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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To refuse landlord inspection?

90 replies

purplefox · 27/10/2016 13:55

I've just been emailed by my landlord saying he wants to come and inspect my flat at 7pm tonight, giving 6 hours notice, not the 48 hours notice which is required. This isn't the first time they haven't given the required notice to visit and its really starting to piss me off that I'm supposed to drop everything and change my plans at a moments notice, especially as I have anxiety re. anyone being in my flat.

OP posts:
53rdAndBird · 27/10/2016 18:45

I win at Batshit Landlord Tidiness Expectations! One inspection in a flat I had years ago got the following things listed as examples of 'kept in unsatisfactory state':

  • small number of books in stack on living room floor next to armchair;
  • glass bottles in kitchen (clean, rinsed) awaiting recycling - the problem here was that Mrs Thingy from upstairs might be out in the garden, look through the window, and think we were alcoholics;
  • dining table had not been polished recently;
  • corner of rug in bathroom turned over (this was pointed out by almost-too-furious-to-speak landlord pointing at it and hissing "just LOOK at that! just LOOK!");
  • "wrong colour" bedsheets on one of the beds.

This was the landlord couple who thought it was totally reasonable to let themselves in to take a shower, though. Most landlords in my experience have been much saner (although I did once get a written warning from a letting agent for last night's dinner pans being left to soak by the sink).

carmenta · 27/10/2016 18:50

Soo: No, it's not, but that doesn't mean they won't try to impose those expectations on a tenant and realistically what can a tenant do

I know Sad
There are some landlords who absolutely take advantage and it can become very tenuous. At least re-letting usually means a vacancy period and most landlord are smart enough to know how bad an idea that is. But it would really help if there was better support for tenants to fight crazy landlords.

JenLindleyShitMom · 27/10/2016 19:27

wrong colour" bedsheets on one of the beds.

Shock

Let me guess, it was their home prior to letting it?

BowieFan · 27/10/2016 19:57

Just tell him you would prefer to have at least 24 hours notice.

If you let him get away with 6 hours notice, he might start trying to get away with other things as well.

Cherrysoup · 27/10/2016 20:05

53rdandBird

I am gobsmacked. What the hell, you sound like you've had some seriously batshit LLs!

53rdAndBird · 27/10/2016 20:17

Mainly just the one batshit middle-aged LL couple. But yup they were AWFUL. And they hadn't even lived there themselves! They originally bought it to rent out to their son, though, so I think they saw it as an extension of a teenage bedroom in their own house or something.

Trifleorbust · 27/10/2016 20:35

Jesus. I would be very very careful about letting these types of landlords into my home. At least several days notice (they can only actually let themselves in if they have had permission, excluding emergencies) and I would be explaining to them that the tidiness of my home was none of their business. Let them evict me - I bet they wouldn't.

PoldarksBreeches · 27/10/2016 20:47

Landlords do not have a right to enter for inspections. They can ask (minimum of 24 hours notice) but you can refuse and they can't do anything about it.
Any landlord who asks for a same day inspection in the evening is clearly an unreasonable dick who I would want to avoid at all costs.
I lost a flat because of messiness. Agents did an inspection without proper notice and I wasn't expecting them, flat was a mess and they bitched about my unwashed pots and messy floor in the report; 1 month later and we get section 21 notice on the basis that the landlord has decided she no longer wants to rent to families with children.

HelenaDove · 27/10/2016 21:44

Its not just private LLs either. There was a thread on the Chat board last year where a housing officer from an HA moaned at an 18 year old lad during an inspection for still being in bed at 10am.

He was working nights. That was why he was still in bed.

Original poster
purplefox · 01/11/2016 09:12

Clearly my landlord doesn't understand the concept of 24 hours notice, as he's now emailed today to say he's coming at 7, today.

OP posts:
Munstermonchgirl · 01/11/2016 09:18

Just email back and firmly but politely remind him of the agreed notice for inspection set out in your tenancy agreement.

You could refuse to allow the LL in at all, but if I were the LL and had a
Tenant refusing to cooperate with a reasonable reqest to inspect, then id be likely to serve notice

MonsterMaskettiBall · 01/11/2016 09:22

Yes just email him giving him some times and dates at least 24 hours in advance of your email and say "these times and dates are subject to 48 hours notice being given prior to you attending for the inspection"

PinkSwimGoggles · 01/11/2016 09:30

broken record: no it doesn't suit me, I need at least 24/48 hours (as per contract) to arrange for it. and you sure as hell should not agree for them to come when you are not there.

Shiningexample · 01/11/2016 09:44

if I were the LL and had a Tenant refusing to cooperate with a reasonable reqest to inspect, then id be likely to serve notice

Too right, if those ungrateful peasants don't toe the line then turf them out on the streets, they'll soon be doffing their caps again

specialsubject · 01/11/2016 10:13

You have rights , they have responsibilities. There isn't an actual legal minimum notice for inspection, although a tenant can refuse totally.

