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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

someone is in my kitchen downstairs

78 replies

Pendu · 19/08/2016 08:22

I probably am BU but anyway...

My boiler went wrong (again) and I emailed my letting agent (we don't deal with the landlord directly). He said someone would contact me to fix it.

It's always going wrong and sometimes I come home and I can see someone has come into the house when I've been out. I never get a message or a call. So I emailed my agent said I do not want anyone in the house without permission - it doesn't make me feel comfortable, I have no chance to have a little tidy up , I don't get to even point out the problem and DH sometimes works nights and doesn't want to be woken up with these surprise visits. (They are usually unexpected like a week after we report a problem)

Anyway 8am and I hear banging - I ignore it. I had no sleep due to one dc being sick and I have bad spd.

I have a peek and it's the damn damn plumber.(he's rude aswell but that's another story).

He kept banging, I kept ignoring because I had no call no message.

Now he's let himself in.

What shall I do? I'm reeling

OP posts:

SoupDragon · 19/08/2016 09:37

"I don't know what my landlord has said but you don't have my permission to be in the house. Please leave."

Isn't that a bit stupid given he appears to be half way through fixing a boiler?

Trifleorbust · 19/08/2016 09:46

Soup: Why is it stupid? He doesn't have her permission, and she doesn't know whether the landlord has not made this clear.

SoupDragon · 19/08/2016 09:54

Er... Because she most likely has a dangerous half dismantled boiler in her kitchen?

It's far better to let him get on with it and complain later. And then change the locks.

Shizzlestix · 19/08/2016 09:55

Proper regulations put in place.

There are proper regulations in place, sadly her idiot LA is ignoring this for his own convenience.

I would let arrogant git plumber finish, then phone LA and rip him/them a new one. Re changing locks, I'm pretty sure the LA or landlord HAs to have a copy of the key. Also send a formal letter of complaint using the words quiet enjoyment, 24 hours notice and harassment! I think I would personally visit the LA to reinforce this, possibly with a solicitor's letter.

Trifleorbust · 19/08/2016 10:01

Soup, to be honest I wouldn't give a rat's arse about that. Someone letting themselves into my home is an absolute red line. Whatever they think the reason is, in a non-emergency it is unacceptable.

Anyway, it is for the OP to decide how much she cares about the boiler right this minute. The landlord is obliged to get it fixed in any case, so she can tell the plumber to get the fuck out if she wants and it will still have to get done.

SoupDragon · 19/08/2016 10:03

You don't give a rats arse about a a dangers gas appliance in your house? Er, OK then

Trifleorbust · 19/08/2016 10:03

I might, however, be inclined to tell him to make it safe and then get Out.

Honestly I can't believe this shit with landlords goes on in this day and age.

Trifleorbust · 19/08/2016 10:04

Soup, whatever I did I would do with my own preferences in mind, as I am entitled to do in my own home. You can have your opinions about that, but the OP is entitled to do what she wants.

HalfShellHero · 19/08/2016 10:08

Your landlord has done something very illegal and should not be giving the plumber a key without your knowledge...that might be legal given its his property but he could be anybody, id be giving the landlord a good earful im very for you.

hungryhippo90 · 19/08/2016 10:08

Let him fix it OP. Once he goes, get on to the Letting Agency.
By law they need to give you the landlords contact details if you ask them. Tell them that you require them immediately
See if you can speak with Landlord. See if you can rent directly from him.
He might be a bit more human to deal with, you may even see a very small decrease in your rent. If that doesn't happen, I would be seriously thinking about moving the letting agency do nor sound professional, or like they are even operating within legal paramaters.

Original poster

Pendu · 19/08/2016 10:09

Well I waited for him to go (he'd already overstepped the mark so I thought I may aswell let him carry on the repair, at least I don't have to face him again if he completes it) then I called my letting agent. They said they asked him to contact us and are going to find out if he has evidence of trying to contact me. They are also going to find out who authorised him to come in through the other door - I think it was them but they aren't going to admit it.

It wasn't an emergency.

My mum has two properties rented out and we would never dream of doing this in a million years.

