Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not allow anyone to enter a property im paying rent on?

179 replies

BakerBear · 06/02/2018 15:54

We have been tenants in a property for 4.5 years. Never had any rent issues and never seen the landlady in all that time.

We have very recently purchased a house and we have now moved out of the rented one but i am still liable for the rent up until the end of this month as you have to give notice from the date your rent is due so i ve ended up with a big overlap.

The landlady has texted yesterday to ask if we have now moved out and can we now hand back the keys. I texted her back saying we were now in our new home and it would be great to hand the keys back so i could then get a reimbursement of the over paid rent.

She then replied that i could keep responsibilioty of the property until the end of the month as the new tenant wasnt moving in until after then anyway.

I thought this was a bit strange as the letting agency had told me that a new tenant was desperate to move in (landlady uses the find a tenant thing and then manages the property herself) so i then rang the letting agency this morning to ask if the tenant wanted to move in sooner only to be told the new tenant really wants to move in asap! The letting agency has received an email from the landlady saying the new tenant couldnt move in as i was refusing to give the keys back and she didnt want to refund me any rent!!!!!

The letting agency have said they need access to the property to do a EPC certificate as the current one has run out and i have told them under no circumstances must they or anyone else enter that property whilst im still paying the rent!

The letting agency was very funny with me and thought i was being unreasonable.

The rent for the new tenant is £75 a month more than what i was paying so the landlady will be better off refunding me and accept the higher rent from new tenants.

I cant understand this

OP posts:
TenancyTroublesAgain · 06/02/2018 16:36

It's not 2 months rent strictly, it's between 1-3x the deposit value, at the discretion of the court.

Bluelady · 06/02/2018 16:38

Any insurance issues are the landlady's problem.

starrysights · 06/02/2018 16:39

"It is a term of every competently drafted lease that the tenant has to give access to the property on reasonable (usually 24 or 48 hours' notice) in the final 2 months of the tenancy." - This is actually an illegal clause and so even if it IS in a contract, it isn't enforceable as contracts don't overwrite the law.

TheSnowFairy · 06/02/2018 16:40

You're being petty as fuck so she's playing you back at your own game

Er no, it's the other way round...

cornishmumtobe · 06/02/2018 16:41

YANBU

Eliza9917 · 06/02/2018 16:42

YANBU, the LL is being a cheeky bitch.

I'd be tempted to give the keys to squatters.

Tawdrylocalbrouhaha · 06/02/2018 16:46

I think you're both being a bit petty, but you're both within your rights to be so?

LightTripper · 06/02/2018 16:50

She is within her rights to expect the full rent, but you are within your rights to keep the keys until the last day.

Can't you split the difference? With our last rental we wanted to move out 3 weeks before the rental period ended. We gave the keys back early and she gave us some of the rent back which gave her a bit of a void period, but also a bit of double rent period (and we got more rent back than we would have done under the contract).

Seems like you can have a win-win here - and better for the new tenants too if they are desperate to move in. Otherwise you and the LL being mutually stubborn really hurts the new tenants more than anybody? E.g. you give the keys back 2 weeks early and you get 1 week's rent back. Everybody wins compared with the situation you are in now.

I totally get she is being annoying, but from her perspective you are being annoying too - there is a half way house here. Hopefully if you suggest it to the agents they can get the LL on side?

Jux · 06/02/2018 16:51

YANBU, and I say that as a LL myself.

Keep they keys keep checking the place as you do. Arrange for the EPC to be done on the last day for which you've paid rent, maybe hand the keys to the agent at 1 minute before closing that day, if you can.

Bluntness100 · 06/02/2018 16:56

I also think then landlady is being unreasonable here. I would allow them access for the epc when I was there though. The issue is you don't live there so how will you know she won't go in...

GwenStaceyRocks · 06/02/2018 17:02

You seem desperate to cause her to have rent-free days. You do know that if she takes a deposit and collects rent in advance then she'll already have collected money from the new tenant so you won't have caused her to lose income.
I wouldn't let them have general access when you're still responsible for the property but I would let them complete the EPC. If you still lived there, then you would be facilitating access for that.

Forgottencoffee · 06/02/2018 17:04

If I were you I’d go back and switch the boiler back on. It’s important to keep the heating on low this time of year, especially now the property is empty.

Godowneasy · 06/02/2018 17:07

Gwen- you miss the point. The LL wanted op's rent and to move in the new tenants- therefore double rent for the month!
Speaking as a LL myself, your landlady is a cheeky greedy fukker!

Have you emptied the water out of the taps/ pipes after turning the water off? It's pretty cold now and you don't need any burst pipes.

Springtrolls · 06/02/2018 17:10

The agents can do the check. With reasonable notice. Reasonable notice being the day the keys are handed back.

BabooshkaBabooshka · 06/02/2018 17:12

She probably wants access so she can change the locks. I don't think she is allowed to let another tenant in as long as your contract is valid and you are covering the rent. You could call Shelter the housing charity for advice? Has she been declaring the rent and paying tax? If not might be worth reporting her to HMRC (which you can do online anonymously)?

Pikehau · 06/02/2018 17:13

I have one property and your ll is being VU.

Keep the keys until you need to return them.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 06/02/2018 17:13

You seem desperate to cause her to have rent-free days No, the landlady is seeking double rent payments, which is illegal... which OP should bear in mind, just in case.

Springtrolls · 06/02/2018 17:16

How is the LL having rent-free days?

She has the rent for the vacant property and she has people lined up to move in as soon as the keys are handed over. The LL is causing herself problems. She could get the keys back now, refund the rent and have the new people move in.
Hopefully, the new people are signed and deposits are taken because they might decide to move elsewhere, which again is the LL's own damn fault.

Springtrolls · 06/02/2018 17:18

Do you live somewhere that tourists like to visit?
Have any friends/relatives who are always asking to come visit but no space. Now is the chance to have guests over Grin

theEagleIsLost · 06/02/2018 17:19

Are you sure there are no other keys?

I ask because I was moving and work messed me agreeing to pay for my accrued holiday then refusing wanting me in effect to work for free - I took the holiday.

I found the letting agents were just letting themselves in to show people round - I might get a quick phone call but whatever I said they still turned up. In ten days I had left there were multiple different attempts to access the flat and I don’t believe they hadn’t done this before when I wasn’t aware when I was at work.

I’m just wondering if it might happen anyway.

Mrsmadevans · 06/02/2018 17:20

OP I think your landlady is a mean woman YADNBU IMHO all power to you! Congrats on the new home too !

GwenStaceyRocks · 06/02/2018 17:23

The LL isn't necessarily seeking double-rent. When OP moves out, the LL might need to do some work in the property to make it suitable for the next tenant. The LL is wanting to minimise the time that the property is lying empty. That makes sense especially in cold weather when empty properties are more prone to burst pipes, etc.

captaincolic · 06/02/2018 17:24

Yanbu

The LL is being grabby. Check your property regularly in case the agents / LL have back up keys and hand them over to stranger.

Mrsmadevans · 06/02/2018 17:25

EPC certificate can be done in a visit and emailed to whoever while on the job it is nothing ! Just had one done for a house we sold.

MirandaWest · 06/02/2018 18:34

The landlord isn’t trying to minimise ten time the property is empty though. At the moment it is empty as the OP has moved out and the new tenant can’t move in until the keys have been handed back

If the landlord agreed to this happening sooner then the new tenant could move in sooner.