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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Landlord told us to take political poster down

465 replies

Thedriftofstars · 21/11/2017 13:56

We live in a nice rented house. Been here for three years, no problems whatsoever. We both work full time, have two DC. Just your average family and have never caused any problems! We take most minor maintenance on ourselves as well. Have yearly inspections from the letting agents, however last week after the inspection the LA told me the LL wanted to come inspect the property for himself.
So when he came round, he explained he wasn't happy with the Labour Party poster we have displayed in our front room window. DH and myself are both active in our local Labour Party, and do a lot of leafleting, etc, so are known by the neighbours as the go to people for involvement with the party.
The landlord said he doesn't want his house being used to promote politics, particularly when it's not something he supports himself. Confused
AIBU to think he has no right to tell us what we can and cannot display when we pay the rent? There is nothing in our tenancy agreement about it, and he is fine with us having photos, paintings and so on hanging on the walls, as well as letting us redecorate to our tastes!

OP posts:
ivykaty44 · 22/11/2017 22:37

Veto
Pizzadeath hasn’t read the thread, so doesn’t know that the tenancy agreement forbids pink knickers on the washing line or sex on a Sunday. Possibly Pizzadeath thinks that if there was something in the tenancy agreement about posters this would clarify the situation as it does with knickers and sex

caringcarer · 22/11/2017 22:45

It may not be in tenancy agreement but surely how the house looks from outside is ll business. I would not let my tenants put posters up in windows about any political party as it lowers curb appeal of house.

ivykaty44 · 22/11/2017 22:50

What you going to do next make sure they wear clothes you approve of for kerb appeal

NameChangedAndForgotOldName · 22/11/2017 23:03

It's part of my tenancy that I have to display political signs when it's time.
I have boards up in my garden etc.
Luckily it's the same party i support. (And you)
Is it in your tenancy that you can't?

DeleteOrDecay · 22/11/2017 23:43

‘Kerb appeal’Hmm

Psychofortruth · 23/11/2017 00:11

Hmm sounds like somebody doesn’t want to hear other parties opinions when they don’t match that of your own...

It sounds like you have already made up your mind on what your going to do...

Original poster
Thedriftofstars · 23/11/2017 00:27

Well the poster is still up, and my windows haven't been put through yet...

OP posts:
JanKind · 23/11/2017 03:01

He's not right but it is his property. Why would you not take it down? It's a small thing to get steamed up about and if you want to make things tricky that's fine but as you said you've had no problems so just go with the flow

Otterturk · 23/11/2017 03:03

Haven't RTFT but I would object to any of my tenants having Labour posters on show

Frillyhorseyknickers · 23/11/2017 03:35

I'm a landlord and I write into all my ASTs not to display political shit in my properties, I would serve notice on you if it were me - if you're on an AST he doesn't need a reason to terminate your tenancy.

I'm a land agent and it's a very standard clause in an AST so I am surprised it doesn't feature in your agreement.

Want2bSupermum · 23/11/2017 03:45

I have it in all my leases that no politics on windows or political meetings in the home. What you are not considering is how third parties would react. One home I rent out is in a very working class area with BNP and Britain First followers. These people supporting these groups are ex labor people and a sign in a window could result in something like a brick through the window.

I know you have said nothing in your lease but I'd double check because it's nearly always is.

Toadinthehole · 23/11/2017 03:47

I think freedom of expression is a big thing to get steamed up about myself. I think it's appalling if the law in the UK allows contractual terms forbidding a tenant from placing a political poster in their window.

It would be a gross infringement of political rights.

And how would it be the tenant's responsibility if someone put the window in? The logic seems to be that the tenant provoked it. What an offensive argument. The better conclusion is that the damage was not caused by the poster but by the perpetrator being a criminal arsehole and the landlord should pay for repairs if said arsehole can't be found. I would be equally appalled if any UK judge would say differently. I expect its all tax deductible anyway.

Want2bSupermum · 23/11/2017 03:58

toad The landlord is responsible for fixing the window. Also what if something worse happened as a result of a political poster in a window?

