To think my landlord is well and truly out of order and how do I deal with this?

[HickDead]

We rent a house from an older couple. We've rented from them for 5 years and they are OK but very penny pinching. About 4 years ago the washer broke and whilst they were moving the old one out and plumbing the new one in, they managed to rip the Lino in the kitchen. It was a total trip hazard and when I complained, he stuck it down with tape. We also had a leak (not our fault, the result of his DIY efforts) which went under the Lino and caused a black stain.

I have been asking for new flooring for nearly 4 years now after being quite frankly embarrassed at the state of the place and finally he has decided to tile the kitchen, utility room and downstairs bathroom. We told him we were going on holiday this week and he could have access from Monday to Thursday to redo the floors. We are back on Friday.

On Wednesday last week he contacted DH to say that he was doing the work himself and that wasn't enough time, could we vacate on Saturday instead. We have 3 DC and this is a big ask but arranged to stay with relatives from Saturday afternoon until we fly off on our break tonight. I grabbed enough for the weekend with the intention of returning today to pack our bags.

We returned this morning and could not get in as they had the key in the back of the door. When they eventually answered and we went in it became obvious that they had been staying in the house all weekend (sleeping bags, a bag of clothes and food belonging to them and they had the TV on and we're watching our Sky TV!). They also had their bloody dog with them! Our tenancy agreement expressly states that we are not allowed fucking pets!

They did not ask us permission for any of this. I am so upset, I feel violated, that is our home and all our belongings are there. I can't really express how bloody angry I'm feeling right now. I had a bit of a cry as I just felt really vulnerable and frustrated.

Anyway I want to email them (don't trust myself to ring them) and point out that they have crossed the line and how offended I feel. DH thinks I should stay quiet in case I rock the boat and they gives notice to leave. What do you all think?

What has their age got to do with any of this?

Things like this are reasons why a lot of LLs no longer provide appliances in rented properties.

If the washing machine had been yours and you had ripped the lino when you were putting your new one in you would have been responsible for repairing the damage.

and?? What point were you making that is relevant to the OP's situation? it wasn't OP's washer and she didn't rip the lino.

The dog thing is a complete and utter piss take. If you want a pet I'd be getting one now.

I'd contact CAB and see what they say. It is out of order, but off the top of my head I cant think of any specific legislation that they have broken as the situation is to totally bizarre. the legislation covers normal things that you would expect to happen like harassment, not your landlord being wierd or a twat.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/housing/renting-a-home/common-problems-with-renting/

I hope you took your sky card with you when you left

What point were you making that is relevant to the OP's situation?
None at all, never mind.

Regardless of the wrongs of this situation, if the OP makes a fuss about it wrongly she could find that next time the tenancy comes up for renewal the LL chooses not to renew it.

Although this is totally wrong it is a chance that she takes as it is unlikely that the new revenge eviction laws would apply in this case.

Thanks for all your replies, I'm so glad that you don't think I'm overreacting! As someone said I really can't believe it still as it is so bizarre! Just to clarify that they are in their sixties and very active. They go camping in their 2 man tent all over the UK and Europe, even in winter. They do have an aging hippy kind of vibe to them and are very laid back so that may effect their judgement shall we say.

We are saving for a deposit at the moment and have approx. Another 18 months to go. I don't want to rock the boat and have to move to another rented property but I can't not say anything, that's not me at all. It will fester and I will end up getting really resentful. Relations are fairly laid back and friendly so I was thinking of just sending an email letting them know our youngest has severe eczema (which she does) and many allergies and new ones seem to crop up regularly, so we are extremely concerned about the dog being in the house.

Also I went to point out that due to us having to vacate, the house was a mess and I felt really unhappy about people staying there, I felt them asking would have been more respectful. It's the respect angle I want to get over.

Also to add, our next door neighbour tipped us off about them staying there since Saturday with the dog. They saw us banging on the door and came out to see if we were OK. They really don't like our landlords as they had been warned about a dead tree in the garden which needed to come down. They ignored us and them until the tree came down in high winds, damaging the neighbours new shed. Our landlord refused to pay for damage and said he would fix up the shed, our neighbours sent a solicitors letter and he paid up sharpish!

Forgot to add does anyone want to help me draft a polite but firm email?

this is quite staggering!

Write, don't email. Keep a copy. Send with a proof of posting which is accepted as meaning they got it. (recorded delivery no good, they can refuse to sign for it)

Perhaps words to the effect of: (assuming that the work has actually been done)

• as you will appreciate, we have a right to quiet enjoyment of the property. This includes our right to choose who stays overnight, so as you can imagine we were surprised and upset to find that you had been staying at the property.
• we co-operated with you by vacating the property, which we did not have to do.
• we are not allowed pets under the terms of the lease, and would not want them anyway as we have an asthmatic in the house. Your dog was in the house.
• please arrange for a deep clean at your cost to remove all traces of the dog. While we understand that renovation work will use lighting and power, we would also appreciate some compensation for the extra utilities used during your overnight stays. (their TV watching has not actually cost you anything)
• please be reminded of our rights as tenants, and that you are not permitted to stay overnight in the property without our express permission.
• please respond with your arrangement for the deep clean within 'x' days of receipt of this letter. If we do not hear from you, we will take this as your agreement for us to get the clean done and to deduct the cost from the rent. We will have a receipt.

