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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To throw away the landlord's shit in the loft?

356 replies

MuttonWasAGoose · 16/11/2015 14:45

We've just moved in to a nice house. The landlady mentioned that the loft was partly boarded out and that they'd left "a couple of boxes in the very back that we couldn't reach."

I just went to stow some things and pretty most of the boarded out space is full of their stuff. It's about a dozen or so cartons of crap. Mostly toys and holiday decorations.

None of this is on the inventory. I'd like to use that space for our empty suitcases, camping gear, etc. There's already a large shed full of their stuff that I grudgingly accept we can't use. But the loft situation annoys me.

DH feels it would be wrong to empty the loft. I have been in this situation before (previous landlord was much, much worse and I did throw everything away.) I just have no patience for this. I think it's infantile to be unable to take responsibility for your belongings. If they can't be bothered to move it, or even inventory it, then they clearly can't really care about it.

The first carton I looked in had what was clearly a well-loved child's teddy. Even I don't have the heart to toss that. But what about the other stuff?

OP posts:
Original poster
MuttonWasAGoose · 16/11/2015 15:03

I never leave things because I can't. I have moved long distances.... Moving will make you reassess just how much something really means to you. I do think it's infantile to just leave things. Either take responsibility for your belongings or get rid.

OP posts:
Whatthefreakinwhatnow · 16/11/2015 15:03

What the hell is wrong with mumsnet today and vile, self absorbed posters?!

It may be her house but it's my home - yes, because she was good enough to lease it to you!

It would be despicable of you to throw her things away. Be a mature adult and ask her if it would be possible for her to move her things from the loft so you can use it. Or just buy a shed and put your camping crap in there like the rest of us!

DinosaursRoar · 16/11/2015 15:04

OP - imagine if you throw it and in 2/3 weeks time she contacts you to say "oh, Mutton, so sorry to bother you but I realised we forgot to take the boxes out of the loft with the Christmas decorations, can I pop by one day next week to collect them?" Throw out her DCs old toys and while there might be little she can do about it as it's not on the inventory, you might well find you are looking for a new rental soon as she possibly can get rid of you...

Call her and explain that the loft is crammed, she might well have expected it to be cleared and be very apologetic.

It reads like you've got angry because you feel they have done this deliberately to trick you out of some space - do you automatically jump to the conclusion things have been done to spite you when they can easily be explained by an oversight/misunderstanding?

Queenbean · 16/11/2015 15:04

if it didn't come about till the end of the tenancy there is no way I'd be letting you have any deposit back.

You couldn't do this. If it's not listed on the inventory then there's no proof it was there and you wouldn't be able to take it back.

Actually OP I do have sympathy with you - I have had landlords that have promised storage space and then kept their own stuff there. Mostly stuff they couldn't be bothered to clear out themselves.

It is utterly unfair to rent you a house with promised storage space that is then not available. You should speak to the landlord but, ultimately, if it isn't on the inventory then there's actually nothing they could do about it if you did move it (which I do not recommend, obvs)

EssentialHummus · 16/11/2015 15:04

I'm a (generally very reasonable) LL. If you threw out my stuff, you would be out on your rear in 6 months or sooner if I could wrangle it. Speak to her and see if she'll move it.

Alconleigh · 16/11/2015 15:05

"It's her house, you're just renting it" sums up quite neatly a lot of what is wrong with renting in the UK (assuming you're in the UK of course!)......people assuming you should be positively grateful to spend thousands of pounds to store other people's things....er not so much. I've rented places with broken old lamps stuffed in the airing cupboard - and this was through a good agency - take it FGS!
But don't chuck it straight off, ask her to remove it.

Whatthefreakinwhatnow · 16/11/2015 15:05

And shes not left them, not really. You are temporarily living in her house which she owns! this is not a previous owner moving out for good and leaving their stuff for you to deal with; these are her in her home!

Original poster
MuttonWasAGoose · 16/11/2015 15:08

Offs... She's not doing me a favour. She's making money as they own several properties. They've made enough to move to a nicer area and this house is now just another in their portfolio. She was also very keen to get a family in who will stay several years.

My first urge was to start pitching. Then I saw the teddy bear and realised that I can't bring myself to do that. But I'm still extremely annoyed with her. If they'd stipulated that the loft wasn't available before we'd agreed, things may have been different - we'd probably have kept looking

I'd be happy to put in another shed, but there's already a shed in the space available.

OP posts:
TheFlis12345 · 16/11/2015 15:09

Why should the OP pay to rent space she cannot use? If the stuff is that precious to the LL they can store it at their own place.

Alconleigh · 16/11/2015 15:10

And there it is again - the rental property should be the OP's home - not the owners. It is the owner's property, yes, but their home, no.
This unprofessional, emotionally over engaged, individuals renting out properties in a slipshod manner would be unimaginable in many countries, where rentals are controlled by property companies, with proper maintenance staff etc. Not filled with Aunty Betty's Christmas decorations from 1973.......

