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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think this was an outrageous request from our landlord and to be a bit suspicious?

398 replies

pinkowl · 14/09/2017 09:24

We rent our house and have been here for 3 years, so it is very much our home.

Some background. The landlords aren't buy to lets, they inherited this house and we are the first tenants. Before letting they completely refurbished the property - new bathrooms, kitchens, windows, carpets, roof extension, the lot. They did it themselves to a high standard and it's lovely. I can imagine that they're proud of it (relevant)

We have a good relationship with them. They're not local but come down to see family sometimes and tend to use the opportunity to do any maintenance that needs doing. Recently they've been sprucing up the exterior.

Onto the outrageous request! She text me yesterday and explained that she was coming down with a girlfriend who knew the house as it was before, and would love to see what it looks like now. And could they come round today so the friend could have a look round the house.

I feel pretty disgruntled. This is our home and of course I don't want a complete stranger traipsing around looking at it out of curiosity. Surely as a landlord once a property has tenants, you leave them be unless there's a real reason. We have annual inspections with the leggings agency which is bad enough, but obviously accept as being part and parcel of renting.

I also feel a bit paranoid. It seems such an unreasonable thing to even ask that I'm concerned there could be an ulterior motive. Perhaps the friend is an estate agent who could cast an informal eye. I'd like to think that if they had plans to sell that they'd be upfront, but you never know.

They do have photos of the house as they were used in the original advert - can't they just show the friend those?! Why would the friend herself want to impose upon strangers in their home?!

I politely replied that it wasn't convenient today. But should I be concerned?

OP posts:
existentialmoment · 15/09/2017 10:58

I am just stating the fact that the owner of the property is perfectly entitled not to keep renting to them

You know not everyone is in Englan/Wales, yes?

Original poster
pinkowl · 15/09/2017 11:00

Call it your home if you want, but you are still not entitled to redecorate (in most cases)

I've never lived anywhere that hasn't allowed me to redecorate or put up pictures, shelves. I would find it very unusual to not be allowed to

OP posts:
DeleteOrDecay · 15/09/2017 11:01

Because it seems like you are stating the obvious in a bid to put tenants in their place. There is no need, like you say it's bloody obvious, tenants are painfully aware of their circumstances and what they can and can't do.

And fwiw every rental we've lived in has allowed us to redecorate. Not all landlords are draconian control freaks.

You earlier comment about renting being like booking a hotel room but for longer hasn't helped matters either. Stop being goady.

expatinscotland · 15/09/2017 11:02

Holy shit, we've been doing it wrong! Hell, I treat self-catering places we hire for a week like 'home', unpack, spread out, as one friend says, 'I paid for the hire of the space, now I'm gonna use it to the max.'

I think these break clauses in private tenancies are a chief source of the problems with private letting. There's already law in place for tenants who don't pay rent or breach the tenancy agreement, but the get outs for people who want to sell up, move their friend in, etc is the reason a lot of people who probably shouldn't be landlords end up so.

A property should never be a very liquid commodity or asset.

coddiwomple · 15/09/2017 11:03

I rented flats in mainland Europe and in London, and all of them were very strict about not redecorating or putting up things on the wall. Not saying it's the case everywhere, but things had to be in exactly the same condition. People got in all sorts of arguments after putting pictures, filling the holes and repainted before living.

existentialmoment · 15/09/2017 11:04

Call it your home if you want, but you are still not entitled to redecorate (in most cases)

I've painted the whole house and changed most of the furniture Smile

Original poster
pinkowl · 15/09/2017 11:05

Were they furnished or part furnished flats? I've only ever rented unfurnished and there's never been a problem

OP posts:
Sunnyshores · 15/09/2017 11:06

As a Ll I am in favour of longer term contracts (to good tenants), but the law should make tenants stay long term too. Or can they still leave whenever they want (sometimes even within the initial 6 months fix) Hmm

Creating a better renting environment isnt all about legislating, penalising or incentivising Lls.

coddiwomple · 15/09/2017 11:07

You earlier comment about renting being like booking a hotel room but for longer hasn't helped matters either. Stop being goady.

sorry, should have said holiday let or self-catering maybe.
I don't know anyone who goes in a holiday let and starts to rip off the floor and replace it, remodel the bathrooms, knock down a wall to make a room bigger, change the windows, fill in the pond, and so on. Hmm
Maybe we go on different kind of holidays Grin

coddiwomple · 15/09/2017 11:08

pinkowl both, they were furnished in Europe, unfurnished in London. (it wasn't that many though!)

expatinscotland · 15/09/2017 11:11

'I rented flats in mainland Europe and in London, and all of them were very strict about not redecorating or putting up things on the wall. Not saying it's the case everywhere, but things had to be in exactly the same condition. People got in all sorts of arguments after putting pictures, filling the holes and repainted before living.'

