Since when does having a lot of books constitute not looking after your home?

[PeaceofCakeAndGoodWineToAllMN]

This is a rant!

I was sent a letter a week ago from the agency who 'look after my house' telling me that they wanted to visit. That's fine, I look after the house, clean the carpets/arrange for the windows to be cleaned, walls are spotless etc. I don't ask them to do any repairs as they have yet to do anything that I've asked them to do apart from the boiler. I've been here for 9 years, the kitchen window doesn't close if I open it, the cupboard door was falling off so I removed it, that's about it.

Anyway. I have a lot of books. I write for a living so most are reference books and things which publishers have sent me. The books have outgrown the 3 book cases so I have three piles on the floor in the living room. It turns out that the owner of the house made a visit when I wasn't here and has complained to the agency that the house is a mess! Outside by the front door were four bags of newspapers for recycling, there's also a strip of dirt with some plants and a few (3) weeds. In the kitchen (visible as it's at the front of the house) which has 3 small tubs of nick nacks on the floor and 6/7 unwashed glasses. She must have come into the house as they commented that the rest of the house was a mess (books) and the back garden needed cutting. The back garden isn't accessible apart from through the house as there's a 6ft locked gate at the side of the house.

AIBU to think that a few piles of books doesn't make a messy house and that she had no right coming into the house when I was away? They have asked me to 'declutter' and are going to return in three weeks. AIBU to tell them to piss off?

I can't afford to move yet reallytired. It'll take me a few months to save up.

It's supid if she does want to sell, there's 8 houses for sale on the street, 2 exactly the same as mine and have been on the market for 3 years. My nice neighbour is also putting hers on the market. I'm not damaging it, we're really careful. The curtain rail fell down in ds's room, I paid someone a professional to put it back up properly as I wanted it to be done properly. I bet she saw the blanket over ds's window as she'd have 'visited' before it was repaired.

When I was a teenager I rented a tiny studio flat, tiny but it had a bathroom and kitchen which was just for me bliss after years of bedsits. I came home one day to find a note on top of the telly telling me to clean up and open the windows as it smelt! It probably was a bit messy, I was young, but it did not smell. Took all the joy of living there away as I was always worried she would just come in whenever she felt like. I ended up moving not long after.

It'll be nice to get away from the pissing cats. Every house seems to have one and they all think my garden is part of the street. Bastard one with a bell seems to terrorise the others and is in my garden at 3am.

I will Boffinmum. I've been looking for somewhere else for a while. Ds's school is in the next city and I'm sick of the commute. I work from home but it's a 3-4 commute per day. I can get a larger house with the money I'd save on travel and have some left over for more books fun stuff.

It's an invasion lollilou. I'm tempted to change the lock. I know she's been in, they wouldn't have known about the garden otherwise. The kitchen is at the front, the living room is at the back.

I hated renting for this reason too! One of the flats we rented was a nightmare, the landlord's daughter lived downstairs so he was always hanging around.

One day we were home, then he saw us go out to the shops. We returned to find him in our flat with another neighbour and an electrician poking around, god knows what for. Another time my parents were visiting, and we had already given notice that we were leaving. We were all sitting round havng dinner when he let himself in with a letting agent to show him around! The poor guy looked so embarrassed.

They have to give you notice that they are coming, I'm sure. It's not reasonable of them to be pokimg around when you are not there. How many books you keep in piles is entirely your business!

This is really bad she shouldn't have come in and they can't treat you like that. It's worth contacting either citizens advice or one of the tenancy schemes and writing them a letter. I had this nonsense when I moved out of somewhere with the agency saying they couldn't release my non-disputed deposit until the LL decided to approve it - utter nonsense and a letter from me saying I was taking them to arbitration magically sorted it out. Agencies will say anything they seem to forget they work for the tenant as well as the LL and if they scare tenants away there won't be any money to pay them.

I intend to write them a very stern letter. I'm going to move anyway, it's not acceptable that the landlady can come into my home when I'm out with my son. I may leave the books where they are just out of protest!

Hang on, I don't think your landlady is allowed to just drop in. Also, surely she is not allowed to dictate as to whether you keep some books on the floor? Christ, she ought to see my house!

A house without piles of books would be a dismal one!

She's not allowed to just drop in. There's no way in hell I'm 'decluttering'. The only 'clutter' I have are books!

I have to do the school run.

