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!

[Bluntness100]

It doesn’t matter if you or I think it’s reasonable. And for the record I think it’s daft. The mere fact is if he feels strongly enough about it he can either serve notice or refuse to renew with no reason required. Just as she can refuse to renew or serve notice because she doesn’t like his hair colour or dress sense. She doesn’t need a reason to refuse to renew and nor does he.

[mothertruck3r]

He's being totally unreasonable, you are paying rent for use of the property, not to be told what you can and can't do in it. I don't think he can make you take it down, especially as it is not in the contract. If he specifically evicts you because of it you might even be able to dispute it but he would probably just not renew your contract.

[thecatneuterer]

I'm a LL and I think he is being totally unreasonable and a bit of a twat.

[Lethaldrizzle]

your landlord is a tool - where does it end?, would you not be allowed to display the rainbow flag if he was anti-gay? a cross in the window if he didn't believe in religion?

[Needmoresleep]

Its simple really. The LL has asked, you don't want to comply, and so say no. He cannot force agreement unless there are specific restrictions in your tenancy agreement. It might well impact on your relationship, but as others suggest, there are lots of other positives in that relationship.

You don't know his political views, nor the reasons behind them. He probably does not know the same about you. On a personal level I am very tired of people posting on Fb as if Jeremy Corbyn is the new Messiah, implying that any views that do not fit in with the Labour Party narrative are racist/fascist/etc (delete as applicable). I would therefore be wary of tenant and/or neighbours who try to push their views on me, or more specifically are likely to judge me severely should I reveal views to them, that do not accord with theirs.

(One example is the friend who was happy to rant about the evilness of being a landlord, until she wanted to rent out her home so she could rent another in a preferred catchment, and then came to me for advice - my policy of not revealing my views meant she was not aware of how rude she had been, nor my thoughts on her inconsistency.)

[JonSnowsWife]

Cancel the cheque OP!

[ArcheryAnnie]

Why should only those privileged enough to own their homes have the right to display a political poster?

I own my own home - or I suppose the bank does, as I have a mortgage. It's in my tenancy agreement (leaseholder because it's a flat in a big block) that none of us display political posters. It's a stupid rule, whether it's for tenants or owners.

[JonSnowsWife]

Ah cross-posted with cherry

[Chrys2017]

I don't think you should have a poster up because it makes your neighbourhood look tacky and if it's okay for you why shouldn't the rest of the street do it?

For the same reason I don't like permanent estate agent signs up on rented properties, and in my area the latter have been banned by the council.

[The80sweregreat]

I would take it down personally - he is being unreasonable, but its still his property and although its not in the lease, he still has a say about things. You could ask the letting agent maybe? however, if you really piss him off he might want you out - is it worth that over aposter?
sometimes we just have to do things we dont; like and ' suck it up' as they say!

[LunasSpectreSpecs]

It's as weird as putting a One Direction poster in your window, or a poster of Benedict Cumberbatch. All you are achieving is signalling to people passing by that you are a fan of that particular group/person. NOBODY CARES. It is very odd and self-absorbed behaviour and I'd go as far to say not socially acceptable, unless you're a 18 year old with a Che Guevara poster, or in the 3 weeks before an election.

Grow up and take it down. Your neighbours will be very appreciative.

[Walkingtowork]

I actually think this is quite a big deal - people's right to political expression. As others have said it seems pretty Orwellian and a bit silencing. Maybe it should be protected in law somehow.

[GaryBarlowsTaxReturn]

Hi op. I used to be a letting agent. Even if your landlord had put in a clause about political posters it wouldn’t be enforceable. If he were to take you to court to evict you for your poster no judge in the land would let him get away with it. Lots of people talking absolute bullocks on this thread.

And why is a political poster ‘tacky’?!

[shatteredmama]

LL is taking the piss, just as the vast majority of them do in some shape or form. I'm with you OP, there's nothing in your contract about political posters so LL has absolutely no right to ask you to remove it. It's no different to him asking you change your curtains because he doesn't like them.

Sick of renters being treated so badly, we are lining LLs pockets and get treated like second class citizens.

Fucking landlords.

[Bluntness100]

LL and tenant certainly do have rights, but telling a tenant to remove a political poster isn't one of them. Yes, the LL can serve notice, but that is unrelated. They can't tell the tenant to remove display items, provided they are legal

But this is exactly what I’ve said. He doesn’t have the right to tell her if it’s not in the agreement, sure, no dispute, but if he feels strongly he has other rights, namely he can refuse to renew or serve notice depending on the tenancy agreement. He doesn’t need to give a reason or relate the two. He can simply say well fuck her don’t renew.

Is it stupid, yes, but it doesn’t change the facts he has other methods of getting the poster down if he so chooses.

[thecatneuterer]

Oh and from a legal point of view Garybarlow is spot on. There is nothing the LL can do except to not renew the tenancy when the fixed term comes to an end.

[bigmouthstrikesagain]

All this fuss about a perfectly legal poster showing support for an established political party which has elected mps and has won general elections? Seems very odd. I don't understand the fuss being made by the landlord or the posts from people who agree with him. If the poster was truly offensive or illegal or Tory discriminatory etc. then I could understand the landlord being troubled by it. But supporting political parties, being involved in politics and being open about your views should not be taboo or strange. Obviously politics can be an awkward discussion at dinner parties...

In this case though really people should have better and bigger things to complain about. it is petty. The land lord should wind his neck in

[FlowerPot1234]

Thedriftofstars

So your LL has asked you to take it down. And, as you say, if it's not in your tenancy agreement, he can't insist. Fair enough.

But then you write:

I've told him if he would like to amend the tenancy agreement to include no political parties, fine. Until I have it in writing, it will be staying up.

Oh. Other than the contractual change on paper, why are you fine with him asking in one way, and then taking it down, but not in another?

[reetgood]

The landlord can terminate the tenancy by giving notice or reduce the standard notice by issuing a section 21. If there was evidence he did that on the basis of disagreeing with a poster he’d be a) silly b) on shaky ground but it’d be difficult to prove anything. Still, i’d be inclined to call his bluff. If he wants the additional cost of voids and following through with a section 21 to evict regular paying over a poster because he has a different political view.... then perhaps you are best off not renting from him!

[BlackPeppercorn]

I'm a landlord, I also have no time at all for the Labour Party in their current form. But I'd defend your right to hang that poster. I once had a complaint from a neighbour that my tenants shouldn't be allowed to show the Brazilian flag during a World Cup! (But England had already been knocked out, what was the problem?)
Mind you, I'll never be a millionaire-type landlord...why, I even let the tenants have a dog.

[Lethaldrizzle]

Lunas I would have no problem with political posters or such like being displayed in my neighbours window - speak for yourself

[safariboot]

In my view YANBU.

We supposedly have freedom of expression in this country. I'd say landlords restricting what tenants may display in their own homes seriously infringes on that, even if it may be lawful for landlords to impose such restrictions.