To the person who said it feels like we are guests - that's so correct! I've had all sorts go on here - wildlife survey people camping in the garden etc. Without the landlord even giving a heads up. They just lift up my fence panels and go in, or walk through my utility/store room corridor

OP posts:

Griphook · 19/08/2016 10:09

Op renting is shit, change the locks if you can, but you won't be able to put a chain on and you could be accused of damaging the door with drill hole and then they are unlikely to return your deposit

KingJoffreyLikesJaffaCakes · 19/08/2016 10:12

I think if you leave the chains there when you leave it will be fine.

Griphook · 19/08/2016 10:12

I think the letting agents are the problems here rather than your plumber. They would have booked him, he wouldn't have just turned up on his own.
i think you need to follow it up with an email about theirs behaviour tbh

Trifleorbust · 19/08/2016 10:15

Right, so next time someone lets themselves in to your house, call the police right away. The LA is saying they aren't giving permission, so the plumber is either entirely at fault (in which case he should be arrested for entering illegally) or, as I suspect, the LA are lying through their teeth and should have the police called on them anyway.

SoupDragon · 19/08/2016 10:26

You can have your opinions about that

Thank you for your permission as far as I was aware that was precisely what I had done - expressed an opinion.

Goingtobeawesome · 19/08/2016 10:32

Using the police like this to ram the message home isn't great but sometimes you need force.

Trifleorbust · 19/08/2016 10:33

Yes, Soup, but you chose to describe the opinions of others as stupid, which is never going to get you the most friendly response. However stupid I am, people only enter my home with my permission, unless it's an emergency. I will cheerfully tell them to leave and call the police if they refuse. Not really relevant whether you think that's stupid or not, is it?

BishopBrennansArse · 19/08/2016 10:39

Personally I'd write to your landlord (not letting agency). Regardless of the letting agency he ultimately has responsibility in law for any breach of the law regarding your tenancy.

I'd write advising that despite numerous complaints the letting agency he employs to represent him are repeatedly breaching your right in law to quiet enjoyment of the property and instructing their repair persons to do the same.

That you appreciate repairs being done on a timely manner but appointments must be made in future.

AbyssinianBanana · 19/08/2016 10:39

Page, there is no such "law". If it is a life threatening emergency, like a gas leak, then it is an emergency and even if you're the homeowner, forced entry is legal. For everything else - including broken boilers - you need to obtain a court order for entry.

It is really damaging telling people something is law when it really is not.

HeCantBeSerious · 19/08/2016 10:44

I hate dealing with people at the best of times, never mind when I have to confront them but equally I know he will confront me as to why I ignored his knocks, or am still in bed at 8am

None of his f-ing business.

Change the locks. Keep the old ones to replace at the end of your tenancy. Don't give the agents a key. (Don't give your mother a key and you've sorted your other major problem. )

Happyhippy45 · 19/08/2016 10:46

Letting agency is completely taking the piss. We have been renting from private landlords since we moved over seas, then back again. There's has always been a bit of invasion of privacy/turning up unannounced. Some worse than others. Mostly it's been for work needing done outside the house/garden. rearranging rubbish bins to how she wants them and spying on us
We also let our own flat out through a LA for many years. Company was bought over by a bigger one. They were authorising non essential work to be done without our approval and charging a fortune for it. Also neglecting to do essential repairs. We've started to manage the property ourselves.
I'd bet the landlord would be pretty horrified to hear how the LA are behaving.

PageStillNotFound404 · 19/08/2016 10:57

AbyssinianBanana under the Housing Act 1988 the landlord or his representative has the right to reasonale access, which includes the right to immediate entry in the case of an emergency to carry out any necessary work.

Hence saying that if he had advised the builder that a faulty boiler was an emergency (which I appreciate now has been updated by the OP to not be the case, but was an unknown at the time I posted) then as his representative, the builder would have had a right to immediate access.

Trifleorbust · 19/08/2016 11:03

Pretty obvious it wasn't an emergency, seeing as the LA told her she would be contacted about a time to access the property, she had not been advised to leave or felt the need to leave and the plumber was booked for days after her call about the problem.

AbyssinianBanana · 19/08/2016 13:40

if your tenant does not allow you entry for a repair, you cannot enter. If the tenant calls the police on you, they will explain to you why you are tresspassing and how the Housing Law doesn't mean you can force yourself into someone's home because you told them you would beforehand.

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