(you may want to check that last bit but the idea is to stop them ignoring you)

deposit protected? Gas safe ? (if there is gas) Are you on fixed term or rolling? If you want to stay, set up another fixed term.

So your LL's like to do it all on the cheap by the sounds of it. Tiling themselves, not using a management agent or staying in a hotel, refusing to do maintenance etc.

What would you want included in the letter? I'm pretty upset on your behalf so I'd want to word it strongly and ask for the reduction in rent payments and bill them for other costs. But that's just me. They probably don't want to go to the expense of getting new tenants and may be reluctant but agree to paying these costs in the end. Sure, you do run the risk of them giving notice on you. I would have a think about what are you hoping to achieve. I do think you need to discuss this with the CAB before you send the letter.

Forgot to add does anyone want to help me draft a polite but firm email?
Are you absolutely sure that you want to risk rocking the boat as you say?

I thinkspecialsubject email is bang on.Straight to the point without being snotty.

PersianCatLady they have to say something.If nothing else its covering their own back i,f when leaving they ll try and keep their deposit for something.

Good luck getting a penny out of them. Hell, they had to be threatened to repair a shed their negligence wrecked.

That is absolutely outrageous! They have no right what so ever to camp up in your house while your away - you can guarantee they had a good snoop about too.
I would write in the email that one of your children are very allergic to pet hair, even if its untrue. They have no right what so ever and I would be disgusted!
That's your bloody gas and electric they are using while your away! I would seek advice on this because this is shocking!

They have to say something
Right so I would suggest starting the e-mail off by thanking them for the long overdue repairs to the flooring.

Then I would mention how it was not on to stay there without asking or any sort of notification.

I mean the OP may well have not minded them staying over, if she had known about it.

I would definitely concentrate on the security aspect as for all the LL could have known a neighbour might have called the police thinking that they were elderly burglars.

I would also definitely make a big deal out of the dog being there especially because the OP isn't allowed pets. I would also mention the child's allergy issues and I would enquire to how regularly the dog is treated with flea control products.

If the dog has not been treated in the past month then the OP really needs to be asking for the house to be professionally sprayed with flea treatment.

Finally an issue that could be mentioned is the fact that the LLs were using the OP's gas and electric and it is only because (I presume)_ that the OP is not on a card meter that they didn't come home to no gas and electric.

Just a warning though whilst it is all good and well sending them an e-mail the OP might find that it causes trouble down the line.

I really don't want to be formal, I think that will be counter productive. I don't want recompense either, well maybe them pay for someone to clean the carpets (I wouldn't put it past them coming and doing it). They are laid back and I think they were genuinely shocked when our neighbours sent them a solicitors letter as it wouldn't occur to them not to try and fix something themselves first. They were pretty astounded that the neighbours were so angry about a tree falling on a shed.

I'm also annoyed as I've just treat myself to a brand new £250 wool rug for the living room where the dog was. I've been coveting it for ages and my lovely parents gave me the money for it as a treat as I've been really low with PND the last few months. This has really knocked me back actually, sorry for sounding pathetic.

As I said all I want to do is remind them that we deserve respect and even though it is their house, we rent it and have boundaries. Nothing too harsh but these things need saying.

Here is my bash at a letter...

Dear LL,

Now that I have got over the shock of finding you staying in our home, a few thoughts have come to my mind. I feel embarrassed about the messiness of the house. We had to vacate at quite short notice and I certainly didn't prepare for or expect uninvited over night guests! If I am honest I feel rather disappointed in the lack of respect you have shown to us by not giving us the chance to make the house 'guest ready' and I feel very awkward having you staying there surrounded by all of our personal possessions.
On another important note DC has an allergy to dog hair so we do not usually allow any animals in the house. It is essential that all carpets are thoroughly and professionally cleaned before we return. If you prefer I am happy to book a local cleaning company to do this and will explain to them that you will be paying them on completion of the service.

Best,

HickDead

Absolutely wrong and out of order. Totally inexcusable and intrusive.

I would be absolutely raging beyond belief.

my lovely parents gave me the money for it as a treat as I've been really low with PND the last few months...sorry for sounding pathetic
You don't sound pathetic at all.

I hope that you found some of my ideas helpful for your e-mail.

I think specialsubject's draft is spot on. The point is in the words "quiet enjoyment". I presume you have a written lease? The LL is obliged to leave you alone to have quiet enjoyment of the property. They have broken the contract of the lease by moving in for the weekend. They are in breach of the lease.

Don't send Goosewing's draft - it reads as though you would have done extra work in order that they could stay comfortably at YOUR house for the weekend! You wouldn't have done extra to get the house "guest ready" - unless you would have said yes if they'd requested that they stay (which I doubt).

This really is outrageous behaviour, and I think it needs to be stopped now. Don't ignore it, don't send a softly softly email. Write a proper letter, using proper legal terms and word it strongly. And definitely ask for the carpets and rug to be professionally cleaned. Not by them, by professionals.

Thanks for all the pointers will draft something later and come back and let you have look before I send it. Want to send it tonight so I can get on with my break. This was meant to be a relaxing break away as family after a tough few months but I'm letting this issue takeover my headspace. I'm going to send it then switch my phone off until Friday.

They were pretty astounded that the neighbours were so angry about a tree falling on a shed

It's bloody lucky that there was no-one in the shed at the time!

How did you get on OP? Did you email your LL?