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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Landlord and 2 men let themselves in?

182 replies

IHaveAToiletBrush · 10/02/2017 08:06

Ok, we are moving out shortly 28 Feb I gave them notice as we are buying but I still feel they crossed the line. I have had my suspicions that someone was in the house Monday as things had been moved and things taken down off walls like photos etc but I couldn't prove it was them. Yesterday I was home upstairs minding my own business heard men talking downstairs rang dh to do if it was him and no he was still at work. I was about to ring 999 as I thought it was burglars just as I dailed they cheerful burst through bedroom door. They were as shocked as to see me as I was them but they just carried on walking room the house and told me like a child to go wait in the kitchen until they had finished. What are my rights here? What the fuck do I do now, I know it is only 3 weeks left but surely I have the right to feel save in my own home and right now I just don't.

OP posts:
TiltedNewt · 10/02/2017 08:32

If you turn the key slightly from your side it should stop him being able to push your key out.

Original poster
IHaveAToiletBrush · 10/02/2017 08:35

Thanks for the tip about key will do that now.

OP posts:
WiMoChi · 10/02/2017 08:36

Hasn't £500 cash gone missing and some expensive jewellery?? 😉😉

SandyGEE12 · 10/02/2017 08:37

Yes call 101. This is a serious breach of your rights and privacy. I used to be a landlord. They are required to give you 24 hours notice (I think it's 24 hours, can't quite remember but def need to give you notice of entry.)

JustDanceAddict · 10/02/2017 08:38

Def against tenancy agreement.

Peanutbutterrules · 10/02/2017 08:41

Agree with all the others. Also can you put a chain on? I'd change the locks.

Mind you...I'd have gone batshit crazy at them.

ohtheholidays · 10/02/2017 08:42

That's bloody awful!

What did your DH say?and I can't understand why you didn't ring 999 when you got home and there were obvious signs that someone had been in your home whilst you weren't there,especially being as you have children.I'd be bloody livid!

I would ring 101 and tell them what's happened,your landlord is taking the piss and then to tell you where to stand like your a child and he's your parent.If you can get out of there any sooner I would.

scootinFun · 10/02/2017 08:44

Call CAB as deffo against the rules. I don't know if there is a tenancy bureau in the UK but if there is call them. I would also send an email reminding them that it is illegal to enter a rented property without 24 hours notice AND agreement from tenant (you). Also add that if anymore if your possessions are interfered with with will consider that your deposit will be returned intact as you have no control over the damage he and his employees may cause moving about the house. Add also that you have the right to quiet enjoyment and that viewings will be severely restricted unless he starts acting in a legal manner. Good luck!

TheMaddHugger · 10/02/2017 08:45

wont help for when you are out. but while you are at home, whack a Door Wedge under the doors.

It wont damage anything and is impossible to move from the other side

(((((((Hugs))))))) And Good Luck

Landlord and 2 men let themselves in?
limon · 10/02/2017 08:55

Yanbu. If this were me I'd write to him and I'd get a door chain on the door immediately

ADayGivingMeHope · 10/02/2017 08:59

Report him to the police IMMEDIATELY!!!!

I would have gone absolutely ape shit if our landlords did this and they are actually friends of ours.

Tell your landlord that under no circumstances is he to let himself into the house without 24 hour notice again!

I am gobsmacked!

Backt0Black · 10/02/2017 09:02

Won't help reporting

My landlord entered the property with a van load of employees and stole over £2k worth of possessions.

Police did interview him. He admitted he had the possessions taken from bedroom. But police will not get involved further as it's a 'civil matter' Three cheers for Durham Constabulary!

ChocolateWombat · 10/02/2017 09:07

Did you tell them at the time that you were shocked that they had entered your home unannounced and without notice and were in the wrong.

I would email landlord and be clear that you are shocked about what happened last night. Be clear that under no circumstances whilst your tenancy is still in action, should anyone enter without notice and without asking you first - this is regardless of whether you a in or not. Request that he acknowledges your right as the tenant to privacy and security by email and can guarantee that this will not happen again.