I rented privately just once and it was hellish. LL never really got the idea that the house was my home and not her home. She was always phoning up or popping round. I kept the house pristine and decorated it in neutral colours. I gave her a month's notice and she said I would not get my deposit back as she used the deposit for a professional cleaner and gardener to fix the properties. This was her and her husband!! I kept the final month's rent as it was the same amount as the deposit. She then turned up at my mum's house looking for the money. Banging on the door and peering in the window. I phoned the police on her and sent a lawyer's letter. She alleged she did'nt realise it would cause alarm. I had photos of the house before I moved in and after I left so she had to admit I would have been entitled to my deposit.

I would be careful that your LL is not trying a scam like mine did!

Rent from me. The only time I barge in, I knock on the door first, like hotel people, and enquire very apologetically whether the tenants would mind me terribly doing a repair for them. Except one time when the 60-something tenant popped his head around the top bannister and said, "By all means, BoffinMum, but I do have a lady friend up here" - it turned out to be someone else's wife. Then I ran off pretty sharpish. Shall I send him over to roger you during the next impromptu landlady visit? He's very sweet and used to be in the Navy.

The crunch letter/text on page 1 was very good. Something along those lines would be good but perhaps call first as you may not want an escalating row.

Thank you redpanda. There must be a lot of nightmare landlords (and tenants) out there.

I'm in the East Midlands BoffinMum. If you wanted to add to your portfolio by buying a house in Nottingham I'd rent it from you. I have my own handyman (friend) so you wouldn't have to do anything.

I think I'm going to pack the books into boxes Xenia. I am moving anyway ASAP so it will kill 2 birds with one stone. My pal runs a storage unit so I can store the books there. I'm going to change the locks tomorrow though.

Letting agents don't have a regulatory body as such but they might be covered by the office of fair trade and they most likely have Financial Services Authority compliance

Actually the better lettings agents belong to ARLA which demand professional standards. A property inspection should be to check that here are no issues arising which might damage the property.Tenants can be a bit lax in reporting leaks etc which could cause huge problems if left unchecked. The tenant should always be given notice of the inspection, and piles of books would absolutely NOT be an issue.

"Letting agents don't have a regulatory body"

Some letting agents are members of ARLA which does try to promote higher standards in the industry. If you do decide to move maybe you should look for an agent who is member of this body.

Thank you. I've discussed it with ds and he wants to move as well. I've always reported things like leaks to them as soon as I've noticed (or the next day if past office closing hours). I don't ask them to do repairs though as I've given up. I really do think that they are trying to do the house up so that she can sell it. She's got no chance, the house a few doors down is in a similar condition (old kitchen etc) and has been on the market for years. If they want to decorate then they can wait until we've moved out. I won't be paying for the garden to be made over, I will arrange for someone to attack the brambles though.

AS SUCH

It's voluntary. I very much doubt the op's agency will have joined or be allowed to join if they can't even organise gas checks.

I nearly cried the other day when I found my predecessor had made a mistake and a cert was a day overdue. And I always take my mobile and the tenant's number to do inspections even though I give them a couple of weeks notice in writing. If they're not in and I'm not sure, I ring before letting myself in.

The term is "the right to quiet enjoyment" and you are entitled to a minimum of 24 hours notice. Iirc from the sofa with an earache and my 2 whole months experience, you have the right to refuse entry as long as you rearrange for a more convenient time.

Shame your nowhere near me or I'd have tried to help more than just words on the screen now I've owned up

I need somewhere in Nottingham to make life easier.

I doubt they will have signed up. They have no web site. I usually get a call from the gas man asking if I'm home and can he pop round in 10 minutes to do the gas check.

I think I'm going to turn them away next time. The woman from the agency has seen the house, she's seen that there's no damage and it's clean. I'll still pack some of the books though, it'll be easier when we move.

Gas engineers can be a law unto themselves. I'll be arranging Febrarys next week and there's still no guarantee the engineer won't do exactly what you describe

I'm about 300 miles too far south to be useful, sorry

That's OK. If you ever wanted to extend your portfolio North...

They said they were going to contact him about the leaking pipe. I don't really want to use the bath as it will leak. I'm quite worried.

I know a great gasman near you Pidj, he drives all the way to Soton to do the gas chack on my flat for about £50. Always calls the tenant first, invoices promptly etc.

Still a bit that books have been mentioned as a fire risk on two occasions. If they are, then they are still a risk in a bookcase.

OP, hope you get a less loony LL.