Where in Europe? All the ones I rented, you could redecorate, you just had to make sure it was all back to what it was like when you took it on at the end of your tenancy unless you had written permission from the LL. Hmm

Original poster
pinkowl · 15/09/2017 11:12

That is unusual ime but I've never rented in London

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 15/09/2017 11:13

'I don't know anyone who goes in a holiday let and starts to rip off the floor and replace it, remodel the bathrooms, knock down a wall to make a room bigger, change the windows, fill in the pond, and so on. hmm'

Now you're just being goady. Few to no renters are going to make changes that cost them the amount of money a new bathroom or windows is going to cost and you know that, too. Hmm Because that's part of the deal, the LL takes on big costs like that.

Nice try at a PA dig at the OP about holidays, too.

plantsitter · 15/09/2017 11:13

Nobody said you should be able to do all that stuff.

I've lived in flats where you couldn't decorate or even put pictures up, but I didn't stay long for that reason. Landlord lost a good tenant as a result.

The best landlord I ever had was a big company who owned lots of flats in London. They understood that the flat was my home and fixed things quickly and responded to requests in a very professional and non-emotional way, giving reasons why if we couldn't do things. They always did a re-paint when a tenant moved out as a matter of course so they didn't have to be fussy about the decor etc.

While we were always aware it wasn't our property, it was very much our home.

beingsunny · 15/09/2017 11:17

I'm my landlady did this, I've been here four years, the apartment was gifted to them by his parents.

She did the full Reno on the place and when they were InTown she asked if they could pop in and let her DH see how it looked now,

I had no problem, they turned up one Friday evening and stayed around ten minutes, she was just proud of her hard work.

DeleteOrDecay · 15/09/2017 11:24

I don't know anyone who goes in a holiday let and starts to rip off the floor and replace it, remodel the bathrooms, knock down a wall to make a room bigger, change the windows, fill in the pond, and so on.

Wtf? How many tenants do you know who would go to such lengths and expense to decorate a home they don't actually own?

Most tenants just do a lick of paint and are done with it, occasionally they might put a new carpet on the stairs or something. No one in their right mind would remodel the bathroom, that's the LL's job.

Stupid comparison...

everythingsucks · 15/09/2017 11:40

Thank you for your ideas. I don't want to start viewings now, I didn't think it would happen until the new year. I wanted an accurate (as possible) idea of the price so I can start negotiations with my husband.

If we have to wait until the new year, so be it.
Fwiw I would always welcome longer tenancies. Each tenant change is costly and a hassle. Once good tenants are in I am happy for them to stay long term.

I supported their challenges regarding cost of contract renewal too. I was very surprised to hear that we were both charged £200 for a new photocopy of the contract. And that they were charged a check in/out fee. I usually did it but there were a few times I couldn't (heavily pregnant) so I paid the, frankly extortionate, charges for the letting company to do it. I couldn't believe when I found out that they charged the tenant too. That is a huge rip off.

coddiwomple · 15/09/2017 12:16

Nice try at a PA dig at the OP about holidays, too

huh?!? You are the one who mentioned your holiday lets expatinscotland and I was replying to you!

I see you are only here for to be goady and have a fight, well have a nice day Smile

expatinscotland · 15/09/2017 12:46

LOL @ my being the goady one. Nice try. Sure you were replying to me, hence, why you put my name in the post . . . Hmm. I'm having a lovely day indeed.

Sparklyglitter · 15/09/2017 17:34

A landlord only has to give 24 hours notice to come into the property so is being perfectly reasonable. In fact if I were the landlord and you refused without good reason I would wonder what you had to hide!
In the first house I owned someone knocked on our door (so no notice at all) and said they were over from Australia and used to live in our house when they were little and could they come in, we said yes and they were incredibly grateful and I thought it was really sweet xxx

Original poster
pinkowl · 15/09/2017 17:37

A landlord only has to give 24 hours notice to come into the property so is being perfectly reasonable.

Absolute bollocks. A LL has no right to come into the property for any reason other than an emergency. Do you really think they just have to give 24 hours notice and can bring over whoever they want into their tenants' home?!

OP posts:
bbcessex · 15/09/2017 17:38

You are completely incorrect Sparkly and a court would take a dim view of that if ever needed to be (e.g.) eviction proceedings.

forceslover · 15/09/2017 17:39

I can't believe that landlords won't let you put up pictures, mirrors, hooks etc. Very draconian. I'd hate that, if you rent and cannot decorate how else do you make it a home!

user1486204288 · 15/09/2017 17:43

I am trying to move away from cynicism - it is not life enhancing - BUT when it comes to £££'s people CHANGE! I have just been chucked out of a rental in Bristol after just 6 months cos the house next door went for zillions. Renting sucks - it's the very sharp end of capitalism.

tissuesosoft · 15/09/2017 17:49

We rent and we can't put up picture hooks, shelves, redecorate, put up decals on the wall in DD's room etc.