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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To say no to landlord

62 replies

lustybusty · 15/04/2013 21:01

Ok, my first AIBU, so please be mildly gentle...
Myself and a colleugue (27&22) are sharing a house. We had a 6 monthly inspection by LL (first inspection) a month ago, and they raised a couple of issues. Fair enough. One of them was that the grass in the back garden is looking "long and unkempt". The longest bit of grass is about 4 inches. However, I do agree it needs cutting, but we haven't had a dry spell long enough for us to get the mower out.
My friend should finish her PhD this week (eek!!) and is c

OP posts:

Original poster

lustybusty · 15/04/2013 21:03

Sorry, bloody phone!!
Friend is coming to visit this weekend, we are going out to celebrate on Friday night.
LL has asked if they can bring petrol mower to do the lawn (back garden, access only really through house) on Saturday, "late morning-lunchtime".
So, the AIBU.... Am I unreasonable to say no, as I suspect my friend and I will be suffering the hangover from hell....
Thanks in advance, Lusty

OP posts:

YoniMakesTheWorldGoAround · 15/04/2013 21:25

Yep, I think YABU. He's doing you a favour, be grateful.

DenimODonoghue · 15/04/2013 21:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Shakey1500 · 15/04/2013 21:28

YABU I'm afraid.

LeoTheLateBloomer · 15/04/2013 21:29

Sorry but I agree that YABU. He's being considerate by suggesting late morning/lunch time rather than any earlier.

BuggerLumpsAnnoyed · 15/04/2013 21:30

He sounds nice. Yabu

Trillz · 15/04/2013 21:30

YABU - they are offering to cut the lawn for you. They are not asking for you to do them a favour - they are offering to do you a favour.

If you really can't bear the idea of them coming round then you could try to phrase it as "You don't need to do that, we'll cut it ourselves this weekend" but you can't actually promise that because you don't know what the weather will be like.

wannabedomesticgoddess · 15/04/2013 21:30

Long grass? Jesus.

Pretty sure the law states a LL must let you enjoy the property in peace. I am not sure long grass is a justifiable reason for going against that.

Also, if it doesnt suit it doesn suit.

Tbha LL worried about long grass would have me running for the hills. I had a LL like this once (the lawnmower provided didnt work) and he was a total knob.

TheChaoGoesMu · 15/04/2013 21:31

YABU. You dont have to talk to him much, just let him in and go back to bed. I'm sure he won't care.

firawla · 15/04/2013 21:31

I think yanbu, tell him you will sort it yourself. It's not a convenient time. It's not that you dont know how or unable to mow it, but haven't been able to do it due to weather conditions. You do have a right to peacefully enjoy the property, if you have guests him coming is disturbing you. It's not something urgently needs doing at that certain day and time.

TheChaoGoesMu · 15/04/2013 21:32

I'd rather have a LL who was worried about the grass than one who wasn't interested in the property at all.

wannabedomesticgoddess · 15/04/2013 21:34

There are two extremes. Neither of which is preferable.

breatheslowly · 15/04/2013 21:34

YABU - just ask him to let himself in and hide upstairs or mow the lawn in the next 4 days and let him know it is done already.

treas · 15/04/2013 21:34

Your choice - just don't expect him to come running when you need something repaired in the house, it works both ways.

specialsubject · 15/04/2013 21:50

what treas said.

how pissed are you going to get? Surely you can let him in by late morning?

FredFredGeorge · 15/04/2013 22:31

YANBU he doesn't need to cut the grass, it's up to you if you have long grass or not, and he certainly doesn't need to do it when it's inconvenient to you.

SirBoobAlot · 15/04/2013 22:39

YABU. He's mentioned a concern, and is offering to rectify it himself. A landlord like that is a good one to have.

Stop drinking at midnight and drink a pint of water before bed.

stifnstav · 15/04/2013 22:40

YANBU. I wouldn't dream of doing this to my tenant. Its been pouring down, grass grows, who cares?!

Its like saying I want to clean the windows - why would I be bothered spending part of my weekend cleaning someone else's windows if that is the only thing that needs attention?

You have a right to quiet enjoyment of the property in most tenancy agreements, so unless it is required work or an emergency then have a lie in.

Original poster

lustybusty · 15/04/2013 23:34

Thanks for your opinions, between you, you've covered all my feelings from "right to peaceable enjoyment" to "does it really need doing this weekend" to "he's doing a favour, I should be grateful" (hence my asking!!)
Think I'm going to explain to him that Saturday isn't ideal, could he come the following weekend (by which time, weather permitting I might have been able to do it myself), if he can only do this weekend, I'll just deal with it!!

OP posts:

Aniseeda · 16/04/2013 00:24

I'd be wary as late morning can mean different things! To me, late morning is 11.30 onwards, to my parents it's any time from 10 onwards and, as far as FIL is concerned, half the day is gone by 8.30!

I wouldn't risk it!

Jan49 · 16/04/2013 00:40

Is there any chance of you cutting it yourselves and then replying to the landlord "Thank you but we've actually just cut it" so he won't need to do it? That would be a win win situation as he'd think more highly of you as tenants and he won't come round. How does he know you haven't done it since he raised the issue a month ago?

Or you could do a rain dance whilst you're drinking and hoping there will be torrential rain on Saturday all day?

missingmumxox · 16/04/2013 00:45

as an ex land lady of 2 properties (hang on I still am, keep forgetting) and previous and current renter yanbu, I really get annoyed that the management company that manage the property I live in, always pick School Holidays, they should know after 3 years, school holidays are out.
I never offered to do lawn mowing for renters!!! rod for my back, and given the recent weather how could you? impossible.
i would also say I (well DH) was 24/7 for problems in our rented houses, I remember 2 events, 1 where the heating failed it was cold, we where living in a house without heating, so had oil filled radiators, Dh left at 10pm and gave them to the renters apart form the one in our DT's bedroom (they where about 7 months old so I think forgiven keeping that one)
he spent the entire weekend trying to sort the problem, could not get a plumber for love nor money, but every time he checked that it was okay to call round, even though it was in their interest for it to be fixed.
the issue was a fuse which was almost impossible to find...he found it in the what was called in the village "the everything shop" he'd been to every bloody plumbing and electrical shop in the county, found it 1/4mile up the road.
the other was put right when the renter's daughter said "would it be bad if I touched a switch?" heating sorted (she was 5)
unfortunately some landlords find it hard to realise it isn't their house anymore and others think of it as they own you as well, well they don't.
you are allowed to have you hangover hell and if he is so bothered he can come round mid week...
however if you let the lawn get too out of control I would as the land lady expect you to fix it at your expense, but really you are not at that point yet.

TheChaoGoesMu · 16/04/2013 00:45

There are two extremes. Neither of which is preferable.

yeah, you're probably right.

Op, tell the LL that you've got friends over and it would be better if he came the following day or next weekend. If he's a decent person he should accept that.

QuintessentialOHara · 16/04/2013 00:51

Look, it is easy really, you go to B&Q, you buy a lawn mower, and you mow the lawn when YOU feel like it.

I should think the contract says that keeping the garden neat and tidy are part of YOUR obligations, so I would fulfill them if I were you, and not looking to give my landlord a reason not to extend the lease. Good landlords are gold dust, would be silly to piss him off and let him arrange his saturdays around your excessive alcohol intake.

MidniteScribbler · 16/04/2013 02:57

Or you could not get drunk, get out of bed at a reasonable time on Saturday and cut your own bloody grass!

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