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

[pinkowl]

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?

I can see why you are unhappy, but I think it's highly likely your LL just wants to brag a bit about her mad skillz at interior do-ups. You're totally within your rights to refuse.

Bit of a non issue really

It's not quite a non issue if you're worried that it's the precursor to having to leave your home!

She has said before that she sees us as "friend tenants". Of course we're not actual friends, we just have pleasant conversations when we see them. Hopefully it is just a case of this and the boundaries getting blurred for her.

That's really really silly. We own a rental property, we actually used to live in it ourselves, and while I've become friends with one set of tenants since they moved out, we kept it on a very professional level when they were actually living there - it was kind of an unspoken agreement but it was the right one. You don't want to be friends with your tenants in case of disagreements, it's just not a good idea.

I would NEVER ask my tenants something like this OP. In fact, during the last tenancy, which lasted 2.5 years, even I was in the house only twice, once to have a look at what needed to be done when they moved out and once to talk to someone fitting something.

She asked, you said no. It is hardly an outrageous request. Neither of you WBU.

she's not an 'absolute stranger' she is a friend of your quite frankly amazing sounding landlord.

If you can't handle a polite request from an amazing landlord then buy!!

Genuine question Greenbucket, why are you describing OP's landlord as "amazing"? It's good that she's pleasant and that she refurbished the house before OP moved in, but doesn't that just make her a decent LL? What am I missing?

Jeez what a can of worms the request has opened up.

Op, I think I would trust your LL to just be wanting to show her friend the house though I can well understand why others think she has an anterior motive.

I would have let her friend see the house - and not just because 3 months ago I took my children to see the house I'd grown up in ( I left the Uk decades ago) and the owner came out to speak to us out of curiosity. He then invited us in. They weren't the people who had bought from my parents and they really enjoyed hearing about how the house was previously and they enjoyed showing us all the original features they'd keep. I was even able to tell them who'd lived in the other houses around them and it turned out they knew some of the descendants of the neighbours from 40 odd years ago. We spent a really nice afternoon with them we chatted for so long.

@existentialmoment

Notice my next sentence: you're perfectly entitled to say yes or no.

And OP you did post this question in AIBU so expect answers that go against your own thinking. If you're that worried ask an innocent question about signing next year's tenancy document and see what the landlord says then gauge the situation. No use sitting around wondering what the landlord could be planning and getting worried over it

Mmzz, I think the people who wanted to look around your property might well have been potential burglars trying to look round to see what was worth stealing in the house and how to get inside.

Much easier if you know the layout.

@FiveBoys, that's different though, you were invited into their home.

The landlord here is doing something a bit different which smacks of her not really thinking of the property as the OP's home but her being a short-term resident. It's not on. I get why she's uncomfortable with it. If the old owners of our house showed up I'd totally let them in - it would be quite fun - but I'd never suggest it to the tenants in our rental property.

I had this.

"Friend" was sizing up where to put her furniture.

Got my notice to quit a couple of months later with a "generous" extra month which gave me a total warning of 3 months to find a new place and move.

Start househunting OP.

If you have any savings you could offer to pay ahead as many months as you can to escape the rolling contract insecurity - if they won't take it you know why.

magicalrealist I agree.

Our landlords are definitely decent and we are lucky. But I'm pretty certain the fact they renovated before letting was to maximise the rent they could ask for! Not because they're amazing.

Arguably an "amazing" landlord would not expect it to be ok to take their friends to have a nosy round their tenants home. They'd know the boundaries respect their right to quiet enjoyment.

I think it's sad that people over react so much.
The landlord asked nicely, you declined as you were entitled to. End of the story. She asked once in 3 years! I am afraid it is the landlord's house, there's a reason why they kept it when they could have sold. They hardly sound pushy or unreasonable, again it's once in 3 years!

Maybe they are thinking about selling, but I doubt they would need to lie and keep it a secret. Unless it's a very unusual property, they can have a rough price guide without the estate agent even setting foot in the place.

The landlords sound like reasonable and pleasant people.Why being so negative when all they have done is ask a perfectly reasonable question, you replied "no", end of. They could have pretended to come for an inspection, or to do some maintenance.

coddi OP is understandably nervous. It doesn't take a HUGE amount of imagination to try to see her point.

When you rent, you're PAINFULLY aware that your home is not yours at all and you and your children could be asked to leave with 2 months notice at any time.

As a result, renters get defensive.

Small wonder.

I have a rental property and I do think it's a cheek. It makes no difference whether the property holds memories or whatever - if they're renting it out they should be professional about it.

Yanbu. We have inspections every 3 months! Its horrible. And the landlord checks twice a year. If it wasnt for school and the lack of rental properties i would move for this alone

Yes I think it's different when you've had experience of being given two months' notice to find somewhere else with your children who are at school etc.

You feel very vulnerable. And the truth is people generally look out for themselves, however nice they seem.

If I was a landlord reading this thread, and see someone reacting in such a way to a simple question (regardless of the answer, it's fine to say no), I would be very tempted to get new tenants. It's a worry when people start to think it's their home, and soon feel entitled to make changes, redecorate etc. because they think it's theirs. A rental is like a hotel after all, you just stay longer.

It's a worry when people start to think it's their home

Exactly Mrs.

This is a beautiful house. It's also a 2 min walk from the school and a 5 min walk from my parents. We haven't had a rent increase in 3 years. It's the only house DD can really remember. We really fell on our feet with this place and I doubt we'd find anywhere else as good.

I do feel vulnerable and so it's not as easy as just thinking I said no, end of story.

Are you a landlord Coddiwomple?

Only it is their home.

All the posters who are not tenants just imagine for one moment getting a letter through the door telling you that in just 8 weeks time you have to have relocated your entire family and worldy goods or face court proceedings.

That means paying moving costs, storage costs, fees, a new deposit (with no guarantee of the current one being refunded), utility contract cancellation fees or switch over costs, etc etc. Moving costs a lot of money as a renter and usually people are renting in the first place because they don't have a lot of money. Oh and they may have to do it all again in six months if the landlord decides they want to boost profits or budgets badly and has to sell.

Rolling contracts after the initial six months are a terrible situation for tenants and a longer term contract obligation would be fairer and less exploitive all round.

OP have you asked for a long contract?

coddiwomple
I am a landlord in a similar situation, and I think the landlord is being totally unreasonable. It isn't a relationship of equals. The tenant wants to keep in with the landlord, to avoid being given notice. It is the tenant's home, because she is living there. A hotel is not a home.

I disagree, the landlord sound like nice people, who made a simple request, and the tenant refused as they were perfectly entitled to. They could start putting the rent up every year for a start, if they wanted to keep it "professional". I don't think it was unreasonable to say no, but that it is to make such a mountain out of nothing.

Your LL is lying.

she's up to something.