Right, I’m going to give you the backstory, so for the length…
I’ve been living in a rented house for 4 years and am leaving by the end of April. My landlady lives overseas and the property is managed by letting agents. At Christmas 2012 the LL came back to the UK for a visit and wanted to have a look at the property, so, on 27 December I vacated for the morning with my two children, so that she could view with the LA, which I thought was fairly nice and flexible of me – I didn’t have to let her in at all, it was right over the holiday season and not the best time to accommodate her, but I did it. Anyway, apparently she went into my wardrobe and cupboards looking for evidence that my boyfriend lived there. She was reading all the Christmas cards saying to the LA ‘There are all these Christmas cards addressed to them both, he does live here'. She moved a bookcase to get up in the loft and was going through all the stuff there. The LA was stunned and appalled and so apologetic. I was completely furious but we agreed that as she lives overseas and only comes back every 3/4 years I would leave it for now as I had plans to move at some point and would then tell her to stick her house up her arse.
Then in June last year the female neighbour on the unattached side screamed and swore at my (then) 6 & 7 year old children for NO reason, completely out of the blue. She didn’t realise I was there and I called her out on it. We didn’t speak again (mainly because we never see each other, I wouldn’t have ignored) until just before Christmas last year when I had a most unpleasant exchange with her one evening. I went out to move my car into my space as (it transpires) her mother in law had parked there. I put a note on the car (pleasant enough I thought) saying 'Please note this space is for no 6'. When I went to move the car her husband was getting stuff from theirs and apologised, which was fine and I accepted his apology. The wife then appeared in the doorway and started to throw abuse at me. She swore at me a number of times, telling me to f*ck off and abused with me several personal insults, saying I was a weirdo and telling me I look like Catherine Tate and then Brian May (WTVF – I have red curly hair, so ummm, yes). My children were upstairs in their rooms and clearly heard her. Not nice. It’s odd because she’s not a fishwife, appears respectable etc etc. Either she had had a drink or I have unintentionally done something (what, I don’t know) to completely piss her off.
She said she was going to phone the LL as she is one of her good friends, to tell her about me and that my boyfriend lived there with me. I told her to do what she liked and that we could prove that he has his own place in our town. I said that regardless of him visiting and staying with me, it was none of her business and that he is not here all of the time anyway. She herself knows that he does not live here as she came round a few weekends before on some pretence when my ex-husband was staying with the children. Her husband actually seemed very embarrassed by her behaviour and kept telling her to stop and to be quiet, eventually bustling her inside the house. I at no point raised my voice or swore at her, the complete opposite to her behaviour. As a result of this, my boyfriend and I decided that we would move in together. I made the LA aware of what had happened and our plans. They actually said that the LL was so unpleasant they would sacking her as a client if she wanted to relet once I’d gone. The LA also have had prior dealings with the cowbag next door too, so were very sympathetic.
Anyway, my 12 month tenancy was up at the end of February and the LA rang to say a) the woman next door had recently got in touch with the LL and had lied about what had happened. Her story was so different and because of that and the time lapse, that they wanted to check if we’d had another altercation since the last one but no, we hadn’t (I have seen her since this time and have ignored her). She has completed fabricated everything and said that she will ring the police if I shout at her again…delusional and b) did I want to renew for another 12 months. I said no, I would be gone by end of April and would be formally handing my notice in, in due course. I then get a Section 21 (? Is that right, can’t remember) from the LL saying to vacate by end April – fine, I was going to anyway. Then the LA rang to say the LL had asked them to issue this as she wants to sell when I go….fine, couldn’t care less, I just want out.
Right, so here is the AIBU part – the LL wants 3 estate agents to come and value the house before marketing it with one of them. I will have to be present for any visits; I work full time and have two primary aged children. Bearing in mind the LL’s behaviour when she visited and the way she has sided with next door, who has made my life hell, AIBU by not dropping everything to let 3rd parties into my home (I still live there after all)? I am aware that I am entitled to ‘quiet enjoyment’ of the property but would try to be flexible in usual circumstances. What would you advise I feed back to the LL (via the LA) with regards to why I am not rolling over and letting her tickle my tummy?
Thanks for reading and again, sorry for the length but wanted to give the background!