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

[MuttonWasAGoose]

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?

I probably did jump the gun. We'll call her. My husband just told me that when he spoke to her last she'd vaguely stated the intention to empty the shed, so maybe that will happen after all. I'll call her to tell her about the Christmas decorations, implying that I expect her to need them very soon.

Not all landlords are like this. The most recent one wasn't and I think I just thought of the previous one and thought "here we go again!" But I should give her a chance to sort it before making assumptions.

But I should give her a chance to sort it before making assumptions Yes. It will probably all work out fine.

Can I ask a stupid question?

Is it normal for rented houses to have landlords stuff in them? If I rented a home I would expect it to be empty, but the majority of the comments here suggest otherwise.

Just ask her to move it. On a side night there was a creepy rocking chair in the house we rented in the haunted house

the ghost used to sit in it and rock rock rock

OMG, shutup! Tell us more!!!

Is it normal for rented houses to have landlords stuff in them? If I rented a home I would expect it to be empty, but the majority of the comments here suggest otherwise.

If it comes furnished then it should have stuff in it (obviously) and can sometime have old stuff from landlords but all their belongings have to be detailed on the inventory. Otherwise, they have to show that a certain bit of space (ie attic) isn't included in the rental and adjust rent accordingly.

Unfurnished houses should have zero personal belongings and leaving boxes and boxes of crap around, hoping that the tenant is enough of a pushover to not mention it is massively taking the piss. Some people on this thread are on another planet thinking that it's ok.

It's not normal, but it's not uncommon. If the property was the home of the landlord, or their parent's home, then I think it's pretty common for them to leave stuff and use it as storage. If it's a buy-to-let, then it's not common.

Can I ask a stupid question?

Is it normal for rented houses to have landlords stuff in them? If I rented a home I would expect it to be empty, but the majority of the comments here suggest otherwise.

It did seem to be when friends and I were younger and renting. Cupboards and lofts crammed with random junk seemed almost de rigeur (although that's not very up-to-date info and it might be things are usually more professional now).

I would never ever rent again, if at all possible, because of all these issues and niggles and this strange 'it's not your home, the LL's doing you an immense favour' attitude that seems so prevalent in the UK. (DH currently thinks it's a good way to ease the logistics of a relocation, but bar uni, he's never rented, so that might be why )

I think it's hard for people to cope with belongings. They're emotionally attached to them, but don't actually want to hump it to another place to store it. I feel this anguish every time I move. And every house move involves trips to the tip.

Some people are delusional about the worth or useful of some items, too. No, I don't want that 1930's Hoover.... My new Dyson is fine. Perhaps the landlord could have sold it as an antique. Landlord couldn't be arsed so I disposed of it. (That was the nightmare house full of junk. We only rented it because we were desperate at the time.)

You do have a right to the space but people make mistakes. In the interests of good relations with someone who AFAIYK is otherwise a good landlord, I'd take photos of the boxes and text/email them to her to jog her memory. If there's Christmas decorations there then it might prompt her to get her act together.

I am finding your repeated use of the word 'infantile' a bit confusing though OP. It's just a bit sloppy/flaky/cheeky, isn't it?

In a "I will rent out this house at market rent in a business-like way and expect my tenants to respect the contract, but I will, at the same time, view the rental property as my own personal storage space." kind of a way?

'Which is fine as long as you know it's a space you can't use. Although it's annoying when you have a LL who comes around at least once a month to put stuff in it or take it out'

That should be illegal. But it never will be because people in the UK are so used to putting up with shit like this whilst paying enormous amounts to rent and are made to feel like the LL is doing them a favour.

I'm neither a landlord nor a tenant so have no axe to grind, but I firmly agree that the house is the home of the tenant, who is paying money to live there - landlords are not allowing people to stay in their homes out of the kindness of their hearts!

Op, when you call to let the landlord know that the loft is actually rammed full of boxes which could be reached easily, which means that you don't have access to all of the space you agreed to rent- therefore, would the landlord prefer to remove the stuff from the loft , or give you a discount to enable you to rent storage space elsewhere?

yawn yawn yawn...

here are the facts, if you can be bothered after all the bile.

• any areas of the house not included in the let will be specified in the tenancy, which the tenant gets to read and sign. Or not sign if not happy.
• otherwise the tenant has access to the whole place.
• any landlord possessions left in the property should again be specified on the tenancy and inventory. If the tenant isn't happy, that's for discussion/negotiation beforehand. Or walk away.
• if items are not on the tenancy/inventory, the landlord is in breach of contract for the former. If they aren't on the inventory, the landlord has no comeback if they aren't there at the end.
• if (As I did in a previous tenancy) The landlord uses the loft for storage, it should be explicitly excluded and locked with a small breakable lock if there are any tanks up there. This is so people can get in if water starts coming through. Otherwise the lock means that when the tenant leaves, there's no confusion and removal of the wrong items.

most of this can be solved with adult conversation. Boring, eh?

no-one is ever forced to sign a tenancy at gunpoint, although to read some of the crap on here you might think otherwise.

yawn yawn yawn...

Good evening special As charming as ever, I see

Only in the dysfunctional and expensive UK rental market are tenants expected to put up with having their landlords shit in the space they are paying huge amounts for. And judging by some of the comments on Mumsnet, tenants are just their to look after landlords "home" and belongings and pay huge amounts for the privilege! What will you do if she says no OP?

There is nothing under 2.5k pm here atm. So I do disagree with the gunpoint, even if in our case it's a metaphorical gun

I'd not thought about the stuff in the loft for ages and now I feel irrational and angry about it :o seriously, does my contents insurance cover my landlords crap in the loft?

Just ask her to move it if it's really that much.
It's quite cheeky of her to have left it IMO but she owns that house, you are a long standing guest. It might do you some good to remember that.
You are much much more likely to have her be reasonable with repairs and anything else you might need if you are reasonable and respectful to her.