6 hours shows disorganisation, not your problem. Rearrange with a convenient date. I usually offer a tenant three dates two weeks in advance.

Tidiness is not an issue, property damage is an issue. So as long as airflow can get round the clutter, there isn't food waste to attract vermin and the place is not mouldy, that is all. The landlord also needs to check if any maintenance needed as not all tenants report or notice. Been there.

Refused inspections usually mean drug activity and will be followed by the obvious course of action. Good news for tenants is that no one will take any action even if rent unpaid and property being destroyed, the landlord has to wait months for the court process and can do nothing else. Yes, there will be a deposit claim and a ccj for costs, but the landlord will probably never see that money.

There you go, shining. Understand now?

Munstermonchgirl · 01/11/2016 10:25

Chip on shoulder much, shining?
Fwiw I wouldn't consider a tenant to be an 'ungrateful peasant', to use your terminology. I would however expect them to adhere to the terms of their agreement, and if they refused to cooperate with a perfectly polite, reasonably request, then yeap, I would serve notice.

Sonders · 01/11/2016 10:49

I agree with PPs, is your landlord normally this way?

I'd email back saying "Sorry to be a pain, but I'm really busy at the moment and I need 24 hours notice for a visit, during reasonable hours, which is the absolute minimum required by law anyway. How about we say 7pm tomorrow? I'd prefer a visit during daytime hours but am willing to compromise."

MackerelOfFact · 01/11/2016 11:19

"Sorry, I am hosting an initiation ceremony for my Satanist group tonight at 7. You are welcome to conduct the inspection during this time if you wish to be our newest recruit, but otherwise I would advise you to stay away. Far away."

Original poster
purplefox · 01/11/2016 11:25

Normally he gives weeks of notice for inspections, and I very rarely hear from him, gas/boiler inspections have always been very last minute/night before but I've always let the gas guy in for those without disputing the notice. I'm rather paranoid as this is exactly three months until the end of my lease he's coming here to give notice of it not being renewed so probably going to let him come regardless of the lack of notice just to get it over with.

OP posts:
PinkSwimGoggles · 01/11/2016 11:28

the landlord cannot not renew. they would need to serve the correct notice at least 2 months prior.

Mirandawest · 01/11/2016 11:36

For the people who think that inspections are just cosy little chats, when I was renting a house through my previous letting agent, it was nothing like that. House had to be immaculate. I received letters telling me about how my cupboards were too untidy (I wasn't able to be at that inspection - never again), that I needed to use a feather duster more regularly and that there was some limescale. I was reminded of how this was the landlords house and that it had to be kept clean and tidy at all times.
Once one of the letting agents ran her finger over the top of the door in one of the rooms. There was no way I could have had an inspection with a few hours notice - I have no idea what would have happened if the house had been "lived in" rather than as near show room immaculate as I could make it.

Becca19962014 · 01/11/2016 11:41

My inspections have never been cosy chats either. I had noticed served once for not doing washing up and my bathroom towel being on the floor - the LL described it as disgusting. Notice wasn't even legal!

I dread inspections. After recent problems I've had with them even more so sympathise.

Becca19962014 · 01/11/2016 11:43

Washing up = that mornings cereal bowl!

dingdongdigeridoo · 01/11/2016 12:02

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has dealt with batshit inspections! Our old agents told the LL that we were keeping the property in 'poor condition' because they came round at 8am, and I hadn't made one of the beds. Also, there was some condensation inside one of the windows which I hadn't had time to wipe that morning. Of course, if they'd replaced the ancient bloody single glazing, I might not have that issue.

I also used an agency who were utterly obsessed with the garden. We mowed the lawn every couple of weeks and trimmed back the hedges, but it was never good enough. We'd always get told off like naughty children for not keeping the garden in immaculate condition. That was a temporary let for a couple of years while the owners lived away, so they expected to come back to the perfect garden. Didn't get all our deposit back on that place.

I have a nice private landlord now who doesn't even bother doing inspections. It's blissful!

specialsubject · 01/11/2016 12:23

remember that agencies are totally unregulated (unlike landlords) and do not need any knowledge of the business. That is why it is quite important for tenants to be informed about their rights.

I've had a couple of big-name agencies in the past who were useless. That said, I doubt they upset the tenants with inspections as they kept 'forgetting to do them. The examples on here are ridiculous, it is a pity that the endless anti-landlord government campaign doesn't address this kind of obvious issue. It would not be hard to specify an agenda for an inspection, what needs to be dealt with and what is entirely up to the tenant. Then those landlords/agencies too stupid to use common sense would have no excuse, and tenants would know where they stood.

It would also be good to legislate the notice required for access, and the reasons that it can be refused. There are many other things that want sorting, and would benefit both landlords and tenants - but no chance.