I have no problems with my tenants being invoked in any political party. I just don't want them putting up anything political on the property. They can go ahead and canvass, drop leaflets and speak up in the community if they want an active voice in politics.

Toadinthehole · 23/11/2017 04:33

toad The landlord is responsible for fixing the window. Also what if something worse happened as a result of a political poster in a window?

Such as what? Setting fire to the house? And if so, how precisely would that be the tenant's fault?

Victims of crimes aren't typically held responsible for them.

Huppopapa · 23/11/2017 04:55

MN never under-delivers in its capacity to astonish.

The European Convention on Human Rights protects the privacy of the individual, his home and his family. It is batshit crazy to suggest that a landlord has a general right to interfere with that because of any of the reasons given in this thread.

The property may belong to the landlord but it is not his home. It is the home of the OP and the law is firmly - nay unequivocally - on her side. It is irrelevant, but I too am a landlord and I would be prepared to defend the right of one of my tenants to use 'my' property to display a political poster that I found personally offensive. There is no right for people not to be offended. There is every right for a person to have freedom of expression right up to the point that they actually incite hatred or violence.

I have the gravest doubt that a condition in a tenancy agreement preventing the display of political posters is ECHR compliant but the lax tenancy protection laws in this country mean that the point is never going to be tested. As others have posted, this abominable landlord will simply evict the OP using the shorthand ground and so the appalling tolerance of political bullying and restriction on the rights of the individual on the basis of the ownership of property will continue.

ANYONE who has sided with the landlord in this thread should hang their heads in shame and wonder what sort of society they are creating for our children. As the well-known trope goes, all it takes for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing. If you do not defend the OP's right to (very mildly) display her political affiliation even if (as is vanishingly unlikely) she might become a victim of crime, then you are complicit in the advance of illiberal attempts at the suppression of freedom of expression and wider freedoms.

Finally, I just have to re-emphasise how totally, fucking sinister this scenario is. Huge numbers of posters have clearly expressed the view that the fact that a person has more money than another means that they acquire the right to suppress the expression of that other person's political opinion. Presumably each of those posters, if they earn less than their partners, will willingly submit to being told by them how to vote. The Handmaid's Tale is upon us, and apparently voluntarily.

I despair.

ivykaty44 · 23/11/2017 05:01

Hupopapa
Well said

Toadinthehole · 23/11/2017 05:09

Seconded.

Mummyoflittledragon · 23/11/2017 05:12

Very good post huppopapa. Also ll here as previously stated.

t8r8a8c8e8y8888 · 23/11/2017 06:38

if its his house and your only renting then he has a right to ask u to take the poster down he owns the house and you are tenants maybe he doesn't want political trouble in his house if its in our out of the tenancy agreement its still his house

Toadinthehole · 23/11/2017 07:06

What a highly informed and knowledgeable comment from t8r8a8c8e8y8888.

OuaisMaisBon · 23/11/2017 07:21

Thanks, Huppopapa. Particularly like the accurate use of the words batshit crazy in context Grin
But, because Brexit, probably.

Slarti · 23/11/2017 08:06

I have no problems with my tenants being invoked in any political party. I just don't want them putting up anything political on the property. They can go ahead and canvass, drop leaflets and speak up in the community if they want an active voice in politics.

Well I'm glad we've got your permission m'lady.

TheNaze73 · 23/11/2017 08:10

I see his point

Ceto · 23/11/2017 08:35

I'm completely bemused by all these people who think that putting a mainstream party poster up in your window will almost inevitably result in the window being broken. If that were the case, there would be thousands of broken windows at election time, but it just doesn't happen. OP's had her poster up since at least April and her window is apparently still intact. It's blatantly clear that this is in reality a poor excuse for trying to suppress political expression.

Slarti · 23/11/2017 08:37

Exactly Ceto, and since when has it been ok to put the onus on the (potential) victim to change their behaviour rather than the criminal?