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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

...to think that tenants might hoover once in a while?

99 replies

silverten · 11/02/2012 19:41

OK, so if you rent a house it's your home, you have the right to live how you choose, etc. etc. etc...

However if you'd been given an immaculately clean house when you took on the tenancy, the landlord had pretty much left you alone for the duration of your tenancy, save a couple of phonecalls to check all was well and an inspection after a couple of years, you'd think that you might think to run the hoover around and give the place a quick wipe over before he visited again, giving you plenty of warning and a fairly mild request to try and clean the place up a bit from the last visit?

No? Just my little foible?

What IS it about some tenants that they are happy not to bother with this stuff?? I don't get it. It can't be a 'tenant' thing, surely- I know loads of people who didn't live in a tip when they rented.....

OP posts:

MoneyBunny · 11/02/2012 19:43

I'm sure you mean 'people' and not tenants.

Some people are just messy and untidy.

RuleBritannia · 11/02/2012 19:44

Perhaps the tenants haven't a Hoover. They might have a Vax or a Hotpoint vacuum cleanr.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 11/02/2012 19:45

Well - when we rented a house a few years back (just a 6 month rental, to allow us to househunt as we'd moved from the South East to Scotland), we paid a firm of cleaners to clean it when we moved out.

ShagOBite · 11/02/2012 19:45

It isn't a tenant thing. Some people are less clean than others.

Original poster

silverten · 11/02/2012 19:49

I'm not interested in what 'people' do. 'People' haven't signed a contract to keep my house in a decent state while they live there.

I know it's not a tenant thing. I know some people have different standards to others. I can live with the idea that my tenants are not cleaning to the sort of standard I would personally choose on a day to day basis.

What I can't get my head around is why they seem to think it is OK to ignore fairly reasonable requests about cleaning.

OP posts:

FredFredGeorge · 11/02/2012 19:51

YABU - why are you even visiting for an "inspection", or expecting anything, I suspect a request to "clean the place up a bit" would lead me to do the exact opposite after such a request was made. Cleanliness is not damage, so mind your own business, you can care and make appropriate claims on the deposit if it's not clean when you take possession.

JustHecate · 11/02/2012 19:51

perhaps they don't care about a clean home?

Surely it doesn't matter if they never hoover or polish while they are living there?

Surely all that matters is that when they leave - they leave the home clean and tidy?

funkybuddah · 11/02/2012 19:56

Inspections are fairly standard in renting. Weve rented through 3 different agents in the past 11 years and all of them have done 6 monthly inspections.

Im not the tidiest of people but you can be sure that they place is sparkling and all clutter cleared whenever we have an inspection.

EirikurNoromaour · 11/02/2012 19:59

They might, or they might not - their choice. As long as they are not damaging your property then butt the hell out.

Original poster

silverten · 11/02/2012 20:00

Why would any landlord visit for an inspection?

Well, to check the general condition of the place, monitor the wear and tear (mucky marks on the walls where you rest your hand to go downstairs: OK, build up of nasty bin bags: not OK), make sure the tenants are sticking to the terms of contract with regard to maintenance (eg: mow the lawn, not to championship standards, but to keep it down, basically. All made absolutely clear and agreed before any contracts signed).

I hardly think that a landlord asking for a bit of a hoover and a tidy up once in a tenancy of several years, several weeks before a visit, is too much to ask!

OP posts:

ChippingInLovesEasterEggs · 11/02/2012 20:01

Of course not hoovering is damage - it ruins the carpets. It's basic respect for someone else's property.

My neighbours, lovely people, rent. The place is a disgrace. Filty. She said to me the other day, 'The carpets need replacing, so I've given up (cleaning up after her two kids who tip food/drink on it), the landlord will just have to put new ones down, they've been down ages - at least a year'.

A year??? FFS who thinks it's reasonable to replace carpets annually??

FredFredGeorge · 11/02/2012 20:02

funkybuddah I've also rented for the last 15 years, and not once had an inspection, and there's no way I'd do anything different if I did. The sort of landlord who cares more about such things than having their rent paid on time and a tennant willing to recommend the landlord at the end of the rent is mad enough not to want to rent from.

