to kick off at the letting agency?

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I handed in my one month notice on my rental property, my last date is the beginning of March.
I am currently in the Middle East for work, so am not in the property but it is still full of my stuff - including lots of personal items and the equipment I use to run my business.
My mother visits the property daily to post out orders for me whilst I'm away.
The letting agency are aware that I'm in the Middle East.

I've just found out that they've been doing viewings at the property without giving me any prior notice (and they've put a To Let sign in the garden, though I'm not sure if they have to tell me about that). Gave my mother an awful fright when she was at my house and people let themselves in!

From my understanding, the agency/landlord have to by law give me a minimum of 24 hours notice to enter the property - and I have a right to decline.

As I say, the house is packed full of my personal belongings many of which are valuable - AIBU to be really cross that the agency have taken advantage of me being abroad and skipped the legalities?
Until the 9th March, the property is still my home.

For context, the agency are pretty crap and have been crap the whole time I've lived there.

You're absolutely right. Especially as your mother could let them in. I hate letting agents.

That's totally unacceptable. You need to lay into them something bad op and if I was you I wouldn't allow any more viewings.

It's your home at the end of the day. Letting agents are arseholes.

That's absolutely disgraceful and illegal.

I'd inform them that there will be no more viewings until your tenancy is up.

I sent them an email and they responded very quickly extremely apologetic and blaming a trainee .

I've emailed telling them that I left the house in a hurry for the new job so its too messy for viewings anyway. (Obviously it'll be clear for the end of my tenancy).

I'm not sure what else I can do. I'm pretty miffed!

I know others on here will disagree, but it is likely that the contract you signed will allow viewings in the last 8 weeks. They should let you know in advance, though.

Can you run a business from the property, do the letting agents know that? They are certainly quick off the mark with viewers considering it must be a week or less since you gave notice.

Though knowing my mother she's spring cleaned the place since I left.

CotswoldStrife yes, the business thing is prechecked, insured and fine in the property.

This house is SHIT so I imagine they are trying to get viewings asap as it's so hard to shift. It was on the market for ages before gubbins here took it up in desperation.

Even if a contract says you must allow viewings, they can't enforce it. You have the right to refuse all viewings if you wanted. The best compromise though is usually to agree one set time and day a week when you can have someone there too.

Yes they have to give you 24 hours WRITTEN notice if they want to come round. Even if they have a bit about doing viewings in the lease they still can't come round whenever they feel like it. It's a breach of privacy.

Letting agents are cunts who will do anything they think they can get away with to make money as quickly as possible. Don't let them treat you like a mug or they will.

My DH had a past situation where agent kept coming round unannounced to do 'inspections', he told them to stop and they said they would, but then came round and let themselves in while he was in bed and he threatened to take them to court. Needless to say they stopped.

Even with written notice you can still decline viewings completely.

They have to give u 24 hour notice I would majorly complain about this as u have right to have your mother present as well

They've broken the terms of your tenancy and therefore can no longer make any deductions from your deposit. I had a similar situation.