Landlord told us to take political poster down

[Thedriftofstars]

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.
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!

[Rebeccaslicker]

Ceto - it was poor advice generally. Your post seemed to ignore the s21 route and assume that any landlord would need to prove a breach. May not be what you meant, but I wanted to make sure it was clear not only for the OP but anyone renting. Unless you have an assured or a rent act tenancy, the landlord doesn't need to prove a breach at the end of the term. That is what most landlords would do commercially unless there's a really clear breach - e.g. if it's a flat and the head landlord has complained - wait until the end of the term and then not renew.

[Rebeccaslicker]

Although as the OP says they've been there 3 years, the chances are it is a periodic tenancy or it's coming to the end of its third fixed term!

[caringcarer]

The fact it is a mainstream party is irrelevant. I would treat all political party posters or posters about religion or abortion the same. I would however allow them to put up in house but not on window.

[manicmij]

Landlord may be concerned about non-labour supporter reaction. There are nutters out there who will target those who display political leanings and his property may be damaged. As you say everyone in area knows your politics why do you need a sticker/poster on window. IMO those things are tacky no matter which party.

[Slarti]

caringcarer it isn't for you to allow or disallow a person's freedom of expression. You are their peer, not their master.

[Slarti]

manic could you give some stats to show that that's an actual risk rather than a made up one, and could you also explain why the victim would be required to stay silent to avoid attacks?

[hula008]

Most tenancies have a clause regarding posters etc in windows.

[RhiannonOHara]

hula, are you having a laugh or have you just not bothered reading properly?

[DeleteOrDecay]

f its his house and your only renting then he has a right to ask u to take the poster down

No they don’t, see Huppopapa’s post above.

And ‘only’ renting, nice people who rent aren’t second class citizens you know.

Landlords can’t put what ever they want in a tenancy and expect it to be legally enforceable. That would be ridiculous.

[OVienna]

This is a very interesting question. I wouldn't want a poster of Trump or Farage or the BNP etc up in a window of a property I owned. So, I would be tempted to put a clause in the contract just for that reason (we are not LL.) You can't guarantee anyone is going to share your views but you can't object when they don't, I don't believe, in the way your LL has. I think in the absence of a contract, he doesn't have a leg to stand on. If it were me I would remove it but that's just me.

[specialsubject]

I cannot see that any of these purported contract clauses are enforceable. Waste of time.

As I said, be grateful if rent is paid, problems reported, property cleaned and returned with only wear and tear.

[Rebeccaslicker]

Special - they might not be practically enforceable, but lots of people won't know that and might abide by it because it's in the lease. Hence the landlord might think it's worth a shot at putting it in there!

[specialsubject]

I suppose.... It is clear from here that many are clueless about tenant rights.

A poster in a window may make the occupant look a bit daft but doesn't damage the property beyond a couple of blue tak marks.

[ringle]

apologies if this has already been mentioned but....


laws in this country are ultimately made by Parliament.

Parliament consists exclusively of people who want their political poster put up in windows.

This might be helpful to think about.....

[Want2bSupermum]

toad Damage to the property is the responsibility of the LL and not the tenant. If the home was subject to arson because of a a nutter the LL would be left in a terrible position and the tenant homeless. The OP has the poster of a mainstream political party but what if it wasn't a mainstream party?

slarti Oh do fuck off. My point is that if you want to advertise your political leanings there are plenty of other ways which are far more effective. I am involved in local political campaigns. I've never put a poster up in my window. What I think is more effective is talking to people about the election and the candidate I'm campaigning for.

[ThymeLord]

My blood pressure can't usually take these kinds of threads so thank heavens for Huppopapa and that fantastic post. Notable mention to specialsubject who is often the lone voice of reason

I always hope that this is just a MN thing and that people don't really have such shitty opinions on tenants. Sadly, I don't think it is exclusive to MN.

[ThymeLord]

Special - they might not be practically enforceable, but lots of people won't know that and might abide by it because it's in the lease. Hence the landlord might think it's worth a shot at putting it in there!

and this is a real problem. Far too many people are completely unaware of renters rights and simply think that something written into a tenancy agreement is thereby written in stone. I could write "tenant not to eat cheese on a Wednesday" in a TA. It clearly wouldn't be enforceable. 18 pages of ill-informed people spouting their incorrect 'advice'.

[tiptopteepe]

wow this thread has been an eye opener!! Some people have some really strange ideas. I agree with PP saying that its incredibly worrying the amount of posters who seem to think that owning property gives you the right to control peoples legal freedom of expression. Id understand if it was causing damage to the property but an a4 poster in the window... ?! The people you rent to are human beings you know.... what next, are you going to be coming round and telling them what art they can have hung on the walls? Dont wear a Corbyn T shirt on the front lawn whatever you do!

[Rebeccaslicker]

To be fair, nobody should ever wear a Corbyn t shirt. It would be made of hair and smell of fusty old beard!

Absolutely right special - that's why i think these threads can be useful as people who might not have known their rights might find out something helpful.

[tiptopteepe]

and as far as im aware from brief googling it does seem that even when its in your contract its not actually legal to force you to remove a poster because of political content. You can be forced to remove a poster because its damaging wallpaper or surfaces but not because of its content. If a landlord tried to evict you for the content of a poster you had up that would be illegal unless the poster was in some way breaking a law (advertising prostitution, promoting violence/hate crime, pornographic and in public view etc etc)

[usernamealreadytaken]

OP - cancel the cheque.

Sorry, I am going to be that pedant who is glad that mojo isn't my lawyer, when she doesn't know her 'your' from her 'you're', and even manages to misquote with the wrong one...

wheresmymojo - You're tenancy agreement

user1465893880 - …”So am I and you're wrong.”

wheresmymojo - why you believe I'm wrong other than just saying 'your wrong'?

[lildevon]

If they are just there whilst a local campaign is going on I think it's none of his business! If it's there all the time though tbh that's a bit odd, we had a house near us which had UKIP posters up constantly and apart from the fact it's UKIP it's strange

[DeleteOrDecay]

It may be odd but it’s still non of the LL’s business.

[Slarti]

slarti Oh do fuck off. My point is that if you want to advertise your political leanings there are plenty of other ways which are far more effective. I am involved in local political campaigns. I've never put a poster up in my window. What I think is more effective is talking to people about the election and the candidate I'm campaigning for.

How about you fuck off yourself. What you think is more effective is neither here nor there, and it wasn't your point at all so drop the pretence. What you said was:

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.

Meaning, as a LL you give permission for some activities but not for putting posters up. As such you clearly think your status as LL elevates you to position of master over your tenants and can withdraw their rights as you see fit. You're not advising your tenants what will be more effective, as you now try to claim, you're banning them from political expression you personally disagree with.

[8lyndyloo]

WHO THE HELL CARES.......