I've never understood why landlords are so keen to annoy tennants, sure tennants can be a pain, but the void at the end of the tennancy 'cos you can't rent whilst they're still in the property is a serious way to put your money where your mouth is over petty issues like hoovering that do nothing to the value of the property.

bamboobutton · 11/02/2012 20:03

it's none of your business what they do or how clean they keep it, as long as it's not attracting rodents or damaging the property.

is there an actual clause in the contract to say the house has to be kept clean and tidy, hoovered and polished?

funkybuddah, you don't have to let them in. it doesn't matter what your contract says, they can't actually gain access to your home without a court order, and if they let themselves in with spare keys it's tresspass, and they know it.

oooooooh this subject always gets me wound up, so many bad experiences with bad LLs and letting agents.

JustHecate · 11/02/2012 20:04

but silver, how does it affect you? I am not having a go, but I am struggling to understand how you, as landlord, are affected or how the property is being affected. Is the property being damaged? are they not paying their rent? are they being a bother to the neighbours? these are all things that legitimately concern a landlord. But a lot of dust and mess? in their home? that doesn't affect the neighbours and it doesn't damage the property and, providing they understand the standard that the home must be left in if they vacate - it isn't something that a landlord should be dictating.

It might be minging in there, but is it damage? No. It's not.

claricestar · 11/02/2012 20:05

my landlord always insists that I DON'T tidy up when he inspects the place...needless to say, I always do tidy up before he comes round ;)

funkybuddah · 11/02/2012 20:06

I would say that it is my agents that visit and it protects them as well as us, they are only really interested in the kitchen and bathroom, to make sure everything is working etc.

I only rent thru agents never thru just a landlord and its very standard as far as I was aware as everyone I know who rents also gets regular visits form the agents.

dribbleface · 11/02/2012 20:08

when we moved out we had an inspection, never during. once the landlord brought his overbearing mother to inspect too! she commented on the little holes in the carpet at one point, he quickly moved on as he knew full well they were from him smoking weed when he lived there. but yanbu to expect tenants to clean and Hoover.

Original poster

silverten · 11/02/2012 20:08

Actually, yes, it has got to the point that it is damage. One of the carpets was brand new for this tenancy but it is clearly so long since it was hoovered that it is not going to come up particularly well now even if a professional cleaner has a go. Sure, I can't expect a carpet in brand-new condition when I get the house back, fair wear and tear and all, but I've had carpets in my house for longer than this one has been down and they still look good...

OP posts:

claricestar · 11/02/2012 20:08

he only inspects once a year to write himself a list of jobs that need doing...that he never gets round to doing anyway, but because he is so nice I let him off

JustHecate · 11/02/2012 20:10

Oh well, fair enough. If it is damage then I take it all back. It is certainly your business.

bobbledunk · 11/02/2012 20:11

Some people are dirty bastards, if you want your house to remain clean and in good condition then you must find clean, houseproud people.

I rent a beautiful home and it is always spotless.

BUT

They put the best quality fittings, appliances, furniture, flooring, curtains etc in, had the house very well insulated with great heating and had everything freshly painted for us and that is why we chose this place.

Many places look like they were decorated from the contents of a skip and those homes don't appeal to the type of people who want somewhere to love and care for.

Maybe next time your renting, place a description of the type of person you want in your ad 'clean, houseproud person required to maintain beautiful home in excellent condition'. Insist on references and interview them.

bamboobutton · 11/02/2012 20:16

you say they have been there several years? what do you expect? i would call that fair wear and tear. and i would say it's about time a new carpet was put down too.

can we have details on the damage to the carpet? rips? tears? gaping holes? burn marks?

JerichoStarQuilt · 11/02/2012 20:16

If they've done damage, I'd be pissed off too.

However, I did once rent a house with a hoover so broken the only way to clean the carpet was with the dustpan and brush, and the landlady didn't see this as an issue and didn't wish to replace the broken hoover. If there's a hoover on the inventory, and it's working properly, they have no excuse though.

Original poster

silverten · 11/02/2012 20:17

I get your point, bobbledunk, but my house is already one of the better properties available in the area/size/price range it occupies. Honestly!

And given that people will just lie (voice of experience again...), there's no point in specifying 'houseproud'. Besides, I'm not that bothered if they aren't as houseproud as me; I'm just fed up of replacing carpets...

OP posts:

bobbledunk · 11/02/2012 20:22

I don't blame you for being fed up, it must be infuriating to be constantly having to replace things which shouldn't have to be. Landlords need a registry of good tenants.

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