dodgy landlord could be dangerous.

PussinJimmyChoos · 31/12/2010 16:16

I used to rent. Admittedly, was with DH but he used to go abroad to visit family for two weeks of the year and I was alone and am profoundly deaf.

What I used to do was put the keys in the door, turned as many times as possible so that even if anyone with a set of keys tried to get in, they couldn't and key turned too many times for ease of access through letterbox - it sounds daft but it made me feel safer. Also put a chair in front of the door as well.

Landlord was fab though, no issues there. It was more of a being a woman alone thing than anything else

MilaMae · 31/12/2010 16:24

Exactly Theevil.

I have to say when my dd goes to uni and rents I will personally be flat hunting with her,examining locks inside (like door chains and bolts) and will pay to go through an agency. I'd ideally prefer her to rent from somebody who doesn't live in the same city and would want a list of people with key access ie workmen etc. Sadly I suspect we'll be just laughed at and told to take the high road.

In my experience the best landlords for us have been those that are ridiculously rich and leave everything to an agency to sort out. I think there should always be a 3rd party involved,list of people with key access at the very least the right to change locks at best(a tenant has to let landlords in when arranged so it won't effect them if the locks are changed back on leaving). I also think locks should be changed every time tenants change as old tenants can let themselves in,LL should show proof this has been done.

I also think CRB checks should be done,a LL only needs to do it once, it's no bother if you've got nothing to hide.

SugarMousePink · 31/12/2010 16:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

KalokiMallow · 31/12/2010 16:35

"I'd be pretty annoyed if I wasn't allowed to keep a set of keys for my own house! And as for changing the locks - strikes me as a crazy idea. And contractual protection should cover the point about unannounced visits. Disagree, sorry - YABU."

My LL turned up and threatened me and DH multiple times, as such we are now paying rent for a property we cannot safely occupy, and are sleeping on someone's floor.

Contractual protection counts for sweet fuck all.

The "punishment" our landlord has is that he is being paid rent for an empty property.

On the other hand, we are suffering for something he has done wrong, as we cannot make the property safe to live in or break the contract.

Bucharest · 31/12/2010 16:39

I think the point being missed here is that the landlord in Bristol did not murder Joanna Yeates (if he did) because he was her landlord. He murdered her because he is a homicidal nutjob. Granted, his being her landlord gave him the opportunity to do so, but as others have said, particularly in view of him being a teacher, his CRB would be clean....like Ian Huntley's was..(IIRC)

To suggest all landlords should be crb'd is as logical (in this case, for it is this case that we are talking about, no?) as saying all weird looking blokes with hair slightly longer than it should be should be crb'd.

I wonder what the % of criminal record holding tenants versus landlords would be????

MilaMae · 31/12/2010 16:52

CRBs don't guarantee anything but they're halfway there and weed out law breakers which is better than nothing which is why people with access to children have to do them.

Also re his being a teacher.I'd be interested to know if the private sector has the same CRB rules. I know the private sector is more lax with teaching qualifications ie you don't need them. Do they still have to abide by CRB rules.

Interestingly a past partner of my dsis was completely wacko with no teaching qualifications what so ever( just a 1st from Oxbridge) and he taught at Clifton College(the school in question). There is no way I'd let any of my dc anywhere near him.

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