TBH, this sounds like an abusive landlord relationship. Not only has OP had her house invaded. But then been told to wait in the kitchen. The landlord sounds like he walked all over Op and she wasn't able to stand up for herself in the situation. It makes me worry whether there will be problems getting the deposit back too.
Definitely put something in writing and get a friend to do it for you if you can't do it. Start thinking now about the deposit return and if you are in any doubt about the process by which it will be returned or what is the approach to any dispute about this (due to no agent) I would get emailing about this now to seek clarification. And I would avoid paying the landlord any last rent if there is a risk of unfair treatment.

Mamagin · 10/02/2017 09:10

It is a civil matter, so under current law the police will be unable to do anything.
If in the Durham case above, there was no inventory, a dispute over ownership of the goods, or dispute over rent owed, it would be a civil matter, and again police would refer you to a civil lawyer.

fleuricle · 10/02/2017 09:14

There is a landlord in the area I live in who is notorious.
He insists on rent paid in cash to the rent collector.
Who calls at other than the pre-arranged time.
He then lets himself in, whether you are there or not, collects the cash (which you must leave on the kitchen table) and helps himself to anything else he fancies, including going through clothing drawers (undies etc).

He is well known and good friends with a couple of Councillors so behaves with impunity.

OP, turn your key slightly, get the door wedge.
Log it with 101 and the CAB.

My worry is that if he is behaving like this now, he might try to behave wrongly about your deposit.

Flowers for you. It's horrible not feeling safe in your own home.

Trunkisareshite · 10/02/2017 09:16

WTF?
Depending on how you feel you could write to the Landlord outlining your rights and refusing all access to the property until your tenancy ends.
Or
Carry on as you are allowing viewings and let all prospective tenants know what a monumental cock lodger LL is so no one rents the place, hide when he and his workmen enter you home and call the police and gleefully watch them be taken away.
If you're buying a place it's not like you need to worry about a reference so personally I'd be an utter dick back.

This is a situation that would benefit from a Jenny and Miss Jolly hotline!

stuckinreverse · 10/02/2017 09:19

as already stated they have broken the law, you would have been well within your rights to call the police while they were there. they were trespassing, do not put up with this harassment.

stuckinreverse · 10/02/2017 09:28

op worth a read www.propertyinvestmentproject.co.uk/blog/landlords-right-of-entry/

ZuzuMyLittleGingersnap · 10/02/2017 09:37

"This is a situation that would benefit from a Jenny and Miss Jolly hotline!"

Trunkis,

That was my very first thought, too... Wink

OP,

That's outrageous. Good luck with sorting something out via advice upthread.

Ineedacupofteadesperately · 10/02/2017 09:42

You could call Shelter for advice. Also I'd report your landlord to whoever you can (shelter, cab, the council housing officer) as what he's done is illegal and he'll likely continue to do this with the next tenants. As you're buying you're in a good position as not reliant on a reference for a next tenancy.

EnormousTiger · 10/02/2017 09:51

It is a civil matter as the property belongs to the landlord.
Does your tenancy allow you to put children's names on the doors (which the landlord recently took down)? Did you object when the landlord arrived in your bed room? We would never do this to tenants - not give notice of coming round. Did you check they had not sent an email or text in advance letting you know?

Ineedacupofteadesperately · 10/02/2017 10:01

It is a civil matter - and this is one of the problems with private renting. You should do whatever you need to do to (e.g. changing locks or moving out earlier) to protect yourself and your DC now (surely it's a safeguarding issue if you have DC and random men are just allowed in - volunteers at schools need CRB checks but this is ok?) but in the long term you should report him. I know a lot of the housing charities want registers of landlords who do illegal things set up but it's difficult to get tenants who need future references to report. One of many ways that private renters are shafted. Since you're buying you're not beholden to him once you leave and I'd aim for maximally shafting him given the way he's treated you.