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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Genuinely Would IBU?

56 replies

MontyDonnsgirl · 12/04/2014 21:51

We have rented our house since October last year. Our LL insisted that we have a gardener come every 2 weeks at a cost of £56 per month. This was added to the rent. The gardener turned out not to exist and a new one was appointed and has shown up 3 times ( £28 a go).
The LL would skin a flea for its hide. She's hiked the rent once already and we wanted to extend our tenancy for another 6onths but she said she would only do an 8 month extension, and only if we pay an addition £600 a month over the original rent. She has notions about our financial position.

Anyway, we have found another house, it's great but the garden is heavily overgrown with woody stuff. WIBU to get our current gardener to go to the new place and attack the garden? We pay the LL and she pays him btw.

OP posts:
Gingefringe · 13/04/2014 18:37

My goodness, no wonder insurance premiums are so high if insurers have to pay such high rentals whilst the claimants' property is renovated. Your LL is taking the piss!! What a money grabber.

BerniesBurneze · 13/04/2014 18:41

MontyDonGirl - take a picture of every inch of the house before you leave, ideally with the day's paper. You are going to have fun getting that deposit back.

lottiegarbanzo · 14/04/2014 09:17

She has to prove damage to the deposit scheme, she can't just deduct money from the deposit as she wishes. Take lots of pictures!

OurMiracle1106 · 14/04/2014 09:29

If you didn't have a gardener in the beginning was you still paying the gardeners fee?

londonrach · 14/04/2014 09:33

What does your rental agreement say. Any increases you have a right to say no but she also has the right to give you notice but suspect she couldn't let it again. Talk to cab. Not an easy one. How long until your house is ready. Personally I'd give notice and leave as there's always other houses to rent but if you going to move into your own place min contact unless short lease is 6 months. (Estate agents lie and say 1 or 2 years but you just ask for 6 month break). Post this in legal. Good luck

MelonadeAgain · 14/04/2014 19:07

YABU in all kinds of ways.

What you are proposing would be fraud. The contract is with the landlord to do her garden, not a totally separate garden at a different house.

Loads of people (me included) have to pay "management fees" which are mainly gardening on new builds in estates, and much of the year no gardening gets done. Its seasonal.

YABU to think the landlord only wants you back at a higher rent because she is greedy. When you are the sort of person who sees nothing wrong with digging up someone's front garden when you are only there for a few months.

YABU not to find a cheaper property to rent and to criticise the landlord for being greedy. No-one is forcing you to live there. Do you have references?

YABU because you say you got nothing done for your gardening money but what paid for the rotavation of the front lawn and construction of the vegetable patch?

Just sort out your issues with your current landlord and move on. A good reference from her will do a lot to get you a good property at a good price.

quietbatperson · 14/04/2014 19:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

lionheart · 14/04/2014 19:22

Tiny garden can easily be returfed, surely?

LL sounds awful, glad you have found somewhere else.

Original poster
MontyDonnsgirl · 14/04/2014 20:15

Melonade, it's not a "management fee" it's for a gardener in this house. We paid for them, they never showed up and this was because they didn't exist. It was only when pushed that one was finally contracted although the LL was more than happy to take the money. So yes fraud, but on her part.

She is a gold digger because she's attempted to hike the rent by £600 in 6 months. An additional £600 and she thinks we'll pay it because she thinks we don't want to move.

I'm at a loss as to why you should think we should have a cheaper property. Our insurer provides us with like for like as far as possible and this is smaller than our own house.

I had the front garden rotavated because I fancied a veg patch for the kids, and it was the only place that gets sun. There isn't a bloody embargo on front gardens. It's our HOME. If she doesn't like it, it's an afternoon's work to returf.

And I couldn't give a shiny shite about her references. Our insurer looks after all that. I spoke to a different letting agent today and she asked where we are currently. When I told her she said "oh god that's Julie Young! She's a nutcase!" She's been through every agent in the town with her unreasonableness and that's just to the agents never mind the tenants.

Anyway we've found somewhere far nicer, and agreed to take it so long as it's fully redecorated and the cost rolled into the rent, along with a weekly gardener as it's a v large plot. We will end up with both houses for a couple of months which will give us time to leave here and ensure any delapidations (and I can only think of one small thing) will be dealt with. So our LL can kiss my bum! Grin

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 14/04/2014 20:16

Are you renting Buckingham Palace ?

Original poster
MontyDonnsgirl · 14/04/2014 20:22

Nope. You'd be amazed at how underwhelming it is. That's what being on a fast commuter line does. Sad

I look at the same budget but say 10 miles more rural and you're into moats and tennis court territory. Its v cruel! Wink

OP posts:
weatherall · 14/04/2014 20:29

If you can afford that kind of tent you can afford a lawyer to answer these questions. Hmm

Original poster
MontyDonnsgirl · 14/04/2014 20:32

Weatherall ooo snippy much?

As I've sAid repeatedly our insurer covers our rent. But anyway it's a non question now as
A) the new house already comes with a gardener and
B) the LL has already been paid for gardening which didn't take place so if she likes can spend the money on returfing the veg patch, or reimbursing our insurer.

Why did you take that tone?

OP posts:
weatherall · 14/04/2014 21:04

I've never met anyone who would ever think of living somewhere that cost 1/4 of that.

You live on a different planet to me and anything I can imagine.

Original poster
MontyDonnsgirl · 14/04/2014 21:19

I'm from the remotest arsend of Cumbria and for these figures you could rent my dad's farm and the adjoining farms of his brother and sister. It's crackers money, and it freaks me out no end. But it's not another planet. It's not even that flash. Money and the London effect plus insurance claims are a weird thing. x

OP posts:
whattoWHO · 14/04/2014 21:28

I hope Julie Young doesn't read this thread. She won't be happy about your fraudulent idea. or the front garden.

AnyFucker · 14/04/2014 21:30

Insurance claim for what ?

Original poster
MontyDonnsgirl · 14/04/2014 21:42

whattowho that's not her real name. Just as I'm not really married to Monty Donn...

OP posts:
Original poster
MontyDonnsgirl · 14/04/2014 21:42

Anyfucker a big bad thing that fucked our house

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 14/04/2014 21:46

eh ?

Original poster
MontyDonnsgirl · 14/04/2014 21:55

Just a very ordinary home insurance claim but in a huge scale.

OP posts:
Vivacia · 14/04/2014 22:00

Have you been paying the gardener's fees or have the insurer?

I too am gobsmacked at that rent.

AnyFucker · 14/04/2014 22:01

Why are you talking in riddles ? Confused

Original poster
MontyDonnsgirl · 14/04/2014 22:10

Because I'm posting in the as breaks of Game of thrones

OP posts:
Original poster
MontyDonnsgirl · 14/04/2014 22:10

Ad breaks

OP posts:
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