Queenbean · 16/11/2015 15:10

Oh and as a general point - it wouldn't always be clear that it's the landlords belongings left over in a house.

I have lived in plenty of places where belongings have been left by previous tenants, not listed on the inventory but which I don't wish to have there. Bags of old crockery, bed linen, broken photo frames - detritus of life.

I've thrown that away - if something is important to a LL they should list it on the inventory or lock the area.

Not really fair on the tenant to expect them to live with reduced space or other people's belongings

Lelania · 16/11/2015 15:10

I can see why it annoys you OP. She is not letting you stay there out of the goodness of her own heart - you paying her mortgage in exchange for a home.

That being said, I don't think you should just chuck the stuff. Just call her and say that you need the loft space that she said was available and ask her to move it. She might just not have realised how much is in there or meanto to move it before you moved in and forgot.

sleepyhead · 16/11/2015 15:11

Lol at "good enough to lease it to you".

Yep. Landlord is going right out of her way to lease you her house. For money.

How very dare you want the use of the space you're paying for Grin

Hillfarmer · 16/11/2015 15:11

You sound very angry OP. Are you sure it is the really stuff in the loft that you are angry about? You sound generally angry about the state of the world and the fact that you have to move and rent etc. You're taking it all out on your landlady and sounding a bit mad, frankly.

Whatever happened to a civilised chat? And a polite request to remove some stuff. I'm sure a reasonable landlady would oblige. Smiles all round!

katienana · 16/11/2015 15:11

Sounds like she has forgotten. Ring her up and tell her you are happy to clear it and take it to the tip if she doesn't want the stuff. I suspect she will soon be round to get it.
You are renting the whole house so you have every right to use the loft.

sleepyhead · 16/11/2015 15:13

Maybe you can sub-lease her back the space in the loft that you're paying for but she's using.

WheelParrot · 16/11/2015 15:15

quite a reaction! Of course the OP is entitled to use the space she is paying for! Yes, the LL owns the house, and the OP shouldn't chuck the stuff in the bin but I'm not sure what the comeback would be if she did as the items arent on an inventory.

OP, speak to them, ask them to come and get the stuff or arrange for storage elsewhere. If you arranged the let on the agreement of using the space, you need to be able to use it. Also, it might get damaged -

just because they own the house doesn't mean they can fill it with stuff and they expect someone paying full whack on rent to just live with it!

LumelaMme · 16/11/2015 15:15

YABVU.
When my father moved out of what had been the family home, not long after DM died, to move in with his new partner, he left some stuff in the attic. He locked it up, but the tenant, a real charmer, broke in. I have never seen some of DM's things since. And yes, I'm still a bit bitter about it.

Talk to your landlady. Establish what is hers, and if you can dispose of any of it. Act like a civilised person - I hope you are one.

Queenbean · 16/11/2015 15:16

You sound very angry OP. Are you sure it is the really stuff in the loft that you are angry about? You sound generally angry about the state of the world and the fact that you have to move and rent etc. You're taking it all out on your landlady and sounding a bit mad, frankly.

What an offensive thing to say -calling the OP mad?! She does not sound unreasonably angry

More frustrated at paying for space that she's unable to use then having lots of people telling her that she's unreasonable for it. With messages like yours, I'd be wound right up actually.

DixieNormas · 16/11/2015 15:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
MuttonWasAGoose · 16/11/2015 15:18

I'm not angry at the state of the world, but I'm pretty tired and irritable from moving house. I'd like to get more things unpacked and put away, but it's hard when the regular space for seasonal things is full already.I don't think she deliberately tricked me either. Likely she didn't personally go up there and she probably doesn't realise how full it is I haven't literally taken out my anger on her.... She has no idea about this. Obviously the thing to do is ask her nicely to come and get at least some of it. But I shouldn't have to ask. And what if she refuses like the aforementioned previous landlord did?

I managed to get most of the suitcases and the tents up there. It would be easier if my husband were physically capable of getting into the loft, but I can move and shift a lot of her cartons.

OP posts:
StrawberryTeaLeaf · 16/11/2015 15:19

"good enough to lease it to you".

Hmm
DixieNormas · 16/11/2015 15:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
MuttonWasAGoose · 16/11/2015 15:22

It's not previous tenants.... This was their family home.

She actually seems like a nice lady. If I have any residual anger it's towards the landlord three years ago who, I suspect, had hoarding issues and simply did expect us to somehow live around an utterly stuffed house (expired medication!)

The interim landlord was actually fine and only left things we'd use!

OP posts:
stopfuckingshoutingatme · 16/11/2015 15:24

you cant chuck her stuff! you should write a very legal letter saying you rented to house for XXX with this much space and now section of its its unusable, you either want to rent reduction or she put in storage

she needs to pay for some yellow self storage TBH, shed and loft, fuck right off